How to get broadband in old church?
Discussion
Hi,
Bit of a Q here and I don't know where to start, but there is a lot of wisdom on this forum so I'll try you lot!
I need to have broadband installed in an old church. Broadband only, not a 'phone. This is likely to only be needed for a period of a few months (6-9 months probably) and there is no operational 'phone line to run a 'regular' broadband service down. There is a very old 'phone line (disconnected in 2010 or so) in the building but I have no idea what this is connected to - by which I mean I don't even know whether there are still cables from the back of the socket to any kind of BT exchange (or any other kind of exchange).
Church is in London. Excellent local mobile 'phone signal and speed (there are mobile 'phone transmitters very locally). Broadband requirements are likely to be about 10Gb usage a month, maybe a little more. Upload speeds are more important than download but don't need to be more than about 5Mb.
A bit of googling tells me that there are a LOT of options with different providers quoting anything up to about £140 (BT) to be re-connected, other providers seeming to be cheaper. The snag is that it doesn't seem to be clear how much you will be paying until you have started the installation process and they have come on site to see what's what. I can understand why this would be so but I don't like the idea of committing to a provider without knowing how much it will cost.
An alternative would be Mobile Broadband with a 4G router. This is where things get easier to understand and there is a helpful page here:
https://www.broadband.co.uk/mobile-broadband/
Does anyone have any experience of re-connecting very old telephone lines and an idea of cost? Failing that, are the mobile broadband options as good as they seem to be?
All suggestions welcomed - thanks.
Bit of a Q here and I don't know where to start, but there is a lot of wisdom on this forum so I'll try you lot!
I need to have broadband installed in an old church. Broadband only, not a 'phone. This is likely to only be needed for a period of a few months (6-9 months probably) and there is no operational 'phone line to run a 'regular' broadband service down. There is a very old 'phone line (disconnected in 2010 or so) in the building but I have no idea what this is connected to - by which I mean I don't even know whether there are still cables from the back of the socket to any kind of BT exchange (or any other kind of exchange).
Church is in London. Excellent local mobile 'phone signal and speed (there are mobile 'phone transmitters very locally). Broadband requirements are likely to be about 10Gb usage a month, maybe a little more. Upload speeds are more important than download but don't need to be more than about 5Mb.
A bit of googling tells me that there are a LOT of options with different providers quoting anything up to about £140 (BT) to be re-connected, other providers seeming to be cheaper. The snag is that it doesn't seem to be clear how much you will be paying until you have started the installation process and they have come on site to see what's what. I can understand why this would be so but I don't like the idea of committing to a provider without knowing how much it will cost.
An alternative would be Mobile Broadband with a 4G router. This is where things get easier to understand and there is a helpful page here:
https://www.broadband.co.uk/mobile-broadband/
Does anyone have any experience of re-connecting very old telephone lines and an idea of cost? Failing that, are the mobile broadband options as good as they seem to be?
All suggestions welcomed - thanks.
You shouldn't have any problem getting upload speeds way over 5Mb from a 4G connection, and 10GB download quota will cost buttons. The only issue with mobile broadband is that the latency is higher ... Pings of 100ms rather than 10ms, and it appears to me that upload speeds can sometimes start a little slow for a few seconds and then pick up pace. I have no idea if that latter observation is real or just my imagination.
What are you going to use the connection for?
What are you going to use the connection for?
Thanks Glen, that's helpful. It looks like the unlimited package is nearer £50/month and the setup costs for a short contract are a bit steep but it's interesting to know what is out there.
(Link here for reference: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/gigacube/#gigcube-plans...
(Link here for reference: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/gigacube/#gigcube-plans...
Might be worth a read of this thread for 4G from Three https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I have this and am currently getting 37mb download speeds and can see in excess of 70.
I have this and am currently getting 37mb download speeds and can see in excess of 70.
Edited by barryrs on Wednesday 6th May 10:02
It can be a very long-winded process reconnecting an old property - it's often the case that BT/Open Reach have no record of the property and that needs a survey etc etc. I know, because I've been through the process.
If you have a decent 4G signal from '3', the best deal out there at the moment is the SMARTY SIM card - unlimited data, no contract and £20 a month. A 4G router (which is what I currently use) can deliver high speeds - I get 25Mbps with almost no signal on an EE contract.
