Questions to ask before you order a leased line

How to use this checklist

The questions below follow the order in which decisions come up: what you need, how it is delivered, how you protect it, how it gets installed, how it is supported and what you are signing. Each one links to the page that answers it.

You do not need every answer before you ask for a BTnet quote. Many of them we work through with you. But the more you settle early, the closer your first quote will be to the final order, and the fewer surprises there are after the survey.

Bandwidth and bearer

These decide how fast the line is today and how easily it can grow:

Plan, equipment and security

These decide who looks after what, and where BT's responsibility ends:

• Which plan suits us? Wires only, BTnet + Cisco router or BTnet Meraki + BTnet Security. See BTnet leased line plans.
• Who manages the router and the firewall? With BTnet wires only you run both; with a managed Cisco router BT manages the router and you run your security.
• Do we want security built into the service? BTnet Security is available with the Meraki option and can be added later. BT does not guarantee security against unauthorised access, so plan your own layers too.
• Do we need Wi-Fi across the site? BTnet Wi-Fi adds Meraki access points, and you remain responsible for passwords and guest use.
• How many IP addresses do we need, and for what? Static IPv4 addresses come as standard; Provider Independent Resources are possible with registration duties. See static IP addresses on BTnet.
• Where is the service management boundary? The LAN port of BT's managed equipment, or the network terminating unit with wires only. Everything beyond it is yours.

Resilience

A single line is a single point of failure, however well it is built. Ask:

• What would an outage cost us? If the answer is a lot, talk about resilience before the survey, not after. See resilient BTnet.
• Which option fits: failover, load balancing or a lower-speed back-up? See leased line failover, load-balanced BTnet and backup leased line.
• Can the second line take a separate route into the building? Route separation depends on the site, so raise it at survey.
• What keeps the equipment powered? BT's terms ask the customer to provide continuous power and back-up power for BT's equipment.
• What must keep working if one line fails? Calls, card payments and key cloud apps should be on the list when you size a back-up.

Survey, installation and timing

Most delays come from the building rather than the network. Ask early:

• When do we need the line live? BT's help pages say installation can take up to 70 working days, depending on the survey. See BTnet lead times.
• Could BTnet Express suit our site? BT describes it as using easier-to-install cabling with a typical lead time of 35-40 working days. See BTnet Express.
• What will the survey look at, and who will meet the surveyor? See what happens at a leased line site survey.
• Should we agree an ECC limit in the order? It decides whether BT proceeds automatically or re-quotes if extra construction is needed. See excess construction charges.
• Do we need a wayleave from our landlord? Start that conversation now. See wayleave agreement.
• Is the site ready? Space, trunking, power, internal cabling and access during Business Hours with an escort. See preparing your site.

Service levels and support

Know how support works before you need it:

• What does BT's SLA cover? Availability, on-time delivery and latency, each with its own credits and exclusions. See the BTnet SLA and leased line latency.
• How do we claim service credits? Under BT's terms an outage must be reported within two days, and availability and latency claims go to BT within 28 days of BT verifying the incident, quoting the trouble ticket and reference numbers.
• Who is our Customer Contact? BT's terms ask you to name the people who can act for you and report incidents. See BTnet support.
• What is outside BT's responsibility? Your LAN, your own router on wires only, and wireless range and throughput.
• Who do we turn to for help? We can help our customers with changes and SLA claims under BT's terms.

Contract, changes and compliance

Finally, read the terms with your plans for the next few years in mind:

• What minimum term suits us? Charges are fixed for the Minimum Period of Service unless the order says otherwise. See BTnet contract terms.
• What would it cost to leave early? Termination charges are set as percentages of the remaining rental in BT's terms.
• Are we likely to move in the term? An external move starts a new minimum period. See moving office with a BTnet leased line.
• Will card payments use the connection? BTnet is not PCI DSS compliant, so card data needs its own controls. See leased lines for retail.
• Do we need content filtering beyond Cleanfeed? Cleanfeed, which blocks the Internet Watch Foundation's list, is applied as standard. Schools and many other organisations need wider web filtering as well, which BTnet Security or your own firewall can provide.
• Is the budget clear? One-off charges, rental, any ECC and the costs on your side of the line. See BT leased line cost.

Short on time? The five questions that matter most

If you only settle five things before ordering, make them these:

1. What port speed do we need now, and which bearer leaves room to grow?
2. Who manages the router and firewall, and where does BT's responsibility end?
3. What happens to the business if the line goes down, and do we need a second line?
4. What could the survey change: excess construction, a wayleave, the date?
5. How long is the minimum term, and what if we move or need to leave early?

We go through all of these with you as part of the quote. Contact us and we will help you answer them for your site.