BT Connection Charges (merged threads)

quidsinquentin

I've just asked BT for a quote for taking up their service. They're telling me that there is 'no telephone line' into my flat. There is, and the box is markedd as a fairly modern BT box. They want £120+ to 'connect me up', which seems ridiculous as I'm already physically connected - just not switched on. Can anyone tell me if this is normal? ie that they want to charge me as if there is no actual line into the property?

Browntoa

yes, the box is there in the flat but there is no direct wiring between you and the exchange, this is what the £125 is for

quidsinquentin

Browntoa wrote: »

yes, the box is there in the flat but there is no direct wiring between you and the exchange, this is what the £125 is for

There are wires going out of the box, then window, then to a line that goes off where everyone else's goes.

The person that had the flat a couple of tenants before me had a BT service, and BT keep putting leaflets through my door (via the postman) asking if I want to come back? It wasn't a different supplier, it was that the line was 'stopped' as the person before me didn't want a telephone.

Quentin

You can save yourself £95.

See this thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=878915

stuiedo

Firstly, i cant believe some of the posts by so called money saving experts - Just because the original poster is moving into a new build house doesnt mean they should suddenly accept every unfair charge or suddenly have unlimited amounts of cash to not care - get real peolpe, lets not descrimenate against peolpe who are moving into new builds!

Secondly, i have just had a simialr conversation with BT. I am a phone and broadband customer and they want to charge me £125. As i dont have this money to spare i asked if i could cancel (i would then get a USB mobile broadband which doesnt need a landline), but they said to end my contract would cost £180! so, to continue being a customer would cost me £125, to finish being one would be £180 - where is the choice in that?! I dont have this money to hand and cant afford either. Im being held ransom to continue being a customer - its not on!!

stuiedo

Sorry - posted before i had finished!

BT make enough money out of me, they dont need to charge teh £125 - its a rip off!

They charge me a monthly fee. they charge me for some calls. the builders have laid and connected all the wires to my house, all they will do is turn on a button! And if anyone uses another company other than BT for calls, guess what, yes thats right thye have to pay BT a connection fee.

So tell me where BT is being hard done by?! they are ripping peolpe off.

Heinz

stuiedo wrote: »

......the builders have laid and connected all the wires to my house, all they will do is turn on a button!

The builders did no such thing. BT did in the hope that an occupant (first or subsequent) would ask for a line.

The £124.99 is the charge they make in an attempt to recover their (already spent) costs and what it will cost them to connect the line to the exchange and to the equipment at the exchange.

Ypaymore

MissMuppet wrote: »

But cheaper...

I dont think so.

Plusnet. Line Rental , Inclusive E&W calls, and caller display. £11.49 a month.

Same deal with BT £10.50 a month.

wantmemoney

Heinz wrote:

The builders did no such thing. BT did in the hope that an occupant (first or subsequent) would ask for a line.

The £124.99 is the charge they make in an attempt to recover their (already spent) costs and what it will cost them to connect the line to the exchange and to the equipment at the exchange.

so why are BT charging that to the second customer who takes over the line.
the third customer
the fourth customer etc etc ............

deklan99

If it costs £125 to dig a trench from the main BT line all the way to the consumers house and install the wiring then you may have a point.
If on the other hand you realise that BT HAVE to provide a phone service to whoever wants one you might consider it more economical for BT to lay in the infrastructure when other utilities are and so share the cost.
BT have to bear the cost of installing a new line up to £3400 and only charge the end user £125 so even you must admit there's a shortfall somewhere.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/uso/statement/ section 1.12
Or maybe not.