Alternatives to BT

rhowes2000

Good afternoon,

Please could anybody advise if there is a complete alternative to BT? I had to use them recently and like my previous experience with them the customer service has been absolutely appauling.

I only require a landline for broadband. In the past I have used Virgin and personally I had a very good exeperience with them for several years. Unfortunately the area I live in now is not on Virgin's cable network.

All broadband and phoneline offers seem to require a BT landline, is there a true alternative? Or will I have to very begrudgingly pay BT for rental on my landline and use another proivder for broadband?

Kind regards

Richard Howes

TalkTalk

Hello Richard,

Take a look at www.samknows.com and pop in your details in the exchange search. This will show you if any providers have LLU in your area meaning your service would be provided outside of BTs network. Also a look on some comparison sites like U Switch may help you out.

There are a number of providers that can take over your line and still provide the service over BTs network too so in effect you would still have a BT line for a provider to supply you with broadband.

Any questions fire away!!

Cheers
EmmaL x

rhowes2000

Great news, that has definitely cheered me up! Thank you Emma.

McKneff

Sky, Skybroadband, Skytalk £16.50 per month
Sky line rental £10. per month
Cant say fairer than that.

rhowes2000

Hi, I had a look at samknows.com and under the LLU listing it says Sky and Orange are on my exchange. I have called Sky (as a recent previous customer) and Orange (as an existing customer) and both say that a BT landline is required. Am I looking at this incorrectly?

Heinz

rhowes2000 wrote: »

Hi, I had a look at samknows.com and under the LLU listing it says Sky and Orange are on my exchange. I have called Sky (as a recent previous customer) and Orange (as an existing customer) and both say that a BT landline is required. Am I looking at this incorrectly?

No, they're being 'economical with the truth' by saying that.

As either company can employ Openreach to install/reconect or whatever, what they mean is they don't want to do that (they're probably put off in these dire economic times because it involves them putting money up front - before they can recover it from you and they would prefer you spent the money rather than them).

rhowes2000

Ah I see, looks like I am stuck with the wonderful BT then! Thank you Heinz.

dandyhighwayman

Have you tried Virgin Media? As long as you take their cable service you won't need your BT line any more.

McKneff

rhowes2000 wrote: »

Hi, I had a look at samknows.com and under the LLU listing it says Sky and Orange are on my exchange. I have called Sky (as a recent previous customer) and Orange (as an existing customer) and both say that a BT landline is required. Am I looking at this incorrectly?

I would give Sky another ring, I have my line rental with them and pay £10 per month. (i transferred from BT about 6 months ago. So i dont know why they are saying this. Presumably you spoke to someone who doesnt know what they are talking about.

TalkTalk

Hello again - as anniehanlon says you can take your line rental to another company and there does not appear to be any reason why Sky would not be able to do that for you. Is your line active at the moment?

Cheers
EmmaL x

Atomic_guy

rhowes2000 wrote: »

Ah I see, looks like I am stuck with the wonderful BT then! Thank you Heinz.

You'r not stuck with BT. Ask Sky to install the line or take over the existing BT line
and provide you the Sky service over it.

Recently I've asked Sky to install a completely new BT line to my house and they
are sending Openreach to come and install the line on the 27th.

So you need to go back to sky and talk to "Sky Talk department", they know what to do.
Ask them for Sky line. Or if they can take over the existing line.

I know with Orange you need to have active BT line for it to work then Orange will
be able to take over the line, but I think you have to be out of 12 months contract
time. Only then orange able to take over the line with out you breaching you contract
period with BT or whoever.
But with Sky they can reactivate BT line with out getting BT involved.