MB - I'm well up to speed() with the 'roll-out' and awaiting with passing interest the 'upgrade' new list to be published end Sep/early Oct (we are not on it, a well-placed source tells me, nor will we be next year) BUT the problem those not in 'Manchester' or 'Hampshire' face is that the wait, in some cases for broadband at all, is indeterminate. Our folk here on 'dial-up only' have seen the 'promise' of 2012 go back already to 2015. We don't even have a real 'exchange'.
I don't dispute that, but the reality is that BT have sunk a LOT of cash into this rollout, and are really pushing it. If therefore it is successful, and barring any protectionism spats with Ofcom, you should see the rollout schedule ripped up again (like it has been several times so far already).....as other well placed sources tell me.
Anyway, my original point still stands - don't get yourself stuck in a 12 month contract without knowing better, as faster things are *around the corner
(*the corner being nearer or further, depending upon your affinity to Manchester/Hampshire).
I will second what BOAC says, it is very rare to find residential ADSL products that don't have a 'fair use' policy where you will find yourself rate-limited and/or packet-shaped for exceeding it.
I beleive Zen were one of few exceptions to the rule, not sure if they've changed their policies for home users now though.
You'd be lucky anyway. BT are due to roll out QoS on their network shortly too. Now how they differentiate between EF-marked packets from a VoIP setup versus some twazzock pushing EF-marked torrents is another matter.