Broadband activation tasks - what goes on?

[#1]

Can some kind soul list in reasonable detail (with times) what tasks are done during broadband activation and why it takes days/weeks - does the exchange have to be destroyed and rebuilt and does BT play a part?:-X
Also how much of the tenner a month line rental goes to BT?

[#2]

This article explains how BT wholesale charges ISPs.
http://community.plus.net/blog/2008/02/28/how-uk-isps-are-charged-for-broadband-the-cost-of-ipstream...
As Plusnet is a BT subsidiary all of your tenner ends up going to BT plc one way or another.

[#3]

Dont forget those nice people at HM revenue and customs take 17.5%
puddy

[#4]

Thank-you for the correction. How could I forget that?!

[#5]

Hi Stewie,
Ian's actually posted a really useful and informative guide on how broadband pricing works here.  Generally you're looking at about £7 per line before you factor in hardware, usage, support costs, value added services and so on.
I've been having a bit of a hunt around and managed to find this link which shows you a bit more information about telephone exchanges and what they do from a broadband point of view.
I've also written about the sorts of things that can cause delays in orders (which are normally caused by either DACS or capacity issues at the exchange) which you can read about here.
Let me know if there's anything else that you're looking for and ~I'll be more than happy to help out.

[#6]

Thankyou all. I have learned from your answers and links. You may have guessed I await BBYW activation.
This period seems long when you are waiting.
It seems PlusNet use BT-Wholesales IPStream  (rather than Data Stream or Local Loop Unbundling;-) so it looks likes the eternal activation time is down to the prehensile bottoms of BT.
We care about Mbps. But it seems there is no incentive to care about average activation time. Surely not all activations are complicated by phone number changes etc.
Without understanding what the core activation task involves it's hard to be more sympathetic.

[#7]

Well, at least you didn't switch from Metronet to Plusnet ... and then have your service cut off completely (by accident) and have to wait 7 days to be reactivated. Happy I was not!

[#8]

still waiting.....
What could BT possibly be up to.................?
(edit... blah blah blah)

[#9]

...still waiting...

[#10]

If I am reading correctly, you have only been waiting less than two days, what exactly is the problem?, it didnt help you putting in a supplementary cost question

[#11]

@Stewie
If you're waiting for activation, what was the date given in the e-mail from PN?
Activation is normally 7 working days or there abouts, but can longer if there are problems such as tag on the line or DACS.
Sometimes it's worth plugging the router into the phone line and seeing if there's an ADSL signal there.  Strange as it may seem, BT have been known to activate lines early!  If you do have a signal (router syncs with the exchange) you can phone up PN and get them to switch you on at their end.

[#12]

Hi Stewie,
Your order is due to complete on the 16th (it was placed on the 7th).  That's a little longer than the normal 5 working that it normally takes, which suggests some line sharing issues that BT will need to sort out before your broadband goes live.

[#13]

I don't have a problem with PN, or forum readers, far from it, you are more than helpful. Thankyou.
I do however wonder if BT have engineered NORMAL expections for activation times that are too long.
Maybe I was laughably hoping that PN might be in a position to urge a cut in this NORMAL time by reminding you of each annoying day just one customer was waiting for activation from BT. Obviously not the way to go about it, but if left until activation completes, one may not care so much.
Thanks Paul for the detailed tip about checking the line, and ringing PN if it looks good. I'd assumed early activation was unlikely.

[#14]

I wasnt knocking you, I wanted a definition of the problem, as I and others probably didnt know what you were looking for, when James gave the status it became a bit clearer

[#15]

Quote from: Stewie

I do however wonder if BT have engineered NORMAL expections for activation times that are too long.

7 days is the normal lead time which I don't think is outrageous, I normally have to book a month in advance for a car service. 
Considering there are approximately 6000 exchanges and let say each has 1,500 lines this make 9 million lines which need planning and support by a limited workforce.