BT has - a little belatedly - announced its plans to offer customers 8MB broadband services, after the telco giant upgraded all its exchanges to the faster speed last week.

But BT, we're disappointed. While swifter ISPs quickly offered customers fast broadband for no extra cost, no set up fee and no demand that they sign up to a new 12 month contract, there's no such simplicity from BT.

If you're an Option 4 customer, you can request an upgrade today. Option 3 customers can request 8MB broadband from 11 April, and Option 1 and 2 customers from sometime this spring. Phew! Got that?

If you are a customer and want faster broadband, it won't cost you anything to 'regrade' on its web site to 8MB, nor does your monthly charge rise. But, unlike some other ISPs, you do have to sign up to a new 12 month contract.

We'd advise any BT Broadband customers interested in the new speeds to shop around and see what deals other ISPs have on offer. You've got to tie yourself to a new one year contract, so you might as well use it as an opportunity to see how much you'll pay for similar terms elsewhere.