BT & O2 - student moving house but empty over summer

rev_henry

I'm about to move out of my flat and back home for summer, then back to a shared house in September. At present I have BT line rental saver in contract until September 2nd and o2 broadband in contract till February.

I'm not sure what to do about this. Obviously we want broadband and phone at the new place but I can't do it exactly how I want.

BT will suspend the service over the summer, then carry it on at the new place when I want. This starts a new 12 month contract though, so I'll get the remaining 2 monthsish line rental saver then have to either pay their extortionate £13.90 a month or do another line rental saver. If I cancel I get no refund. Neither is particularly satisfactory because I'd rather start a new line with primus or some other, cheaper company, AND I won't be at the new place for 12 months, so the whole issue will repeat itself.

O2 seem to be the real problem though, they won't suspend the service over the summer, but I can transfer the existing contract over no problem. O2 have also offered to take on the new phone line at the new place, but wouldn't give me a deal like free broadband with phone as I know some people have got.

So I'm not really sure what to do. Any suggestions?

macman

I don't know of any broadband supplier who will offer to put your contract into suspension.

rev_henry

I actually asked o2 what would happen if there was no longer a phone line to receive broadband on, and he basically said you've 30 days to decide what to do. Plusnet often put my father's account into suspension, when he decides he's wasting too much time on the internet.

macman

In this case the line is not their responsibility, the are still able/willing to give you a service over that line.
Can you imagine the billing complications of people being able to suspend their service if they go on holiday for a month, 3 weeks, 2 weeks?
You still pay your gas and electricity standing charges even when you vacate a property.

rev_henry

macman wrote: »

In this case the line is not their responsibility, the are still able/willing to give you a service over that line.
Can you imagine the billing complications of people being able to suspend their service if they go on holiday for a month, 3 weeks, 2 weeks?
You still pay your gas and electricity standing charges even when you vacate a property.

BT seem able to do it. They said they can delay starting the line at the new place for up to 60 days at a time.

macman

That's line rental, not broadband. And they're not putting the service on hold-they're terminating at at the old address and then starting it at the new with an interim period. Not really the same thing, as in effect it's a new service, but linked to your old account.

rev_henry

Still no idea what to do about this. They now tell me they want £100 to cancel which is a joke - more than the remaining monthly bills.