By Juliette MaxamA BUSINESSMAN has been told he cannot have broadband because his office is too far away from a BT exchange – even though a company in the same building has the high-speed connection.

By Juliette Maxam

A BUSINESSMAN has been told he cannot have broadband because his office is too far away from a BT exchange - even though a company in the same building has the high-speed connection.

Nigel Dyson runs an international textiles business from Bentley Manor Barns, Little Bentley, and sub-lets part of the premises to FirstPoint, a small computer printer company.

Two months ago Mr Dyson applied for a broadband connection from BT, which FirstPoint already had. In order for a broadband link to work, it must be no more than six kilometres away from a BT exchange.

Mr Dyson said his office met that criteria and was closer to the BT exchange than FirstPoint's. He added a BT engineer came to check his office and moved his computer line so that it was nearer the exchange.

But since then BT Wholesale has said Mr Dyson was not eligible for a broadband connection because his office was too far away from the exchange.

"We had our BT Highway line disconnected by BT some weeks ago in preparation for the broadband to be installed," said Mr Dyson.

"We are therefore having to run a line along the floor and under the door into the FirstPoint office and our system is currently plugged into their broadband, which is working perfectly."

He claimed the BT engineer who carried out work at the office had said it was suitable for a broadband connection, but BT Wholesale has to authorise the new line and it insisted the premises were too far away from the exchange.

A BT spokeswoman said: "We are sorry to hear Mr Dyson's having trouble trying to get broadband. We are obviously committed to finding ways everybody can reap the benefits of broadband.

"We will fully investigate the issue. We will be speaking to this customer. Our aim is to allow everybody to have access to broadband."

juliette.maxam@eadt.co.uk