Youview availability

[antonio111]

After a very long conversation with a helpful sales agent yesterday I was eventually told that I could not have Youview because they could not guarantee the service. The broadband speed has supposedly just been upgraded but i am in the middle of the countryside max distance for the telephone exchange and only BT will give me broadband so it is a bit frustating that i cannot have Youview from them. I realise I could just buy a box but I wanted to have access to the extra channels you have to pay for, am not bothered about catchup TV, can anyone please help with suggestions?

[cactusbob]

What sort of broadband speeds are you getting?

[antonio111]

About 1 meg

[drhowells]

You need at least 2/2.5 MB (3 ideally) to get BT Vision. They currently don't have any extra pay channels, but are meant to soon.

[antonio111]

exchange has supposedly just been upgraded and tells me i should get 1 - 3.5 meg so will have to see if it improves, looks like i will just have to buy a freeview recorder, would have liked youview as it says sport coming next year.

[cactusbob]

With 3.5Mb you would be ok with YouView. What exchange are you on? 

You can go here to find out

[antonio111]

I think I am on the Old Colwyn exchange, (when I had the line put in there was confusion to whtether it would come from Old Colwyn or Dolwen so much so that i got threatening debt collectors letter for installation of a phone line which had not been installed) and I have checked the link and it says there are other broadband providers e.g. Sky and I confirmed this by checking on Sky's own site which in the past has always said bb was not available in this. I am now wondering if BT have updated the exchange but not their own records.

At least i now have an alternative if BT dies not come up trumps!

[antonio111]

Found the link, it is definitely Old Colwyn.

[cactusbob]

Looking at your exchange I see you can get TalkTalk. As far as I know TalkTalk will run ADSL2+ from their equipment, ADSL2+ should give you a faster line speed. TalkTalk can also give you YouView. Maybe worth giving them a call?

[antonio111]

Cheers Bob, I have tried them and they say I am too far away from exchange, think I will wait till my contract runs out with BT and go back to Sky for TV but get my phone and BB off them too as will only work out at a tenner a month more than I am paying BT just for phone and broadband.