£125 for soldering two wires together?

oneandonlyboy

You will find apart from Virgin media and BT there are very few telecom companies that can provide a service which doesnt piggy back over BT lines.

Sponge

Quentin wrote: »

There are lots of threads discussing alternative installers to BT - search here, or use google

Here's one: Post office charge £107.66 and no minimum contract.

If someone thinks £125 is too much to have a phone line installed/reconnected I hardly think £107 is a real alternative.

When someone asks a question, 'Use Google' is not a proper answer.

I know how to search fora and use Google, I know about the likes of Sky and the PO offering line connection, but others do not. If someone stumbles across this thread all they'll get is replies telling people 'there are alternatives' or to 'use search or google' - not as helpful as it could be. A few more minutes giving examples of those alternatives goes a long way to pointing people in the right direction, even if the information is repeated elsewhere. If time is so precious, then why bother with a response at all?

Quentin

What is your problem?

I have taken the time to give an example where the charge is around 15% less plus there is no need to enter a minimum contract.

If you aren't happy the saving isn't enough, then that is your opinion, but posting to complain at me is just trying to cause trouble. I gave you an example, which you now say you already knew about anway - sorry, but mindreading someone mindless is a hard ask!

I haven't complained about my time being wasted have I? (Though I have just wasted some by bothering to reply to you!)

jhp

Sponge wrote: »

I know about the likes of Sky and the PO offering line connection, but others do not.

Are you sure?

Portlandbill

Some people would be happy with an £18 saving.:D

MiserlyMartin

Sponge wrote: »

If someone thinks £125 is too much to have a phone line installed/reconnected I hardly think £107 is a real alternative.

When someone asks a question, 'Use Google' is not a proper answer.

Portlandbill wrote: »

Some people would be happy with an £18 saving.:D

You lot are no help whatsoever. I may not be the friendlest poster on here but what makes me mad is when I see that somebody asks for help and then receives stupid replies and even petty arguement baiting.

I will ask the question, if there is a telephone line provider that will install a line for a reasonable price (below £20) then post examples. If not, don't bother replying with your rubbish.

In fact it ought to be free to get a line no matter what exchange work is required, as they in fact do want our business. 90% of the time it is a quick simple 5 min job. The OP example is just one of those examples where BT take people for a ride and it happens time and time again.

MattLFC

Whilst I agree, the charges are rediculous, it does cost them money to send tht engineer out to reconnect the line. Afaik, BT Retail, pay a BT Openreach engineer to carry out the job, and this is why they pass on the cost. They may be both part of the BT Group, but they are seperate operating entities, and both have to remain independently profitable and accountable.

Whilst I am pretty sure, it does not cost anywhere near £125 every time they charge it, probably less than £50 in all honesty, there will also be many occasions where it costs far in excess of £125 and they almost certainly use the additional profit generated by the majority of customers, to cover the shortfall for customers who do need work in excess of £125.00 to reconnect.

Its obviously a raw deal for those who may just have a easy 5 minute job, to pay £125.00, but then it would be a godsend if there was a lot of work that needed to be carried out to reconned the line, that could cost hundreds.

Sky have offered free landline connection for a long time, I believe they have recently made it an official offer, but I have managed to get it out of them many times for customers moving over from cable to Sky in the past, the way they have done it is charged the £125.00 to the customer, and then refunded it by way of a £16 credit each month on the customers bill for x number of months.

Of course the problem with this is, it is Sky and you need to sign up to a 12 month TV contract, and in a lot of cases, they want you to have Sky BB and Sky Talk as well, so it's not really "free" unless you want this.

BT will also I believe, offer free reconnection, but only provided you sign up to an 18 month contract with them. Again, this is only any good if you plan on staying with BT in the long term and sometimes, they want users to take broadband.

Other than this, BT often run £29.00 reconnection promotions, and do usually allow the cost to be spread ofer 12 months by way of a regular quarterly payment added to your bill, to make it just that bit easier.

I hate BT with a vengence, imho, they are the scum of the earth, but as much as I do hate them, I have to agree with their stance on the reconnections, it just a shame they always try and throw the £125 charge on nowadays, for even the simplest of complications.

syko29793

we all seem to forget that BT used to connect a line for free even if an engineer was needed or not.
This is the downside to competion in a crowded market..