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Moving House - Need Broadband

mrploppy
Posts: 39 Forumite


Hi,
I'm about to move house and am not sure what happens about the existing phone line. I'm not so concerned about the phone line itself, more the broadband that I want. I don't have an existing phone number or internet service that I can transfer to my new house. I know that the new house has a phone point and when a phone is plugged in there is a dialling tone.
I have no idea about the previous owner's phone or internet provider. And I've been reading stuff about BT lines and LLU etc, so I'm very confused.
Can someone advise what steps I'd need to go through to get broadband, and what costs I might incur? Does it matter who the previous owner used as their phone provider? For example, if it was (is) a BT line, and I want to sign up with TalkTalk (and pay them line rental), what has to happen?
Also, I don't see any sign-up option on the TT website for the case where the line is "active" already (in the sense that there's a dialling tone) but that it doesn't have a phone number. They only seem to mention a "new line", but I don't think I need that - am I correct?
Would appreciate any clarification. Thanks.
I'm about to move house and am not sure what happens about the existing phone line. I'm not so concerned about the phone line itself, more the broadband that I want. I don't have an existing phone number or internet service that I can transfer to my new house. I know that the new house has a phone point and when a phone is plugged in there is a dialling tone.
I have no idea about the previous owner's phone or internet provider. And I've been reading stuff about BT lines and LLU etc, so I'm very confused.
Can someone advise what steps I'd need to go through to get broadband, and what costs I might incur? Does it matter who the previous owner used as their phone provider? For example, if it was (is) a BT line, and I want to sign up with TalkTalk (and pay them line rental), what has to happen?
Also, I don't see any sign-up option on the TT website for the case where the line is "active" already (in the sense that there's a dialling tone) but that it doesn't have a phone number. They only seem to mention a "new line", but I don't think I need that - am I correct?
Would appreciate any clarification. Thanks.
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Comments
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Sorry to reply to my own question but I know a little more now. The house that I'm about to move into has a telephone line that has a dialling tone when a phone is plugged in. I also know that it has a phone number associated with it - found this out by dialling 17070.
I tried to sign up online for TalkTalk broadband but the response to the "Check Availability" said that the number was disconnected and I'd have to call a sales number. When I called, the salesperson said that the line would need to be reactivated (or reconnected, can't remember) and that it would cost £59.99 - it involves an engineer visit to the exchange.
This is the TT charge for ordering a new line. I know this is cheap compared to a "new line" from BT, but when I spoke to BT they said they could reactivate my line at no charge. I don't really want BT broadband though (too expensive).
My question now is: are TT right to say this is necessary?0 -
I know this is cheap compared to a "new line" from BT, but when I spoke to BT they said they could reactivate my line at no charge. I don't really want BT broadband though (too expensive).
Why pay TalkTalk £60 when BT will reconnect you for free? Having a BT line does not mean that BT have to supply your broadband, there are lots of ISP's that you could choose but BT gives you the best option for telephony i.e. you can choose any carrier to take your calls.
See what ISP's are available to choose from on your exchange here.:doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:0 -
Personally, if you have any choice at all, I wouldn't use any provider that requires you to have a BT phone line
All it means is a bundle of extra, confusing and contradicting bills and a nightmare trying to sort things out when it all goes wrong.
After years of justified critiscism when they were NTL I now find Virgin Media are excellent to deal with.
Their prices are competitive, the product works and the service is prompt and efficient.
And you just get one simple, easy to read, and understand, bill.
If you're living in a cabled up area I'd go with Virgin.Gus.0 -
Why pay TalkTalk £60 when BT will reconnect you for free?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but in order to get TT broadband and phone, I believe I need to deal entirely with TT (including paying line rental to them). I don't know that I can just ask BT to reconnect the line without paying line rental to them. And I've read elsewhere that when you reconnect to BT you're locked in for 12 months (?) and are charged an early termination fee if you switch.0 -
The_Mighty_Gusset wrote: »If you're living in a cabled up area I'd go with Virgin.
Unfortunately, not available.0 -
Correct me if I'm wrong, but in order to get TT broadband and phone, I believe I need to deal entirely with TT (including paying line rental to them). I don't know that I can just ask BT to reconnect the line without paying line rental to them. And I've read elsewhere that when you reconnect to BT you're locked in for 12 months (?) and are charged an early termination fee if you switch.
Free reconnection from BT will normally involve you taking 12m line rental, along with the inclusive minimum call package. You can then take your broadband from whoever you wish.
If you go with TT there is a minimum contract of 18m on all services. All providers will charge you an early termination fee if you break your contract, it's not exclusive to BT.
Once you have gone over to TT your line will probably be LLU'd, and moving back to another ISP will be more complex, as you will have to get the BT line back first.No free lunch, and no free laptop0 -
See what ISP's are available to choose from on your exchange here
I'm slightly disappointed by the predicted speed available. TalkTalk told me on the phone that I could get upto 2Mb. When I do the availability check on the Orange website, it says I can get upto 1Mb. O2 website says not available at all, despite what the info from the exchange shows. All these show up as LLU at my exchange. Shouldn't I be expecting better than 1Mb for an LLU service?0 -
Free reconnection from BT will normally involve you taking 12m line rental, along with the inclusive minimum call package. You can then take your broadband from whoever you wish.
If you go with TT there is a minimum contract of 18m on all services. All providers will charge you an early termination fee if you break your contract, it's not exclusive to BT.
Once you have gone over to TT your line will probably be LLU'd, and moving back to another ISP will be more complex, as you will have to get the BT line back first.
That confirms what I thought. I'd read about people reconnecting to BT, then switching to TT for everything and getting a nasty surprise from BT in the form of a large termination fee.0 -
I'm slightly disappointed by the predicted speed available. TalkTalk told me on the phone that I could get upto 2Mb. When I do the availability check on the Orange website, it says I can get upto 1Mb. O2 website says not available at all, despite what the info from the exchange shows. All these show up as LLU at my exchange. Shouldn't I be expecting better than 1Mb for an LLU service?
LLU has nothing to do with speed. Your speed is largely determined by the distance from the exchange. From the exchange to the property, the signal comes over the same copper local loop, whether it's an LLU service or a BT Wholesale service. You may be able to get a faster ADSL2+ service from one of the LLU providers, but as the distance from the exchange increases, this has diminishing benefits.
Are you using the actual phone no. or the postcode on the various availability checkers?-the former is the more accurate.No free lunch, and no free laptop0 -
LLU has nothing to do with speed. Your speed is largely determined by the distance from the exchange. From the exchange to the property, the signal comes over the same copper local loop, whether it's an LLU service or a BT Wholesale service. You may be able to get a faster ADSL2+ service from one of the LLU providers, but as the distance from the exchange increases, this has diminishing benefits.
Are you using the actual phone no. or the postcode on the various availability checkers?-the former is the more accurate.
I'm using the actual (inactive) phone number. I guess my surprise was more that TT said I could get 2Mb but Orange's website says 1Mb, when it's the same copper wire from the exchange (and they're both LLU services). Are Orange being pessimistic (realistic?) and TT optimistic, or could there be another explanation?0
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