Moving away from Sky Phone Line

MeMe99

I am (hopefully) moving home in a couple of weeks. The new house's phone line is with Sky. I will be getting Sky+ and will need broadband and phone.

I'm thinking of moving the phone line away from Sky as if I wanted to move broadband provider later I won't have BB/phone downtime. Also want to use my own router (easier for sipgate/voip), which breaches Sky T&Cs.

I understand that I would have to move to BT (min 12 months). Can I move the phone line to plusnet (or any other recommended supplier, or ones to avoid) instead of BT? How long will the switch take, can I order before house completion?

Any recommendation of broadband provider?

Mark_In_Hampshire

No need to move to BT - I am not quite sure why this misinformation keeps going around. Any provider can take over the line from Sky directly, so choose who you want and go with them.

If they say "it can't be done" what they mean is "we can't be bothered to do it" so you might like to try elsewhere if you encounter that.

However I'm puzzled by "the line is with Sky". If you had it set up with Sky then you're probably in a minimum term. If the previous occupants have a Sky phone line then that will get ceased when they leave. You move in, and pick who you want. The fact it was with Sky is neither here nor there.

You may be able to order before completion but to take over the same line as opposed to having a new one, the current one will have to be ceased anyway.

Heinz

Mark_In_Hampshire wrote: »

I am not quite sure why this misinformation keeps going around. Any provider can take over the line from Sky directly, so choose who you want and go with them.

If they say "it can't be done" what they mean is "we can't be bothered to do it" so you might like to try elsewhere if you encounter that.

..... and, as the 'misinformation' previously posted suggests, that is exactly what all known alternative providers except BT appear to do.

MeMe99

Thanks, don't know why I thought I would have to take over existing line, didn't think about the sellers cancelling the line.

Any suggestions on line provider? Looking at TalkTalk for phone and broadband.

How long does it normally take from ordering the line to install? Could I order the week before completion and arrange installation on the day after completion, or would I have to wait until I moved in before I order?

I'm assuming I would have to wait for new line before I could get broadband and Sky+ installed.

Sorry for all the questions only ever moved into new builds and want to be up and running as soon as poss.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Talk Talk and BT have fairly appalling reputations for customer service, but are cheaper than many. Sky would be a better choice for all 3 services. (Rental, BB, TV) but what I'm ignoring completely and what you should verify is the cost of your typical phone usage against Sky's prices versus Talk Talk's if that's an important aspect.

If you go with Sky you can order the whole lot together.

The line install depends on the availability of local engineers, waiting times of 3 weeks to 3 months have been reported recently (yes, to re-activate an existing line)

macman

You'll have Sky installed long before BT OR come to install the phone line, no connection between the 2 processes, which are done by different companies.