In short
A leased line for retail is a dedicated, symmetrical internet connection, such as BTnet, for head offices, distribution centres and larger stores running cloud tills, stock and order systems, CCTV and guest Wi-Fi. BT's terms say BTnet is not PCI DSS compliant and must not carry cardholder data, so plan card payments separately with your payment provider.
Get a quote for BTnet for retail
Tell us roughly how many users or sites you have and we will reply by email with options and a quote.
Where a leased line fits in a retail business
Not every retail site needs a leased line. The sites that benefit most are the ones where many people and systems depend on the connection at once, or where an outage stops trade across the business.
| Site | What it carries | Things to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Head office | Finance, buying, merchandising, the web shop back office, customer service calls, video and often the VPN hub for stores | A bearer with headroom and resilience, because other sites depend on it |
| Distribution centre or warehouse | Warehouse and order systems, handheld scanners, despatch labels, carrier portals, CCTV | Industrial or edge-of-town sites may need excess construction charges or a wayleave |
| Flagship or larger store | Cloud tills and stock, digital signage, staff devices, guest Wi-Fi, CCTV | Separate networks for guests, cameras and business systems |
| Small store | A few tills, a stock device and the phone | Good business broadband may be enough; see leased line vs broadband |
BTnet gives each site dedicated, uncontended bandwidth that is the same up as down, from 2Mbps to 10Gbps, with static IPv4 addresses and no fair usage policy according to BT's help pages. Speeds, plans and resilience can differ from site to site.
Not sure which option fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will recommend the right option for your organisation, with a quote.
Card payments and PCI DSS: read this first
BT's BTnet terms state that the service is not compliant with PCI DSS, the card industry's data security standard, and that it must not be used to process, store or transmit cardholder data or other data subject to PCI DSS. The customer indemnifies BT if it does.
For a retailer, that is a point to settle before you design anything:
- Talk to your payment provider about how your card terminals and online payments connect, and what your PCI DSS obligations are at each site
- Do not assume that a leased line, a firewall or BTnet Security makes your card environment compliant
- Tell us how card payments work at each site when you ask for a quote, so we can talk it through with you before anything is ordered
We do not give PCI DSS advice or make compliance claims. This page is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
Cloud tills, stock and orders
Modern retail systems keep almost nothing on site. Every sale, stock check, price change and click-and-collect order is a conversation with a cloud service, and they all happen at the same moments: opening time, lunchtime and the run-up to a sale.
On a shared connection, speed can drop when the wider network is busy. BTnet is uncontended, so the bandwidth you order is there at your busiest hour. It is symmetrical, which matters for uploading product images, sending sales and stock data, and syncing files. BT also says it uses Direct Private Peering to reach Microsoft, Apple, Google and Amazon cloud services, so traffic to them does not cross the public internet.
Static IPv4 addresses come as standard. You can use them to allow-list connections to suppliers, marketplaces and electronic ordering portals, and as fixed endpoints for VPNs between stores, warehouses and head office. See static IP addresses on BTnet and a leased line for Microsoft 365 and cloud apps.
Is BTnet for retail the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
Guest Wi-Fi, CCTV and in-store devices
Larger stores carry a lot of traffic that is not tills: customer Wi-Fi, staff handhelds, digital screens and cameras.
- BTnet Wi-Fi adds up to five managed Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi 6 access points with engineer-assisted installation. BT's brochure describes separate employee and guest networks, group policies and a customisable guest splash page, and ties the service to a 1Gb BTnet circuit with the Meraki router; we confirm eligibility at quote.
- Your responsibilities. Under BT's terms you set and protect Wi-Fi passwords, you accept the extra risk if you leave a network open, and you are responsible for misuse by people you let onto Wi-Fi or guest Wi-Fi. BT tests the service over a cable and is not responsible for Wi-Fi range or throughput.
- BTnet Security on the Meraki option adds malware protection, content filtering and intrusion detection and prevention. If you use it with Wi-Fi, BT's terms ask you to keep your security policy active on both staff and guest networks.
- CCTV that records to the cloud uploads continuously, so size the line for your cameras. See a leased line for CCTV.
Keep guests, cameras and business systems on separate networks, and keep card payment equipment out of any shared design until your payment provider has confirmed how it should connect.
