In short: GP surgery broadband needs to stay up and support busy phone lines. BT offers broadband with automatic 4G backup on the EE Business network, faster Prompt Care fault fixes on Pro and Ultra, or BTnet leased lines with a 100% availability SLA. Cloud voice adds call queues for reception, and guest Wi-Fi keeps patients off the practice network.
Why practices need resilient connectivity
Clinical systems, appointment booking, e-prescribing, online consultations and cloud phone systems all depend on the internet. A practice that loses its line for a morning loses far more than email. Resilience comes from two things: a good primary connection and an automatic backup.
| Option | How it keeps you online | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| BT Business Broadband Enhanced | Hybrid Backup, included as standard, switches to the EE Business 4G network automatically if the fixed line fails | Smaller surgeries, dental and therapy practices |
| BT Business Broadband Pro | Prompt Care, where BT aims to fix faults by the end of the next working day, and guaranteed Wi-Fi coverage with Complete Wi-Fi Plus. Add Hybrid Backup as an option for 4G failover | Busy single-site practices |
| BT Business Ultra | 4G backup on the EE Business network and Prompt Care, plus a cloud-managed Meraki firewall | Practices that want backup and firewall-grade security on broadband |
| BTnet leased line | Dedicated, symmetrical connection with a BT-stated 100% availability SLA and 5-hour target fix time | Larger practices, health centres and sites hosting systems for others |
| BTnet plus broadband backup | A second connection of a different type for failover | Practices that can't tolerate any outage |
Not sure which you need? Our guide to broadband vs leased line compares the two.
Phones for busy reception lines
The 8am rush is the hardest test of any practice phone system. Cloud voice handles it better than an old on-site system on copper lines, because calls are queued and routed in the cloud rather than by the number of physical lines you have.
- BT Cloud Voice gives each user their own features, with hunt groups, call queues and auto attendants so callers reach the right team. BT aims it at businesses with five or more users. See the BT Cloud Voice features guide and our BT Cloud Voice overview.
- Digital Voice for Business, BT's Webex-based suite, adds hunt groups, an auto attendant and Call Analytics on its Enhanced package, and call recording on Extra.
- Call recording is often needed for training and complaints handling; see BT Cloud Voice call recording.
Cloud voice also lets clinicians and admin staff take calls from another site or from home, which helps practices that share staff across branches. Compare all of BT's options on business phone systems.
Digital lines and the PSTN switch-off
BT Group plans to retire the PSTN by 31 January 2027. Practices often have things other than phones on copper lines: intruder and fire alarms, lift emergency lines, door entry, fax machines and card terminals for private services. Each needs checking before the line is moved.
Where a practice only needs a single number, a BT digital phone line may be enough. Remember that digital lines don't work in a power cut, so plan how you'll keep in touch with patients during one, for example with mobiles or a battery backup for your network equipment. Read our PSTN switch-off guide, and for alarm lines see alarm and special lines.
Wi-Fi for patients, kept separate
Waiting rooms, care homes and clinics increasingly offer Wi-Fi to patients, residents and visitors. BT says all its business broadband products include free guest Wi-Fi that runs separately from your business Wi-Fi, so visitors can't see clinical PCs, printers or network storage. On the Essential, Enhanced and Pro packages, BT's terms limit hub guest Wi-Fi to 13 users at a time, which is fine for a small waiting room but not for a care home full of residents and visitors.
For larger buildings or care homes over several floors, Complete Wi-Fi Plus (standard on Pro, or an add-on) extends coverage around the main building with a six-month coverage guarantee, and BT Business Ultra includes up to three Cisco Meraki access points managed from the cloud. Bigger sites usually need a managed Wi-Fi design. Our BT business Wi-Fi page compares the options, and Content Controls can restrict what guests reach.
Security and Cyber Essentials
Healthcare organisations hold some of the most sensitive data there is, which makes them attractive targets for phishing and ransomware. A secure connection is one layer of protection:
- Web Threat Protect warns about or blocks dangerous websites on BT Business Broadband. BT ships it switched off, so it needs turning on.
- BT Business Ultra and BTnet Meraki + BTnet Security add a managed Cisco Meraki firewall with intrusion detection and prevention.
- Cyber Essentials shows that you have basic controls in place, and many contracts ask for it. Our sister site explains Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.
See BT business broadband security for the full list of BT's security add-ons.
How we help practices
This page covers general business connectivity: the internet line, phones and Wi-Fi. If your clinical systems use a dedicated health network connection, it is usually arranged through whoever provides your clinical IT, so tell us what you already have and we'll design around it.
- We review your current lines, phone system, contracts and anything on copper lines, such as alarms.
- We check what BT can provide at each address, from full fibre to BTnet.
- We recommend a primary connection, a backup and a phone set-up that fits your call volumes.
- We move your numbers, place the orders with BT and stay your single point of contact afterwards.
Running several branches? See multi-site connectivity. Then contact us and ask us for a quote.
Why buy BT through Forever Communications
Forever Communications Ltd is a BT Business Partner, supplying BT Business connectivity, voice and mobile services to UK organisations. You get BT's network with a named team who knows your account.
- Impartial advice on the right BT product for each site, from Essential, Enhanced, Pro and Ultra business broadband to BTnet and BT Ethernet
- One point of contact for availability checks, orders, installations, moves, upgrades, faults and renewals
- Ready for the PSTN switch-off: digital phone lines, SoGEA, BT Cloud Voice, BT Cloud Phone and Digital Voice for Business, with your numbers kept where possible
- Multi-site and sector know-how for schools, GP surgeries, retailers, hospitality venues and growing offices
- Mobile and security too: EE Business mobiles from BT Group, Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network, and BT security options alongside our wider Cyber Essentials help
We sell to businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer or home products.
Want a BT Business quote for your sites?
Tell Forever Communications what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What broadband is best for a GP surgery?
A surgery needs a reliable connection with an automatic backup. BT Business Broadband Enhanced includes Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network; Pro adds Prompt Care, with Hybrid Backup as an option; and Ultra combines 4G backup, Prompt Care and a Meraki firewall. Larger practices may choose a BTnet leased line, which has a BT-stated 100% availability SLA and a 5-hour target fix time.
How can a practice cope with the 8am phone rush?
A cloud phone system such as BT Cloud Voice queues calls in the cloud and routes them with hunt groups and auto attendants, so you are not limited by the number of physical lines. Calls can also be answered by staff at other sites or at home.
Is guest Wi-Fi in a waiting room safe?
It can be, if it is kept separate from the practice network. BT's free guest Wi-Fi runs separately from your business Wi-Fi, so patients cannot reach clinical PCs or printers, and Content Controls (switched off until you turn them on) can restrict the sites guests visit.
Do digital phone lines work in a power cut?
No. Digital lines and cloud phones need power and an internet connection. Practices should plan for power cuts, for example by using mobiles or putting network equipment on battery backup.
Does this replace our clinical network connection?
Not necessarily. This page covers general business connectivity: broadband, leased lines, phones and Wi-Fi. If your clinical systems use a dedicated health network connection, tell us what you have and we'll design the rest around it.