Our Fair Usage Policy applies to any customer exceeding the usage guidelines for their Broadband Option. When a customer exceeds their usage guideline, by a large amount, they will be contacted by email and alerted to our Fair Usage Policy. The email will outline the subsequent action that will be taken if they continue to exceed their threshold;

• Customers on Options 1 and 2 who exceed their usage guideline will be contacted about re-grading to a more suitable Broadband Option.
• Customers on Option 3 who exceed their usage guideline will be contacted about being charged for their excessive usage.

How do I choose the package that's right for me?

This will mainly depend on what you will be using broadband for. A lower monthly usage guideline is adequate for general surfing and emailing. However, for listening to music, watching videos or for sending large files, choose a package with a higher monthly usage guideline.

The packages also differ in terms of features offered. For instance some have a firewall and anti-virus included, so you won't have to provide your own.

How do I pay for BT Total Broadband ?

To order BT Total Broadband you must have either a BT telephone account, or a non-cable telephone line. BT Total Broadband is charged monthly, in advance, via your BT bill. You can choose to pay your BT bill by Direct Debit or Monthly Payment Plan which will save you £1 per month on your broadband charges. You can sign-up online for Direct Debit or Monthly Payment Plan on BT.com.

How do I track my broadband order?

After you have placed your order online, you can come back to http://www.bt.com/getbroadband and track the progress of your order. Just click on 'Track my order' in the left hand menu and follow the instructions.

Why does BT have monthly usage guidelines?

Usage guidelines match customers to the most suitable product for them. In the past, lighter users of broadband have been paying the same price as a small minority of exceptionally high users. To resolve this, BT has introduced usage guidelines, enabling us to offer our customers the best prices for what they use. Therefore, relatively light internet users can still enjoy super-fast internet for a low monthly price. Under the new usage guidelines well over 90% of our customers are within the usage guideline for their product.

Can I monitor my usage to ensure I don't go over my monthly usage guideline?

No, under our new approach we'll monitor how much you use for you, so you don't have to worry about it. If you stay within the usage guideline for your product, or only ever exceed it by a small amount then there's no need to worry about how much you are using.

If your usage levels are much higher than the guideline for the product you're on then we'll contact you to let you know and help you find a product that is more suitable for your needs. However, under the new usage guidelines well over 90% of our customers are within the usage guideline for their product.

What is broadband?

Broadband means, very simply, a high-speed connection to the Internet that is 'always on'. It is up to 10 or 20 times faster than a 56K modem enabling you to view web content and download files more quickly. It's called broadband because it has a much larger capacity to receive (and send) data.

What equipment do I need for broadband?

This will depend on who supplies your broadband - but essentially all you need is a computer that meets the minimum requirements, a suitable phone line, plus a broadband hub, modem or router and microfilters (phone adapters).

Will I need to buy any extra software?

BT Total Broadband Option 2 and 3 come with PC firewall and anti-virus software included. But if you take BT Total Broadband Option 1, you should consider buying firewall and anti-virus software to ensure the security of your PC.