If you can't get 3, then probably EE, but you'll need a 12 month contract at around £30 a month. You can be up and running in a couple of days.
Once you're set up, then you can apply to BT at your leisure.
If you have a decent 4G signal from '3', the best deal out there at the moment is the SMARTY SIM card - unlimited data, no contract and £20 a month. A 4G router (which is what I currently use) can deliver high speeds - I get 25Mbps with almost no signal on an EE contract.
If you can't get 3, then probably EE, but you'll need a 12 month contract at around £30 a month. You can be up and running in a couple of days.
Once you're set up, then you can apply to BT at your leisure.
2Btoo said:
ATG,
Thanks. I don't think that latency will be an issue. We'll be using it for live-streaming church services on Facebook and the like.
My guess is that it would probably work. Should be pretty easy to test, I'd have thought? Stand in church with mobile phone and see if you can stream a high quality video call to someone. That'll exercise the 3/4G streaming bit. If you can't get an adequate connection even standing on the roof / in the belfry, then you might have a problem, but otherwise you should be in business.Thanks. I don't think that latency will be an issue. We'll be using it for live-streaming church services on Facebook and the like.
Guys,
Thanks for the helpful replies - I appreciate them. I suspect that a Mobile Broadband wotsit is the way to go given there this is only a short-term requirement. And I like the idea of trying it out with a mobile in the church to see if a video call works.
Barryrs, thanks for the link to the other thread. Much of that went over my head!
Thanks again for your help.
Thanks for the helpful replies - I appreciate them. I suspect that a Mobile Broadband wotsit is the way to go given there this is only a short-term requirement. And I like the idea of trying it out with a mobile in the church to see if a video call works.
Barryrs, thanks for the link to the other thread. Much of that went over my head!
Thanks again for your help.
Have a look at Relish (now Three Broadband) They have a dedicated London network, see if your in the coverage area.
https://www.threebroadband.co.uk
https://www.threebroadband.co.uk
barryrs said:
Might be worth a read of this thread for 4G from Three https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I have this and am currently getting 37mb download speeds and can see in excess of 70.
This is a good thread for info. I have a router and EE phone sim, £28 a month unlimited data. Speeds in the 50-70mbps download and 15mbps upload.I have this and am currently getting 37mb download speeds and can see in excess of 70.
Edited by barryrs on Wednesday 6th May 10:02
Openreach are funny about going into homes atm, not sure about church's but worth checking where they stand as you may struggle to get an active line from them. On the other hand it may not be necessary for them to enter the premises, or they may permit a regular electrician to do their indoors bit (i have customers currently having refits i plan to install a BT spec nte5 socket and hope BT are cool with that)
in the crazy topsy turvey wheel-of-chance way that business is treating CV19 however, virgin media will send an engineer into a house.
in the crazy topsy turvey wheel-of-chance way that business is treating CV19 however, virgin media will send an engineer into a house.
Yes BT/Openreach aren't fitting/connecting any 'new lines', so if the church does not have a line registered on their system it will not be connected. Same with all the other ISPs, they cannot currently provide a service if there is no line. This may well change over the coming weeks/months.
I have a physical 'BT' line running int my home, it was connected last year before I swapped to Virgin Cable. When I tried to go back to another ISP my home was coming up as 'no line' and I couldn't get anyone to provide a service.
I have a physical 'BT' line running int my home, it was connected last year before I swapped to Virgin Cable. When I tried to go back to another ISP my home was coming up as 'no line' and I couldn't get anyone to provide a service.
You can get prepay data sims on 3 and ee.
I buy them for my kids. eg https://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-24gb-trio-mbb-payg-si...
data lasts for between 1 yr and 2 years. no contract, no minimum period.
I buy them for my kids. eg https://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-24gb-trio-mbb-payg-si...
data lasts for between 1 yr and 2 years. no contract, no minimum period.
TooLateForAName said:
You can get prepay data sims on 3 and ee.
I buy them for my kids. eg https://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-24gb-trio-mbb-payg-si...
data lasts for between 1 yr and 2 years. no contract, no minimum period.
Snap, but £12 cheaper from Amazon:I buy them for my kids. eg https://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-24gb-trio-mbb-payg-si...
data lasts for between 1 yr and 2 years. no contract, no minimum period.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Mobile-Pay-Broadban...
sgrimshaw said:
Pricing does seem to jump around. mymemory were cheapest when I last bought.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff