One advantage of the aged dial up connection was the ability to change the ISP that you use at a moments notice, simply by changing the telephone number to call. Unfortunately due to the inherent technicalities of ADSL, things are a little more complicated and changing ISP either permanently or simply to just to get online as a result of an outage with the current ISP takes days at best, rather than minutes. Because of this reason at least, many broadband users still have a analogue modem kicking around the innards of their PC. And in one respect, BT for one, like it this way.

Nic Picot, a magician, this week found himself receiving a 3,800 page phone bill from BT. The cause ? Dial up scammers had gotten another victim and their rogue dialler onto a PC and dialled a 41.6p per call premium rate number - half a million times. The cost ? £12,000. BT reduced the cost to £8,000 after Mr Picot complained, but continues to insist that "Customers are responsible for equipment". A true, if somewhat harsh response.

When UK broadband users get a broadband service that they can rely on, and or the ability change their broadband ISP after a few keyboard presses (technically, if somewhat unrealistically, likely), some users will keep that trusty old analogue modem in their PCs (and who can blame them?!) - and potentially at least, run the risk of lining the pockets of BT, and facing huge phone bills to boot.