Actually, there's a loophole here. If you don't pay your phone bills, your BT service will be disconnected, but the broadband line continues to work. (Optional for the conscientious: Then settle the outstanding debt with BT, but don't ask to be reconnected.) I've done this in all my last three places, worked fine until I moved out, two years in one case, nearly a year in the other two. Bethere.co.uk in all cases.