Broadband - ADSL

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I find out (provisionally) if my line could receive ADSL service?

Enter your BT telephone number on our broadband page (www.internet-central.net/broadband), then click "check" and our website will give you clear detailed results.

Why do I need to pay an install fee?

Quite simply BT are charging us for engineering time to provision service so we have to pass this on.

How do we provide service?

The service utilises BT’s DSLAM's in their exchanges and your local telephone line is connected into a port on the DSLAM which strips off the data and sends it onto the BT Colossus Data Network. We then have connections into the BT network and your data comes down one of these connections into one of our Data Centres and onto our network. Then your requests are forwarded to one of our upstream Internet connections and to the 'Net'.

Migration.

If you already have ADSL with another provider then we could migrate your connection to us, providing your existing ISP supports migration we can do this and your downtime would be limited to only hours. In order to migrate to us we require you to contact your existing provider and obtain a 'MAC' key for your current connection this code should then be immediately entered during the ordering process.

Please note a MAC key is valid for a period of up to 30 days only (check with your ISP) so please only request this key from your provider once you are ready to start the migration. A migration typically takes up to 5 days from the placement of order to the switchover and should only incur about 1 hours outage.

It should be pointed out that migrations where the connection type is being changed are processed as a like for like migration followed by an upgrade / downgrade as appropriate. this may mean that the final provisioning date is slightly later than the date given for installation, to allow the regrade to occur. When migrating and changing the product delivered (e.g. migrating from a 512Kb/s to 1024kb/s connection), additional regrade fees may apply.

Migration is not supported by all providers and the free migration is subject to the customer remaining connected for a minimum period of 12 months else a cancellation charge equivalent to the connection fee will be levied.

If you wish to move away from us at any point then you may also request a MAC code from ourselves, we request written cancellation notice be issued and a MAC code request, you may submit your request by letter, fax, or email (must be from your registered email address that is against your account), and we will issue a MAC code as soon as possible but within 5 working days. If you have any problems then call or email sales on sales@netcentral.co.uk or 01782 667788.

Re-grades.

If you already have ADSL with ourselves you can re-grade your connection to the new MAX products in around 5 working days. You will see an outage of up to 1 hour whilst the connection is changed over. The one off charge is necessary as BT are charging us to perform the speed upgrade however depending on the result of current trials later this year we are looking to launch even higher speed products and we will not be charging any 2Mb/s customers to upgrade again (once on MAX you can move up speeds without further re-grade charges).

How long from order to install?.

We are providing service in approximately 5-10 working days from receipt of order, (where conflicting services are present on the line, or the exchange is not yet ADSL enabled, the lead time is taken from the date the line is clear to receive ADSL service).

Installation

All of our ADSL's are 'wires only' installations. This means that there will be no engineer visiting your premises to install the connection, or any hardware.

Contracts

All our connections are monthly contracts, all we ask is for 1 months notice in writing in advance of when you wish to cancel, we would endeavour to cancel your service as quickly as possible and re-imburse any outstanding fees. If you do not want an automatic cancellation then you MUST specify a cancellation date at the time. See "Ceasing Contracts" for more information

Ceasing Contracts & Charges (from May 2007)

BT have now changed the rules for installations and now charge for users who disconnect broadband from the line. If you 'cease' service on the line (this includes cancelling your phone line, moving premises or just ceasing your service) then you become eligible for a BT engineers cease charge. If you are moving your service to an alternate provider then you should 'migrate' your service to them 'DO NOT' ask for your service to be ceased but instead 'MIGRATED' as this will avoid such charges from BT (currently at £35+VAT).

IP Addresses

The service is provided with a single fixed IP address. More IP addresses can be provided via a routed connection for Office products provided you satisfy RIPE criteria for static IP addresses.

Policy: We will reverse all routed IP address as Netcentral Broadband Pool. We would prefer end users to use NAT/PAT but, as outlined above we can provide routed connections if necessary. All of our supplied Termination/Routing devices support this.

Advanced IP Services

We are frequently asked the difference between our 'Light' and 'Office' products and other then the contention ratio, 'Office' products also come with the option of Advanced IP Services. The services provided include Reverse DNS, SMTP Direct feed (for running your own email servers on your site), Routed IP blocks (multiple static IP addresses subject to the above) and a few other minor items. The reason for this is that the 'Light' products are designed for basic Internet access which would normally be a couple of intermittent users with basic email and web browsing, whereas the 'Office' range are designed for the larger users in an office environment.

Usage Limits

Why are IC imposing data limits? The answer is quite simple really, we are not stopping people from using the connections and will not cap you but bandwidth does cost money and therefore we include a very generous amount of allowance which from our records would not affect 99% of our users but as with any service you do get the odd one or two people who would abuse the system so these limits are a way to ensure that they are paying for the additional usage and in turn this additional payment allows us to provide more capacity to ensure that their usage does not affect the majority of other users.

