BT line connection half price

gt94sss2

k2150 wrote: »

And I still think £124:99p is expensive when all they have to do is turn on the line !!!

The £124.99 charge is agreed with Ofcom as a suitable figure designed to ensure that BT can meet their obligations under the Universal Service Obligation - basically, they have to install a telephone line where ever anyone wants one.

The fee actually covers [SIZE=-1]up to '100 man-hours' worth of work and like anything else, easy lines to install effectively subsidise the complex ones.

Until an engineer looks at your line, BT/Openreach normally have no idea if a fee will be charged - hence they mention it 'just in case'.

Regards
Sunil

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k2150

gt94sss2 wrote: »

The fee actually covers [SIZE=-1]up to '100 man-hours' worth of work and like anything else, easy lines to install effectively subsidise the complex ones.

Regards
Sunil

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I do agree with this, the one price fits all charges mean that BT are covered for all eventualities, however I still don't think it's fair. Also as I have mentioned before, in certain cases BT will turn a line back on for free. If you move away from BT to another provider and later wish to go back to BT under the "return to doner" scheme, then an engineer still has to carry out work at the exchange, but you're not charged a penny, why, because it makes good business sense for BT to get you back as a customer. I still maintain along with many others that charging £124:99 to re-connect an exsisting BT line is excessive.

utilitybroker

k2150 wrote: »

I do agree with this, the one price fits all charges mean that BT are covered for all eventualities, however I still don't think it's fair. Also as I have mentioned before, in certain cases BT will turn a line back on for free. If you move away from BT to another provider and later wish to go back to BT under the "return to doner" scheme, then an engineer still has to carry out work at the exchange, but you're not charged a penny, why, because it makes good business sense for BT to get you back as a customer. I still maintain along with many others that charging £124:99 to re-connect an exsisting BT line is excessive.

BT tend to quote the full connection charge to cover their back in these cases,but when it comes to it they dont usually raise a charge if all the wiring between the exchange and the premises is still in place, and in good working order.

Heinz

If you think BT's charges are unreasonable, consider this:

My CH boiler has been out of action since last Sunday and, when the engineer came yesterday (he's not Polish so I had to wait until after his New Year break), he found a burn on the main PCB.

He spent over 20 minutes on his mobile on hold to the manufacturer's 0870 so-called installers' technical help line before hanging up without getting past the music on hold.

To his credit, he warned against me just telling him to replace it though because he hadn't been able to identify the cause of the burn and just replacing the PCB could result in it happening again.

He didn't charge me anything and advised me to contact the boiler manufacturer's customer support line (another 0870 number - but one for which I found the geographical alternative on SayNoTo0870.com) and, when I did so, I was told they would only offer a £349 'attend and fix whatever needs fixing' fixed price repair.

OK, a 12 month warranty (on the repair) was included but, wait for it, the 'offer' ended with ultimate get-out of, "If we can't fix it, we'll refund the £349."

IMHO, that sort of thing makes BT's charges seem very reasonable all of a sudden.

k2150

SayNoTo0870.com are great I always use them for the geographic number, as for electrical engineers call out charges for central heating, plumbing, or even to fix a washing machine ... well we all know they are notoriously expensive, if your boiler breaks down mid-winter, or your plumbing is flooding the flat below yours ... they've got you by the short & curlies mate!

Bummins

gt94sss2 wrote: »

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Until an engineer looks at your line, BT/Openreach normally have no idea if a fee will be charged - hence they mention it 'just in case'.
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Well to comment on your post, i think your right they do just default to saying they will charge the £125 but they do more than just mention it... they insist its payable to everyone and charge it.

I left my last flat and closed the account with BT, my friend moved straight in and wanted them to reconect the line, about 1/2 weeks later. They are telling him he has to pay (like they said to me), which both I and he know is complete tosh! Tthe reconnection should be free since BT really were the last providers. they're system or the phone operator is telling porkies.

Which comes back to my orginal question in my flat. I dont know who the last providers were. If the previous renter moved out 2 months ago and closed the phone account with "whoever plc" How do I, find out who they are??? :mad: Someone said that BT do know but cannot legally say. anyway im at a loss here... surely Ofcom or Openreach should have a way of letting new residence & tenants know? :huh:

WillD_2

Bummins wrote: »

Well to comment on your post, i think your right they do just default to saying they will charge the £125 but they do more than just mention it... they insist its payable to everyone and charge it.

I left my last flat and closed the account with BT, my friend moved straight in and wanted them to reconect the line, about 1/2 weeks later. They are telling him he has to pay (like they said to me), which both I and he know is complete tosh!

I'm in the same boat. I phone BT to get reconnected 4 DAYS after the last tenant cancelled their account. The line had already been ceased - £125 and a 12 month contract needed. To top it off, on the same day, BT sent the previous tentant a letter to say they now have free weekend calls, that's how recently they cancelled, they are still in the BT marketing system.

Today, I lodged an offical complaint with Ofcom. They were helpful and said that it shouldn't be ceased within 3 months but that this is only a rule of thumb and there's no rules on it. So Openreach can pull out your wires the day after a cancellation forcing the new occupiers to pay up to plug them back in again.

I tried the phone co-op, they charge £116 and they said it happens all the time on busy exchanges.


Ofcom said that it might still be that I actually need an 'installation' but you have to agree to pay it if it is needed. BT don't give the choice to say no if it is, and how am I going to know if it was needed or not as there's no home visit?!

I think it absolutely sucks, its profiteering. There must be a simple rule: a line must remain active for at least 30 days after a cancellation to give the new occupier time to request a reconnection.

I want to go to Tiscali for their TV services, but they don't provide new connections so will have to pay the £125 + £70 = £195 just to get back to where I should have been. ah, just horrid.

Please complain to Ofcom, it only takes 5 minutes and they might just do something about this. phone them on 020 7981 3040 or 0300 123 3333

jpluk1

iv been trying to get a bt line now for some time but they want to charge to connect,im not prepparred to pay there charge,also tried the post office they also want to charge £107 for connection,so i need a phone and i need internet but dont have a line,result igot mobile broadband which cost £15 p/m and then signed up to skype which costs £10 for 3 months line rental and you get your own phone number and the call package is £2.99 a month for unlimited calls to any uk landline,which is the cheapest on the market and trust me iv done some heavy checking and no one can beat that,also skype is contract free so if you did not want it for a month can stop then carry on the next month without owing them a penny and they will hold your number for three months:T :T :T :T

duchy

I currently have a Virgin line so I'm going to move to Sky as they will credit the cost of the BT line instalation to my Sky account so effectively refunding me the charge.

geeby112

I have just moved in a new apartment and renting for 6 months (could extend from then on) will this apply to me aswell paying £125 and not staying there for long seems ti be unfair knowing the next tenant will just have it for free

Thankyou