BT Line Activation via SKY / Love Digital

Joe_Vandeleur

I'm about to move into a new flat and will be joining SKY as a new customer.

Not sure how it normally works but my call was redirected to an installation company called Love Digital who signed me up and have arranged to get me set up.

One thing that seemed strange is that they have charged me £39 for activating the BT line in the flat. I did question the charge but was told that it was necessary in order to pay my line rental via SKY and to capitalise on the free broadband.

Have I been ripped off? Is there an alternative?

bluedove

I do not know what Sky charges to connect a phone line, but BT charge £122.50 inc vat for a new installaion where there is no BT socket.
or where socket exist but no tone on it.
If you have a socket with soft tone. BT will charge £19.99 to activate it.

Joe_Vandeleur

Thanks Bluedove - makes me feel slightly better!

macman

The Sky 'free' broadband is only a 2MBps service and capped at 2GB per month. To get a reasonable speed and data allowance you have to pay another £5 per month.
A phone line is not required for Sky (unless you have multiroom), you can buy out the requirement to have a phone line connected for £20 extra.
I'm also puzzled as to how a Sky installer can 'activate' a BT line?

OldGreyFox

bluedove wrote: »

If you have a socket with soft tone. BT will charge £19.99 to activate it.

Since when ? Its Free to activate a working line.

consumer

OldGreyFox wrote: »

Since when ? Its Free to activate a working line.

I recently took Sky Talk with line rental package and had to pay 25 quids for activation of BT line (I've already got BT socket in my house)...Still awaiting activation of phone line..

bubbafluff

Having an issue myself. New flat, with line already installed. No dial tone. Trying to get Sky, but they can't install as no active phone line, but they also say they can't activate it and I have to speak to BT.

BT are saying if they activate the line I have to agree to a 12mth contract with them, which I do not wish to do as better deals out there.

Any ideas? Is there a way to push BT to reactivate without making me take a contract with them?

BF.

BT_company_representative

Hi bubbafluff,

Just to clarify if BT activate an existing line that has wiring etc intact there is no connection fee. If there has been no line previously at the property or the existing wiring needs replaced or if previous wiring has been removed then an installation fee of £122.50 will be raised. There is a minimum 12 month contract period with all new service, However you are still free to have your calls with another supplier. Hope this helps.

Donna
BT Support

ca-uk

"Just to clarify if BT activate an existing line that has wiring etc intact there is no connection fee. If there has been no line previously at the property or the existing wiring needs replaced or if previous wiring has been removed then an installation fee of £122.50 will be raised."

interesting - we live in a flat where none of the wiring has been touched, neither in the flat nor the phone cupboard - yet we were told 100% we'd have to pay £122.50 if we wanted a phone line (what's new as we've paid it 3 times over the last 3 years when we've moved to different places) - so does "wiring" here mean any wiring whether at our end or bt's?

iniltous

ca-uk wrote: »

"Just to clarify if BT activate an existing line that has wiring etc intact there is no connection fee. If there has been no line previously at the property or the existing wiring needs replaced or if previous wiring has been removed then an installation fee of £122.50 will be raised."

interesting - we live in a flat where none of the wiring has been touched, neither in the flat nor the phone cupboard - yet we were told 100% we'd have to pay £122.50 if we wanted a phone line (what's new as we've paid it 3 times over the last 3 years when we've moved to different places) - so does "wiring" here mean any wiring whether at our end or bt's?

If the flat is new build and has never had working tele service, then the full install cost is raised ( bt paid the builder to fit the socket and duct/cables outside, so the first user is charged even though a socket is in the property)....if the line had been used previously by the former occupant of the flat, and there is still a dialtone on the socket, then the line should be able to be 'activated' without charge ( but with lots of other companys apart from BT offering landline service this isnt always the case)
if your flat has got sockets has had service in the past but there is no dialtone on the main socket, then the full install fee applies as bt need to sent out an engineer to re-install the line from the exchange to the socket to get the line working again

BT_company_representative

Iniltous has put it very nicely

Thanks,
Jon

BT Support.