BT Connection Charges (merged threads)

ginger_nuts

How much does it cost to reconnect a line ,not a new line just reconnect .

espresso

ginger_nuts wrote:

How much does it cost to reconnect a line ,not a new line just reconnect .

It's normally free if they don't need to do any installation work.

macminiuser

espresso wrote:

It's normally free if they don't need to do any installation work.

It certainly used to be - but we've been getting a significant increase in people asking about reconnection charges after having been quoted £124.99 by BT. I'm not sure it's as clear cut as whether they have to send an engineer out - I haven't yet worked out the criteria, but some customers get it free and some don't - it's about 50/50. I think a large part of whether or not you get charged is how long the line's been inactive for - if you've just moved into a new place and the previous occupants moved out the day before, that seems to be the most common free reactivation scenario at the moment.

It does seem like whether they have to dig a three mile trench to your house, or just flick a switch - most criteria result in the £124.99 charge. Perhaps we should do a survey - if you've had a line reactivated/installed recently why not let us know the circumstances and whether or not you got charged?

bbb_uk

macminiuser wrote:

Perhaps we should do a survey - if you've had a line reactivated/installed recently why not let us know the circumstances and whether or not you got charged?

Ok, here is our story!

About a year ago we transferred our line & number from expensive Telewest to BT. We had been with telewest for years since we first moved in here but I know before we moved in, the previous occupants had BT so it was classed as a reconnection.

I thought the job wouldn't take that long to just rewire the extensions into BT's box instead of Telewest and then arrange for migration of our number from Telewest.

However, I was wrong. He came out at about 1pm and didn't leave until near 4pm as internally (within our house) the cable was ok but the line wasn't connected to the exchange and it had been cut somewhere along it. Eventually the engineer traced it the fact that BT's cable just before it comes into the house had been cut (by Telewest) and it was disconnected from the local exchange as well because the engineer had to replace the cable from the telegraph pole to the nearest exchange that had spare capacity or something. He said this was probably disconnected by BT because it hadn't been used in years and they reused portions of our telegraph cable for another customer.

I asked the engineer if we would be charged and he said as far as he was aware that the cable needing replacement at their exchange was obviously their fault but with regards to our line being cut then he was under the impression that Telewest would be billed for it as TW had no right to cut BT's line as it had nothing to do with TW.

I can say that we never got charged or heard anymore about it despite the fact the engineer was here most of the afternoon tracing why it wasn't connected to the exchange, etc.

Since then though, things may have changed by BT and they may charge for non-standard reconnections (ie if it is a long-winded fault not related to them).

macminiuser

bbb_uk wrote:

Since then though, things may have changed by BT and they may charge for non-standard reconnections (ie if it is a long-winded fault not related to them).

Thanks for telling us your story - that's good info! Trouble is, as a customer, you won't necessarily know if you're going to get charged until an engineer turns up, so we're still in the position where we have to assume a connection fee of £124.99 applies unless told otherwise by the engineer on the day.

I think things have changed within the last couple of months, and BT have tightened their criteria for a 'free reconnection/reactivation' - hence the recent influx of enquiries on the board about connection charges. Also, because I work in customer services for a telecoms company I've noticed a massive increase in enquiries about new lines/reconnections - we get about four 'new line/reconnection' enquiries for every one 'regular' transfer enquiry.

Six months ago, we hardly ever got asked about reactivating inactive BT lines.

bbb_uk

It would appear that if BT find there is additional wiring work than they expected then a charge will be made - see BT's Reconnection FAQs here.

What will it cost me?
If you already have a white phone socket with a BT logo in your house, and the wiring is intact, it should not cost anything to reconnect you*. You'll simply have to pay your line rental (either monthly or quarterly), cost of calls and any additional services you require from BT.

If the BT line into your house or the white BT socket has been damaged at any time we will have to send out an engineer. We may have to charge you for additional costs depending on how much work is required.

*If the reconnection is from a previous Home Highway line, or from customers who've been disconnected for non-payment, or if external wiring has to be provided, charges will apply. Reconnections require a minimum 12 month term and are subject to a credit check (deposit may be required)

Please note that some properties, eg, a new property development, may already have a white BT socket installed but it has not yet been connected. This will classify as a new line and free connection will not apply.

I agree it's not very clear if the chargable additional wiring is re-connecting up from the exchange to the telegraph pole or other wiring problem. Personally, if BT have disconnected you from their telegraph pole and used your line for another customer (like they did us) then I would say that is BT's fault and outside our control. Same applies to the wiring upto our houses.

If the wire has been cut/tampered with, etc after it enters the house then I would agree that this is our responsibility for cutting/tampering with the line anyhow.

Thesquire_2

I'm jumping on the back of this one.

And its the first time i've used a chat page.

Similar Question.
I have just moved into rented accomodation, its an old flat and has a line, and there is a tone on the line when i pick up the phone. I've just spoken to BT and was quoted £125 for connection, the customer rep stated that i could go elsewhere for connection- does anyone know who?

Also, i started reading the threads; I used to work for a developer, BT pays the developer sum of £120 for each unit (house/ flat), BT then provides teh duct etc to the builder, and the builder consturcts the manholes etc.

And yes i should know an answer to my original question.

Any help would be a big one, thanks

Heinz

Thesquire wrote:

I have just moved into rented accomodation, its an old flat and has a line, and there is a tone on the line when i pick up the phone. I've just spoken to BT and was quoted £125 for connection, the customer rep stated that i could go elsewhere for connection- does anyone know who?

Any help would be a big one, thanks

Welcome to the MSE forums Thesquire. Forums are slightly different from chat groups/pages but no matter.

I don't understand that BT reply. £124.99 is their new installation charge.

As there's a dialtone on the line, it should be a free reconnection.

Is the socket a master socket? i.e. are you sure it's not just a forgotten extension socket off another line somewhere else in the building?

Try dialling 17070 to get the line's number - so you have more ammunition when you call BT back.

macminiuser

Thesquire wrote:

I have just moved into rented accomodation, its an old flat and has a line, and there is a tone on the line when i pick up the phone. I've just spoken to BT and was quoted £125 for connection, the customer rep stated that i could go elsewhere for connection- does anyone know who?

Sounds like you're in a very similar situation to many other forum users - I answered a similar question from a forum user called Tulips here.

It covers various subjects like implications for using 1899 and broadband if you arrange for your line to be reactivated by an independent telephone service provider.

Apart from the company mentioned in the post above, only yesterday I heard about another company who arrange for new line installation/line reactivation for £99+VAT with a rolling monthly contract called DirectSave - but I don't really know anything about the quality of their service.

macminiuser

Heinz wrote:

I don't understand that BT reply. £124.99 is their new installation charge.

As there's a dialtone on the line, it should be a free reconnection.

I thought this was the case also, but it seems that at the moment, whether BT can just flick a switch to provide service, or whether they have to dig a three mile trench to your property, everyone gets quoted £124.99.