BT to orange fees

hoesslej

Hi there,
I've just moved in a flat and have the former phone number but the line has just been disconnected (still get a tone though). I'd like to switch to orange or tiscali with the line rental option. For orange, I need a BT line open, and when I asked BT about it, they told me that I would have to pay a 70£ fee if I try to switch to orange immediately (before the 12 months, +25£ of initial payment that I guess I will not get back). Is it to scare me? I should be allowed to choose my provider freely if I have only suscribed for the phone line with BT.
Second thing, I've seen that tiscali affirms they can reactivate BT lines to switch to tiscali BB+talk. Has anyone tried?
Thanks a lot for your help
julien

normanmark

If you instruct BT to connect the line then you'll be subject to a 12 months contract with them. Its not scaring you, its in their terms and conditions.

You dont have to use BT to connect your line. There are other operators out there who will connect a line for you, however most ask you to stay a certain period of time on their service before you move to another provider for a telephony service.

hoesslej

Thanks
I just didn't understand why I should pay a fee when it's not for the same product(BT for the phone line and orange for broadband) especially when I'm not gonna use the phone, but I guess if the offer is for the line too you're right
thanks anyway, and hope to hear from tiscali users to see if I also need to reconnect the BT line to get access with the line rental (the BT line was still active last week). Otherwise, I think I'll go for O2

Bufflowbill

If Orange are that good why dont you get them to connect line?

hoesslej

I don't know if they are that good, it's just that it seems cheaper, but they need the BT line to be open to close it, which I find rather stupid

wannaknow

Hi, the Post Office provides a BT line without having to enter into a 12 month contract. I believe they can reconnect you if you already have a BT line in place either free of charge or a lesser amount from what BT is charging. I know for a new telephone line the Post Office charge around 110 pounds sterling versus BT's 124.99 pounds sterling. With BT you have to subscribe to a 12 month contract whereas the Post Office you don't! They are doing some really good deals on phone and modem packages at the moment with free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines along with weekend calls to UK mobiles and 20 international destinations i.e. Ireland, Portugal....US and Canada etc. I am looking at switching to them myself at the moment. If you don't want to take one their options, just get them to reconnect your telephone line as they use the same equipment as BT and then you can switch over to Talk, talk or whatever option you choose without incurring any penalties as you are not tied into a contract with them. Hope this helps - let me know how you get on. Good luck. Here is a link to this information http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump1?catId=36600674&mediaId=68600711 which should assist you. Remember to look under September 8th changes as their prices are coming down.

Plusnet_company_representative

If there's a telephone line there already, it's just a start on a stopped line, which BT would do free of charge (Wholesale cost is £38.85) on an annual contract. They only charge £124.99 for a new activation (Wholesale cost is £105), which is again on an annual contract.

I suspect that the Post Office would charge for activation if it's on a monthly contract.

wannaknow

Like I have already mentioned in my earlier posting - as far as I know the Post Office charge 110.00 for a new line versus BT's 124.99 and I think if you had a BT line in place already the Post Office will reconnect it for free. The only difference (is the point I am trying to make) is with the Post Office you are not tied into a 12 month annual contract so you are free to instantly switch over to somebody like Talk, talk, AOL etc. in order to get cheaper broadband deals along with cheaper phone call etc.

hoesslej

Thanks a lot, I'll look into it. But i don't think that I'll have to pay the 124£ even with BT as the line existed already. They just asked for 25£ to credit the account and then the price of the rent. So if the postal service you mentioned can just reopen the line, that will be prefect. Thanks again for your help, I'll let you know how it goes

wannaknow

Hi,

Just to let you know I have found that you can get a NEW land line connection installation to BT for 29.99 (the same as a reconnection fee) rather than the standard 124.99 until the end of September 2008. I rang BT and they say this was some kind of mistake but they have to honour it now. Below is the information from the page I found plus the link to this page if you are interested. Note: This involves signing up for a 18 month contract and you cannot get it online you MUST ring this 0800 800 150 number to qualify for this deal. They will tell you that it was some kind of mistake but they must honour it so take advantage if you wish and tell them where you found it (link below). Here is the information within this link:

BT reduced from £125 to £29.99 until the end of September Until the end of September, you can get a BT line installed or reconnected for £29.99 - much cheaper than the usual £125. However, this involves signing up for an 18 month contract, rather than the usual 12, and you'll need to make at least ten chargeable calls per month. Having said that, the saving on the installation should dwarf any call costs. This isn't available online; to get it you need to ring 0800 800 150. See the terms and conditions.


Here is the link:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/home-phone-calls

Bufflowbill

wannaknow wrote: »

Hi,

Just to let you know I have found that you can get a NEW land line connection installation to BT for 29.99 (the same as a reconnection fee) rather than the standard 124.99 until the end of September 2008. I rang BT and they say this was some kind of mistake but they have to honour it now. Below is the information from the page I found plus the link to this page if you are interested. Note: This involves signing up for a 18 month contract and you cannot get it online you MUST ring this 0800 800 150 number to qualify for this deal. They will tell you that it was some kind of mistake but they must honour it so take advantage if you wish and tell them where you found it (link below). Here is the information within this link:

BT reduced from £125 to £29.99 until the end of September Until the end of September, you can get a BT line installed or reconnected for £29.99 - much cheaper than the usual £125. However, this involves signing up for an 18 month contract, rather than the usual 12, and you'll need to make at least ten chargeable calls per month. Having said that, the saving on the installation should dwarf any call costs. This isn't available online; to get it you need to ring 0800 800 150. See the terms and conditions.


Here is the link:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/home-phone-calls

Its not a mistake see this long thread on the subject: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=878915

You dont need to make 10 chargeable calls a month, inclusive calls also count.

Its an expensive option if someone wants to switch supplier straight away which is what this thread was originally about. I quote from T&C

"Customers ceasing service during the minimum period of the special offer will be asked to pay, as a single payment, a sum which is equal to the total of the standard line rental charges (currently, £11.75inc. VAT per month) left in the 18 month minimum period."

It is not always necessary to have to pay £29.99 or £124.99 to get reconnected to BT.If your home has had telephone service from BT in the recent past, and the wiring and socket is undamaged and the line still has dialling tone, it's likely you won't need to pay the connection charge.This would incur just a 12 month contract and a cancellation fee of £70 if you wished to leave early.

https://www.productsandservices.bt.com/btbusinessOrders/control/termsandconditions?docId=25017&pageTitle=%20New%20line%20connection%20charge