BT Connection Charges (merged threads)

tannis

Just a bit of a heads up here, i phoned BT earlier to order a new line (total new installation) to which i was told £122-35, i basically told them that i wasn't prepared to pay that much and said to the guy that they were doing a deal last year where if you took out an 18 month contract that installation was only £30 and without any quibble he said yeah thats fine and order was placed (£29-35), if you don't ask you don't get it seems!!

stormo

TIMSMITH73 wrote: »

For my first post on MSE first of all thanks to all on this post for info learned...and now my quick story..
Placed an order with BT on Tuesday of this week for a line to my new build property that I am moving into next week. Confirmation email next day tells me £123 charge blah blah..open reach..blah.blah..8 operators later including telling one that Plus net will do it for half that and I cancelled my order.
Next day rang SKY..Hello can you install me a line so I can have your broadband and telly services please? "Why yes of course sir ...we can do that for you for FREE...and while your at it why not have a free upgrade to a sky+ box and your first 3 months broadband and telephone line for free as well....."
Thank you SKY....pssshh to you BT, you dont till still have the monopoly remember....

Would you be able to advise us if you are an existing SKY customer (ie already got SKY TV). I ask as I rang them, again, on saturday after seeing on their line rental page that they do line connections. I was advised by the first operator that this was for new customers only and then hung up on. Rang again, bloke put me through to a bloke who put me though to someone else in provisions. Again, new customers was mentioned, I asked whether they would conisder it if we offered to pay the £105 you pay when missing an appointment with openreach. The bloke said he didnt know and for me to call back on monday as the poeple who deal with lines are not open sat. Unfortunatly I was too busy to call yday but Im still not hopeful. I did at least get someone from provisons to admit they can do their bb if thepost office install the line and can also do the phone deal, just not rental. So ther is some progress there!!!!

jhp

stormo wrote: »

Would you be able to advise us if you are an existing SKY customer (ie already got SKY TV). I ask as I rang them, again, on saturday after seeing on their line rental page that they do line connections. I was advised by the first operator that this was for new customers only and then hung up on. Rang again, bloke put me through to a bloke who put me though to someone else in provisions. Again, new customers was mentioned, I asked whether they would conisder it if we offered to pay the £105 you pay when missing an appointment with openreach. The bloke said he didnt know and for me to call back on monday as the poeple who deal with lines are not open sat. Unfortunatly I was too busy to call yday but Im still not hopeful. I did at least get someone from provisons to admit they can do their bb if thepost office install the line and can also do the phone deal, just not rental. So ther is some progress there!!!!

Free Connection on Sky is for new customers only.

See: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1422843&highlight=sky+free+connection

But they can connect lines if you dont qualify for the Free Connection.

1.6 " If you have chosen to take Sky Talk Line Rental and you do not have a BT compatible line, we may be able to arrange this for you providing that it does not require extensive new construction over and above standard needs. Unless you are eligible for a special offer, you will need to pay Sky a fee for the installation of your new phone line. We will inform you of our current fees at the time you book your installation."

http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/skyproducts/skytalk/terms

System

I spoke to BT and they are gonna charge me the full reconnection fee but will spread it out over 6 months interest free, which is something I suppose, but I wish I had mentioned the offer like the poster above. Grrrrrrrrr

jcbillington

tannis wrote: »

Just a bit of a heads up here, i phoned BT earlier to order a new line (total new installation) to which i was told £122-35, i basically told them that i wasn't prepared to pay that much and said to the guy that they were doing a deal last year where if you took out an 18 month contract that installation was only £30 and without any quibble he said yeah thats fine and order was placed (£29-35), if you don't ask you don't get it seems!!

Thanks for this. I just found out the place I'm moving to has never had a connection before, and whilst £120+ may be good VFM, and a trifling charge if you are buying a new house, it is a big outlay if you struggling to get the money together for the deposit etc on a rental.

I contacted the moving team, and mentioned the offer. The guy said they did have the offer and they put me through to another team. This meant it was now perfectly ture for me to say "the man I just spoke to said I could have it for £29.99". The girl was very pleasant and helpful, and went off to talk to her manager, and its all done! £90+ saved! This did take around 40 mins altogether, so be warned if you are calling on a moby.

tannis

Nice one, glad i could help :beer:

jcbillington wrote: »

Thanks for this. I just found out the place I'm moving to has never had a connection before, and whilst £120+ may be good VFM, and a trifling charge if you are buying a new house, it is a big outlay if you struggling to get the money together for the deposit etc on a rental.

I contacted the moving team, and mentioned the offer. The guy said they did have the offer and they put me through to another team. This meant it was now perfectly ture for me to say "the man I just spoke to said I could have it for £29.99". The girl was very pleasant and helpful, and went off to talk to her manager, and its all done! £90+ saved! This did take around 40 mins altogether, so be warned if you are calling on a moby.

jen_a_c

This thread is great - thank you so much. I've just moved house and was told when I rang last week that the £122 connection charge would apply. I stalled on making a decision as I thought this was excessive - but really need a line because of broadband service. I telephoned again after reading this thread and mentioned the £30 offer. They put me on hold for literally 20 seconds then came back on and said yes, they can do it for £29.35!! I have had to sign into a 18 month contract but this isn't an issue as such.

Thanks.

Jen

bumrah

Whilst I don't have a problem paying £125 for a new connection, I do have an issue with being charged for re-connecting a line that has only recently been disconnected. As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong...) BT subcontracts the engineers who connect the lines, in two of the last three houses I've lived in (having been a student) people have moved out and within three months the line has been disconnected. This just seems like opportunism?!
Anyway I spoke to BT today and they didn't have any problems with giving me the £29.35 connection fee, on the premise that I took an 18 month contract AND made at least 30 calls on the line every quarter (can be calls included in the price plan). I guess that's to stop people from using other cheap call providers, fine by me!

Thanks for all the tips!

gambool

I was told by BT that I had to pay the £123 connection charge as an engineer would need to carry out some work. I was booked in last Thursday for this week and told that I would need to be at the premises. However a few hours after calling BT my line appeared to work fully.

Luckily my employer has agreed to pay the connection charge, if this wasn't the case I would completely feel ripped off.

lukeface

Sky have a offer on at the moment for free new line connection or reconnection if you take up there Sky Talk package!

Here is the link http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/skyproducts/skytalk/linerental

Hope that helps!