Less is ok on some systems. If it is not on yours, try the following.
Create a file, /etc/lesskey, for system-wide use. This will be a lesskey input file.
Put the following lines in the file:

#line-edit
^H backspace


Save the file, and compile it as follows:

[localhost]> lesskey -o /etc/less /etc/lesskey

Add the following line to /etc/profile:

export LESS="-MM -k/etc/less"

Now type:

[localhost]> . /etc/profile


http://www.ibb.net/~anne/keyboard/keyboard.html#less
http://thomer.com/howtos/backspace_in_less.html