MTD and Broadband Speed

What is the minimum non-fibre broadband speed required for accessing MTD successfully?

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Having managed to put it off for a couple of returns due to sheer nervousness of it working, we are about to submit our first MTD return using bridging software (if that makes any difference). 

I am trying to find out the minimum upload speed at which Making Tax  Digital software will work.  I have noted that the former Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride commented in the MTD debate on 19 Feb 19 that the standard speed of 2MB/s is adequate to run MTD software. I cannot find reference to any other speed requirement, but as we do not have even a constant 0.7 Mb/s on a good day I suspect it won't work.  For a few years once dial up slowed down as everyone jumped on the bandwagon of the Internet we had an arial on the roof and got a marvellous service but Pipex discontinued it,  and we have tried an alternative firm Countrywide but they are the wrong side of the trees that surround us, we couldn't get their signal.  We have a 4g widget from Vodafone, this works only some of the time when placed in the side of one of our windows, and luckily I can run a cable to the computer from there and use this at times when our BT supply is absent.  Or it works in the kitchen which isn't exactly helpful.  No other mobile supplier works.  

We have to phone BT on average once a fortnight when we have no service for a couple of hours and go through the motions before they turn up our gain (usually to the detriment of another neighbour, we all chat about it on Facebook). 

If you saw the Jack Dee & Kerry Godliman comedy 'Bad Move' where they moved to the country to find no broadband and no mobile as they were in a dip - that's us, it's a running joke! 

Alongside battling the Council and local provider Gigaclear (who will supply the top end of the road but not us for some bizarre reason predetermined by some unnamed person at the Council) and after going round the houses for 6 months and contacting our MP I eventually had contact from HMRC who seem to think it will work, but cannot for some reason categorically state it will, and given we often have times we cannot even print postage labels from Royal Mail Click and Drop, I remain unconvinced. 

Anyone had similar snail pace / almost non existant broadband speed and managed it?  I really do not feel comfortable about transferring files from the desktop to a laptop and then driving a couple of miles to Costa to use their superfast fibre. 
Thank you

Replies (13)

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By ireallyshouldknowthisbut
17th Jan 2020 13:00

If you are using bridging the file sent will be miniscule.

it doesn't send your records, only the total lines on the VAT return and a few other details.

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By Tim Vane
17th Jan 2020 13:15

Less data and less speed required than your post on aweb. Don't sweat it.

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By Mirry
17th Jan 2020 13:15

I realise it will be a small file, but we suffer constantly dropping connections, and that along with all the recent reports of HMRC site being down concerns me as to whether it will work or not! Our usual practise for submitting a VAT return was to do it in the early hours, I just am concerned if the procedure is longer or is incomplete.

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By SteveHa
17th Jan 2020 13:25

It would take less than a minute on 33K dial up. Don;t worry about it.

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By johnhemming
17th Jan 2020 15:17

It really should not be a problem. I have not had any example of this particular issue being a problem.

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By Mirry
17th Jan 2020 15:45

Thanks, so long as it takes no more time than the old way and I allow at least a day or two's grace in case HMRC or BT is down, then I'll be fine

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Replying to Mirry:
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By johnhemming
17th Jan 2020 15:56

Have you tried using a mobile phone as a wifi hub (hotspot) that might get a good speed (not that MTD should require it.)

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Replying to johnhemming:
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By Mirry
17th Jan 2020 16:23

Thanks, the only mobile signal we get is Vodafone, so yes can use the phone as a hot spot but it isn't always convenient to talk on the phone with your head out of the lounge window, so that's why we got the vodafone dongle thing to leave in the window, seems to improve phone reception in the house too.

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By Matrix
18th Jan 2020 08:07

You could have applied for exemption from MTD on those grounds but too late if you have registered now. I am no IT expert but if you were already filing through online services I don’t see that there would be any difference.

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Replying to Matrix:
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By johnhemming
18th Jan 2020 09:39

It depends really on the way in which the MTD compatible software is written. Inevitably the amount of bandwidth required by different software differs, but probably not in a significant way for bridging suppliers. Cloud accounting, of course, would probably need more bandwidth, but I am not really bothered to try to estimate or measure how much.

The best approach is to try out things and see what happens.

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Easy MTD VAT
By EasyMTDVAT
20th Jan 2020 10:34

As others have said, the speed requirement is minimal because very little data gets passed from you to HMRC. In fact, if you want to perform a free reassurance test to see how your connection copes you can use our software (https://easymtdvat.com) to simply retrieve your VAT data from HMRC. This process involves moving about the same amount of data as you would when submitting a VAT return (i.e. very little). If that works then submitting a VAT return using bridging software won't be an issue.

In all honesty, submitting a VAT return is more likely to fail due to the HMRC server being down and not your snail-like broadband!

Good luck.

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Replying to EasyMTDVAT:
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By Mirry
20th Jan 2020 13:17

Thanks, I am just nervous because we have such poor broadband, but it sounds to me no more of a challenge than normal so as long as I give us 2 or 3 evenings to try in case of something spectacular to be watched on download, we'll be OK!

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By mikesurrey
23rd Jan 2020 18:38

You should be able to benefit from the Broadband USO soon:

The broadband universal service obligation (USO) will give people in the UK the right to request a decent and affordable broadband connection. Under the USO, eligible homes and businesses will be able to request a connection, where the cost of building it is no more than £3,400.

More info on the OFCOM website.

You could try writing directly to the Gigaclear CEO, Gareth Williams to see if they will include you in their future plans...

Good Luck !!

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