ISPs to give away broadband-boosting iPlates

 

Gallery

By Barry Collins

Posted on 1 Oct 2008 at 10:28

BT has started distributing its ADSL-enhancing iPlates to broadband providers, and says ISPs may even give the device away for free.

The telecoms giant claims the device boosts the speed of broadband connections with extension wiring by an average of 1.5Mb/sec. PC Pro's own iPlate tests show that it can boost actual throughput by as much as 60%.

BT has now decided to start selling the device to broadband providers, who are expected to pass it on to customers with troublesome connections in due course.

The telecoms giant says some ISPs might not even charge for the device, which retails for around £15 online. "We expect some communications providers may charge [for the iPlate], but others may want to give it away for free," a spokesman for BT told PC Pro this morning.

BT advises customers to contact their ISP to find out what their plans for the iPlate are before ordering one online.

The spokesman didn't reveal how much BT would be charging ISPs for the iPlates, revealing that costs would depend on the number of units ordered. At a briefing earlier this year, BT said it expected the iPlate to retail for around £10.

The iPlate works by effectively removing the Bell Wire, which used to make old-fashioned phones ring, but now does nothing other than act as a conductor for electrical interference in the home, degrading the performance of broadband connections.

Click here to read our verdit on the iPlate.