Illegal Usage

Internet Central does NOT condone the use of it's services for illegal purposes, these include but are not limited to:- Providing SMTP relay service for junk / bulk mail or using our servers for that purpose, using P2P (peer to peer) software for the downloading and sharing of copyrighted material, the transmission of abusive / illegal images & content & using the connection to gain unauthorised access to other systems connected to the Internet.

The checker tells me I can't get ADSL at any level, yet I ALREADY HAVE ADSL with another provider.

The ADSL checking facility on this site is integrated directly with BT's information, the results displayed are a direct result of the information provided by BT. If you know this to be wrong see the next paragraph for things to try.

Why does the checker say I can't get an ADSL service, when my exchange is enabled.

This is typically due to the length of the cable between your phone and the BT exchange, if the ADSL checker says you cannot get a service level the description will normally try and explain why this is. Please read the text under the checker, as this will normally answer most questions.

Other reasons you may not be able to get a particular service include the presence of devices that are incompatible with ADSL. The checker is a provisional check and may not be accurate, here is a general guide to help you decide if you could get the new services:-

If you already have ADSL and it was installed before November 2000 then you are not likely to have R.ADSL (rate adaptive) which means your line would have passed tests up to 2Mb/s so you should be able to receive all speed services. If you already have ADSL on the line we cannot perform an accurate line test but if your neighbour does not have ADSL then we could perform a check on their number for you providing they are on the same phone exchange as you. Whilst this is not 100% accurate it would provide a good guide as to availability. If you would like to do this email broadband@netcentral.co.uk and we will perform a basic test for you (note this line must NOT have ADSL already or we cannot perform the test).  If you do not have ADSL present and if you are sure you should get service then our advice is order anyway! If it fails you will have nothing to pay anyway and you will have not lost a current connection.

What happens if I order and the line fails?

The answer here is simply that we would cancel your order for that service and if money had been taken it would be fully refunded to your account / card. You would then be free to order another speed connection from ourselves or any other provider of your choice.

Who are IC?

Internet Central was established in 1995 as such is one of the oldest ISP's in the UK – yes even older than BT Internet and Freeserve! We were awarded a Telecommunications license by the DTI in January of 2001 and own and operate our own extensive network based on fibre and microwave throughout South Cheshire and North Staffordshire. We also purchase links and capacity from other Telco’s.

Internet Central was one of the first ISPs to offer radio based services (1999) and own-branded SDSL services (2000) from our own Points of Presence locally.

Email Servers

Mail Servers are provided for e-mail transmission on all of our DSL products including no frills. They are of course monitored for Spam and Bulk mail. Please see our Ts and Cs for further information.

Can I have faster upload speed?

The service is provided over the standard ADSL infrastructure so at present we are unable to provide faster speeds for upload - We are able to supply SDSL connections which offer upload speeds up to 2Mb/s. If you have an extra analogue line, you can order another ADSL service and 'load balance' the two connections together - this is ideal for customers who can only get a 512Kb/s service, but want faster download as well as upload.

What speed can I 'expect' from the service?

The answer here is not a simple one as it has not been for 'any' current ADSL service, the service is contended "i.e. shared" amongst other users which is how your prices are reduced as bandwidth costs lots of money. However from experience of the existing 50:1 users at the 512Kb/s services most report they can get 400Kb/s plus almost all the time so using this as a guide a 1Mb/s should give 800Kb/s or higher and 2Mb/s should give 1,600 Kb/s or higher.

Dial UP accounts.

If you have ceased your ADSL from your current provider and need net access please feel free to dial up to 0845 6081315 and use username: guest and password: guest and do not withhold your telephone number it will give you net access. Please note that this is a chargeable service (local rate phone call) and will be shown on your next telephone bill.

Can I use my X-Box with the service?

Although we have not tested this personally, we have been informed that you will need: An XBox Game Console. A category 5 (CAT 5) Ethernet cable Your ADSL service and any hardware that is required for connection. A major Credit Card (for access to XBox Live) You do not need a computer (although access may be necessary to initially configure broadband and the broadband hardware), some users may chose to build a home network using their personal computer. This is not essential.

I'm going to use a router with my XBox - what ports need to be open on my personal firewall?

Although Internet Central do not block ports (apart from port 25 to protect against spam attacks), your own firewall may need to be reconfigured. The following ports will need to be opened in order to avoid any potential problems and connect to the XBox Live Service. They are as follows: TCP 88, UDP 3074, TCP 3074

Can I use my GameCube with this service?

Although we have not tested this personally, we have been informed that you will need: A GameCube suitable for online gaming. A modem/router with an Ethernet output (The Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter is not compatible with USB connectors). A GameCube Broadband Adaptor - see http://www.the-console-corner.com/gamecube_broadband_adaptor.htm for more details and what it looks like

A 10 megabit (10Base-T) or 100 megabit (100Base-TX) network cable. You do not need a computer (although access may be necessary to initially configure broadband and the broadband hardware), some users may chose to build a home network using their personal computer.