Newly ordered BT phone line already rings out... do I still need an engineer?

pawlala

Hi! Due to move to a brand new property in a few weeks so placed an order with BT home movers yesterday, and as part of the process they will be sending an engineer out shortly after I move in. I'm only ordering the phone line so its not infinity or anything, and I have broadband with another company.

The new phone number BT have given me as part of the order was originally out of use, but after trying again after a few hours, the line now rings out and goes to 1571 service as normal.

Does this mean that the order has already completed? Will an engineer still be needed? Should I tell my existing BB provider that the phone line appears active? (who I have also already arranged move of service)

Thankyou!

Heinz

Sounds like it may have been. Dial 17070 to get the line's number and give yourself a ring from your mobile (and to your mobile to confirm it's ringing out too).

pawlala

thanks I haven't moved into the property yet... completion isn't until next month! so I can't get access to the socket.

hunkyidol

From experience (working for BT previously) the number is active as far as the exchange. However you will still need connecting your end. Any messages left on 1571 will still be there waiting for you upon completion of your order.
As for ordering of broadband, this would normally fail when the ISP carries out a line check until the line install is complete.

pawlala

hunkyidol wrote: »

From experience (working for BT previously) the number is active as far as the exchange. However you will still need connecting your end.

would an engineer still be required to connect my end? I ask because now my BT order shows that "Your appointment is no longer required, as our engineer can connect your line without requiring access to your premises. The engineer will work to connect your line at the exchange."

hunkyidol wrote: »

As for ordering of broadband, this would normally fail when the ISP carries out a line check until the line install is complete.

I've given my ISP a matching order ref provided by BT, would this provide a smooth transfer of my BB on my activation date?

I work from home, so BB is critical to me, hence my worry

spike7451

pawlala wrote: »

would an engineer still be required to connect my end? I ask because now my BT order shows that "Your appointment is no longer required, as our engineer can connect your line without requiring access to your premises. The engineer will work to connect your line at the exchange."I've given my ISP a matching order ref provided by BT, would this provide a smooth transfer of my BB on my activation date?

I work from home, so BB is critical to me, hence my worry

No,they can remote line test to the master socket from the exchange.But just be warned that if the are any extension sockets coming off the NTE Master Socket they may not be connected in the NTE.Make sure the builder get's the spark to connect them up because if you get BT out to do it they will charge the earth.

Also,as you say you work from home & have a residential bband service,if it's not working,or the are problems ect & you ring up & say "But I need it for work as I work from home" they'll reply tough,it's a residential service that is not a business product,They may also say that as you are using it for work you are breaking the T&C's & may then force you to go onto a business product.
(This happened to me when I was installing for NTL,a customer rang up & complained that we were late to install his broadband <we were stuck on a previous job!> which he needed for work,we then got a call from my manager not to proceed to his house as it was cancelled by NTL as it was for business & not residential use.)

pawlala

thanks for the advice

spike7451 wrote: »

No,they can remote line test to the master socket from the exchange.But just be warned that if the are any extension sockets coming off the NTE Master Socket they may not be connected in the NTE.Make sure the builder get's the spark to connect them up because if you get BT out to do it they will charge the earth.

Is the above something I can do myself if I take off the bottom cover?

spike7451

pawlala wrote: »

thanks for the advice
Is the above something I can do myself if I take off the bottom cover?

Yes;
If you get a approved IDC tool (about £3.00) & connect Blue/white stripe to connection #2 & white/blue stripe to connection #5..You don't need to connect the orange bellwire to #3 anymore with modern phones, all they tend to do is act as an aerial which may cause broadband problems. (noise/speed ect)

You can get IDC tools here;

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=362275

HTH,

Spike

Buzby

You can do all that at you leisure, as extensions are only the side-show. Your NTE5 is what needs to be in place and working, however as this is a new provision I seriously doubt this will be classed as a FoC reconnection, it IS a new line, and installation. With no previous customer, the installation for the line will be charged to the first customer.

As for the line ringing out, it really means nothing - they've done the work to allocaqte your line, and the number given to you as part of the application will not only have been earmarked, but allocated to your profile (mainly to prevent it being allocated to someone else).

iniltous

If this is a brand new property, and you are the first person to request service, then you will probably find the main socket and infrastructure on your building site was installed by the house builder/sub contractors, but paid for by BT/Openreach , BT/OR also employ a 'cable' contractor to install new underground cables in the newly provided underground ducts, and connect the 'cable pair' into your property to a cable pair to the exchange (in those green bt street cabinets you see around),then when connected in the exchnage the line should be working
These 'new sites' jobs tend to have appointments given, but if the line is connected correctly by the builder/contractors,when connected in the exchange the line is usually 'on' and your appointment is cancelled by BT (although you still pay, if that was agreed), if the line doesnt test OK then the engineer turns up to correct whatever the problem is,
If you have access to your new property you could pug a phone in and if you have a dialtone dial '17070' and if its your number then the line is on, but cancelling the appointment wont save you any money (if you were quoted a connection fee), as the first user pays towards the costs BT/OR had, £130 is probably less then half what BT/OR pay the builder for installing the 'lineplant' per tenancy (it was £250/house more then 10 years ago, a figure negotiated by the NHBC with BT