Broadband Backup is unavailable

[kanesh]

Hi,

I have an alert on my BT homepage, stating the following. Please help me understand the action required to resolve the network issue. Understandably, there is no point in paying extra for the service while it is not available.

"Broadband Backup is unavailable

As you've got BT Plus, we'd normally switch Broadband Backup on for you. But there's a network issue that means we can't do this right now."

[Keith_Beddoe]

Have BT supplied you with a mini hub?

See http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/61688/~/using-the-4g-wi-fi-mini-hub

And http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/61691/c/346

[kanesh]

Thank you.
No, BT haven't sent me a mini hub. Also, the link you provided mentions "BT welcome booklet" and I haven't received this neither.
I have also been told that I will get Virus protection for 15 devices. Unfortunately, based on 'MyBT', I cannot protect more than 2 devices. I have spent several hours on the phone and the support team are unable to help me. I don't appear to be getting all benefits from my 'PLUS' account.

[StewM]

I had the same banner about a week ago (nothing wrong with my broadband), but it disappeared a few days later. Does beg a question though, while I have BT Plus with the addded advantages, if the system is down at the time I need it, I presume BT couldn’t provide the benefit? Then why are we paying extra?

Stew

[Keith_Beddoe]

BT would only send you the mini hub if you have a broadband fault.

[StewM]

That’s the point Keith. If at the time your broadband is not working and the BT back up system is not working, then the promise to have you up and running with the mini hub won’t be fulfilled. So the back up is not guaranteed, so why are customers paying extra for BT Plus?

Stew

[Keith_Beddoe]

I don`t think its intended as a proper fall-back solution like business users have. Its probably intended as an alternative if for example, the street cabinet was destroyed, or a major cable was cut, an you were likely to be without service for quite a while.

A proper solution would be to have a home hub which can accommodate a SIM card or external USB wireless dongle, so if the main broadband link fails, it switches over to 3 or 4G mobile broadband.

The router I use, has a USB port which accepts my Three Mobile broadband dongle, and it will switch over to that if my main ADSL connection fails.

I have not needed to use it so far.

[kanesh]

While we are not expecting a Hot or Warm standby system to kick in as soon as the broadband fails, it is reasonable to expect a level broadband service within hours of failure.

[Keith_Beddoe]

If you read the details on the BT page, you will see that it could take a day or so for the mini hub to arrive after a failure, but then you would keep the mini hub for next time.

It would not make financial sense for BT to send out a mini hub to every BT Plus user, just in case they have a service failure. Most users have no connection problems.