Check BTnet leased line availability at your address

How BTnet availability is checked

BTnet is a dedicated access line from your premises into BT's network. Unlike broadband, it is not a question of whether a line is already connected; it is a question of how a new one would be built and how long that takes. That is why availability is checked in stages:

1. Your address and postcode. The exact premises, including the unit or floor, because the route into one building can be very different from the one next door.
2. A desktop survey. BT reviews the site remotely and places the job in a delivery "category" based on how complex delivery is likely to be.
3. A predicted lead time. BT combines the category with average installation times in your area to give an up-front prediction, its best indication before an order is placed.
4. Options and a quote. We set out the BTnet options that suit your site, the bearer and speed, and the quote. Some options, such as BTnet Express, depend on what is possible at the address.
5. The site survey after you order. BT says the survey is the first step of any order and gives a firm expectation of lead time, followed by a Customer Committed Date.

So an availability check gives you a strong indication and a quote. The survey turns it into a firm answer.

Why there is no instant checker on this site

You may have seen tools that promise an instant leased line availability result. For a dedicated line, any instant answer can only be indicative, because it cannot see the duct under the road, the route through your building or whether a landlord's consent is needed. BT itself says it does not use standard lead times because they would be misleading.

We would rather give you an answer you can plan with. Send us your address and postcode and we will come back with BT's predicted lead time, the desktop survey category, the BTnet options for the site and a quote. There is no self-serve checker here, by design: contact us with your postcode instead.

What affects availability at your address

What varies from address to address is how much work a dedicated line takes and how long. The main factors:

• The route to the building. Whether existing duct and network infrastructure is nearby and usable, or new build is needed. New build can mean excess construction charges.
• The building itself. Entry points, risers and the path to your comms room. Older and listed buildings can need more planning.
• Permissions. Whether the route crosses common parts or land you do not own, which may need a wayleave agreement.
• The bearer and access type. BT's terms list Ethernet fibre bearers at 100Mbps, 1Gbps and 10Gbps, data centre access bearers, and in some cases GEA over FTTP access. Which applies is confirmed at quote.
• The speed you need. Higher speeds may need a larger bearer. See BTnet leased line speeds.
• Resilience. A second line on a separate route depends on what route separation the area allows. See resilient BTnet.

What to send us for an availability check

The more we know, the more useful the answer. For each site, send:

• The full address and postcode, including the unit, floor or building name
• What the connection is for: calls, cloud apps, CCTV, guests, hosting or a mix
• The speed you think you need now and later; our bandwidth guide can help
• Your plan preference, if you have one: BTnet wires only, a managed Cisco router, or Meraki with BTnet Security
• Whether the site must stay online through a fault, so we can include resilience options
• Your target date, for example a move-in date or the end of an existing contract
• Whether you own or rent the premises, and the landlord or managing agent's details if you rent

Our leased line quote page lists the same information, so you can send it all at once.

What you get back

Asking for an availability check does not place an order. When you are ready, the order starts BT's installation process, beginning with the site survey.

Checking an address before you sign a lease

If you are choosing new premises, check leased line availability before you commit. The connection is easy to overlook in a property search, and a building that is hard to reach can push your move date back or add excess construction to the budget.

• Ask early, for every shortlisted address. A predicted lead time and desktop survey category for each option lets you compare buildings on connectivity as well as space and rent.
• Ask the agent about telecoms. Find out whether other tenants already have dedicated lines, where services enter the building and who controls the risers and common parts.
• Ask the landlord about consent. If a wayleave agreement or building works will be needed, find out who signs and how long they usually take.
• Allow for the lead time. BT says BTnet installation can take up to 70 working days, depending on the survey. Build that into your move plan rather than assuming the line will be ready on day one.
• Plan the phones too. If phones will run over the new line, plan the switch-over for after the Service Start Date.

Already on BTnet and moving? BT treats moves differently from new orders; see moving office with BTnet.

Checking several sites at once

If you run several sites, check them together. A combined view lets you compare predicted lead times, plan installations in a sensible order and decide where resilience matters most, such as a head office that other sites rely on. Data centre sites can use BT's data centre access bearers, with your own cross-connect to your equipment.

See BTnet for multi-site organisations for how a consistent connection at each site supports site-to-site VPNs and shared cloud systems. Send us the list of addresses and we will come back site by site.

How Forever Communications helps

Forever Communications is an Authorised Supplier for BT. We take your address, needs and timing, get BT's prediction and options for the site, and turn them into a clear quote with the next steps explained in plain words, including anything that could affect the date, such as excess construction or a wayleave.

Ready to check an address? Contact us with your postcode.