What are the line tests that BT conducts?

Provided your local exchange is broadband enabled, BT will allow you place an order for broadband. However, depending on the length of your line (from the exchange) you may only be able to get a 512KB connection rather that a 1MB or 2MB connection.

Line Loss. You need a line loss noise of no more than 41db to pass this (55dB for RADSL limits). This test is normally a paper exercise based around the records for your line and area, if a borderline figure appears they may test it out in the street.

Capacitance (Again, this is to establish line quality), to pass, this should be below 160nF - for RADSL the figure is believed to be 200nF (nF is nano-farods).

Whoosh Test (The final test for users having an engineer install.) The test looks at the quality of the line across the DSL frequency range and measures how much of the signal reaches your house, the loss should be less than 45db for 1Mbps and 2Mbps products and 59dB for 512kbps products. For users with self-installation ADSL this test isn't done, but can be carried out remotely at a later date if the line is unstable.

You can run one of these tests yourself:
Dial 17070, select option 3,1 and 2. The system will then check the length of your line and call you back with the result. This test is only a rough indicator and doesn't always work, if you have an ISDN or HH line it won't work at all

There is also an online ADSL availability checker that can be found at www.btwholesale.co.uk. Here you can enter either your post code or your BT telephone number. This check not only tells you if your exchange is broadband enabled, it also estimates the line speed available to you.