Peak trading, flex and resilience
Retail demand is seasonal, and your connection can follow it within limits. Bandwidth Flex lets you change your port speed within the capacity of your bearer: BT's help pages say on 72 hours' notice, with rental changing pro rata. Under BT's terms each flex is chargeable and runs for at least five business days, and reducing speed in the six months before a termination notice affects how termination charges are calculated. Choose a bearer with headroom so you have room to flex up for peak trading.
For the sites that keep the business trading, plan resilience. BT offers failover, load balancing and a lower-speed back-up line for BTnet. A head office that hosts the VPN hub and a distribution centre that ships online orders are the usual candidates. BT's SLA includes a 100% availability service level with service credits, but credits compensate for downtime rather than keep tills running, so decide what must keep working and size for it.
Rolling out across stores and sites
Each site is its own order, survey and installation, so a retail rollout is a schedule:
- List your sites with addresses, postcodes, opening hours and what each one carries.
- Check availability and lead times. BT can give lead time predictions before you order, based on a desktop survey and average installation times in the area; see BTnet availability.
- Agree speed, plan and resilience per site, and receive a quote.
- Survey and permissions. Shopping centres and retail parks often have their own landlord and access rules, and may need a wayleave agreement.
- Dates from BT. BT confirms a Customer Committed Date after survey; its help pages say installation can take up to 70 working days.
- Install, test and accept, then move each store's systems across outside trading hours where you can.
Stores then connect to head office and each other over VPNs between static addresses. See BTnet leased lines for multi-site organisations. If a store relocates, an external move needs a survey and starts a new minimum period; see moving office with a BTnet leased line.
How Forever Communications helps retailers
Forever Communications is an Authorised Supplier for BT. We supply BTnet to retail businesses and help decide where a leased line earns its place:
- Group your sites by need, and tell you honestly where business broadband may be enough
- Size each line for tills, stock, cameras, guest Wi-Fi and peak trading
- Talk through card payments with you before anything is designed
- Price resilience for head office and distribution sites
- Help you follow progress as BT confirms dates for each site, and help with changes, flex and moves afterwards
Forever Communications also supplies BT Cloud Voice for store and head office phones. Contact us with your list of sites and ask us for a quote.
Why buy BTnet from Forever Communications
Forever Communications is part of Forever Group and an Authorised Supplier for BT. We supply BTnet, BT's dedicated leased line internet service, to businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations, and we help with each step from first enquiry to go-live.
- The right BTnet option for you: we help you choose a speed, bearer, router and resilience option that fits how your sites actually work, from BTnet plans to BTnet speeds
- A clear quote: BTnet is priced per site, so we check availability at your address and set out what is included; see leased line cost
- Installation managed with you: we explain the survey, any wayleave or construction steps and the installation process, and keep you updated on progress
- Connected services in one conversation: phones with BT Cloud Voice, Wi-Fi, firewalls and backup lines, so the whole set-up is planned together
- Help after go-live: we can help with faults, changes and upgrades, with the support arrangements confirmed in your quote
BTnet is a business service. Service levels, lead times and features are BT's and are confirmed at order.
Frequently asked questions
Can we take card payments over a BTnet leased line?
BT's terms say BTnet is not PCI DSS compliant and must not be used to process, store or transmit cardholder data. Talk to your payment provider about how your terminals and online payments connect, and tell us how payments work when you ask for a quote.
Does every store need a leased line?
No. Head offices, distribution centres and larger stores benefit most. A small store with a few tills may be well served by business broadband, and we can tell you if we think so.
Can we increase bandwidth for Christmas or a sale?
Yes, within your bearer. BT's help pages say Bandwidth Flex needs 72 hours' notice with rental changing pro rata. Each flex is chargeable and runs for at least five business days under BT's terms.
Can we offer customer Wi-Fi in store?
Yes. BTnet Wi-Fi on the Meraki option supports separate staff and guest networks and a guest splash page. Under BT's terms you are responsible for passwords and for how guests use the Wi-Fi.
How do stores connect to head office?
Each site has its own BTnet line for internet access, and sites connect to each other over encrypted VPNs between their static IP addresses, usually in a hub and spoke design with head office or a data centre as the hub.
Still have a question about BTnet for retail?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.