Is it necessary to have a BT phoneline to get ADSL with ISPs such as PlusNet, BullDog, Pipex etc.? Or would a Telewest phone line be fine?

Thanks :)

You have to have a BT line, as well as that, you also have to be within a certain distance to your ADSL enabled exchange, like some of the other guys point out, www.adslguide.org.uk is a rgeat place for more information.

Thanks PENGUIN. I have poked around there but didn't see a definitive answer to whether a BT line was necessary or a Telewest would work too.

So from what you're saying, the "third party" ISPs all require a specifically BT activated telephone line....

So if I switch to Telewest I have no options but to use Blueyonder?

I'm not sure what cable operators work within our area, like you said I think it is just blue yonder, in other areas there is the likes of NTL too. But in order to get any ADSL you need a BT line, my exchange is enabled and I was looking at the bulldog 2Mb, which was good, I may swap from my current wanadoo 512kb.

Plys Net definately needs a BT line

Pipex needs a Bt line too! I think they all do! Why stay with telewest anyway? They aint cheaper and definatly not better!

That's why I went back from Telewest cable to BT. I use Tele2 for my calls and fairadsl for broadband, whereas if I was on a Cable line I wouldn't be able to shop around for the cheapest company. Telewest are quite expensive for phone calls AND for broadband.