Do I first have to switch to BT from Virgin?

earlofbarrett

I live in Swansea and VM want £35 p.m off me now for a very basic service! I'm happy to use my landline for incoming calls only, and the Broadband is for browsing whilst my Grandson does about 2 hours a day on x-box live. Not interested in T.V.

It's essential that I port my telephone number (originally BT) but am I restricted from a lot of these switching offers because I don't currently have a BT line?

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but it looks like a bit of a minefield going through the small print if you want to switch from the Virgin Network to another provider!!!

Many thanks in advance.

Heinz

If you have Virgin cable, that is a completely separate network from all other landline providers (which use the Public Switch Telephone Network, maintained by BT Openreach).

Buzby

Er, Virgin Media operates a PSTN. As does Kingston Communications. It is not an exclusive domain of BT. Mercury (as Cable & Wireless) operated them too, and all were interconnected by circuit-switched connections domestically and Internationally.

macman

You can get the same offers as anyone else, but (assuming you are on VM cable, not Virgin National ADSL) you will need a BT-based landline installing or reconnecting first in order to get any ADSL broadband services.
There are many other providers to choose from as well as BT.
If your number is ex BT then it should be possible to port it back.