Re: don't go with just one supplier
You can try and request for a diverse connection from your ISP if you are a business, BT very happily provided this for us (Although at that point we had only sent a query to our ISP on cost, we are also the same distance from 2 BT exchanges), much to the annoyance of our neighbour who couldn't take deliveries or let customers in whilst they dug up that side of the road.
Oddly still havent had our ISP bill for this yet.
We are inside the M25 in a business park, we pay a lot per month for dedicated links and are similar distance from 2 exchanges. Obviously if more rural its more likely BT/Virgin/Insert other suppliers here may refuse.
