Broadband at Purchase Property

Weathergirl_76

I am at enquiries stage with my sale and purchase. No exchange or completion date yet. 

I have contacted my internet service provider to make some initial enquiries regarding internet connection at my purchase property. They have told me, according to their records, there is no internet at the address. I thought this odd as when I viewed the property there was a room set up with monitors etc. Turns out the vendor has virgin media. My ISP is saying I have to have an engineer out once I moved in to connect the line (or whatever they need to do). On the fittings and fixtures form the seller has ticked ‘None’ by telephone receivers. Does this mean there is no phone line? It was built in 1992, it must have a phone line? I am working from home so need internet connection. 

Can anyone advise on this, my apologies I am not knowledgeable at all on stuff like this! Thank you 

user1977

It's entirely possible if their Internet is via Virgin Media's cable network that they don't have a landline (and if they did, it would probably be via VM rather than a BT line). Have you checked out switching to VM? Will save you having a new line installed. 

knightstyle

We had similar when we moved in Feb. there was a landline but when I tried to get BB I was told it was not available at the address.  I got Virgin to install a line, small channel across the drive, and now have about 50mbps, TV and a phone line that we find we never use for £29.99 a month fixed for 18 months.
So see what Virgin will offer you.

AdrianC

Weathergirl_76 said:

I am at enquiries stage with my sale and purchase. No exchange or completion date yet. 

I have contacted my internet service provider to make some initial enquiries regarding internet connection at my purchase property. They have told me, according to their records, there is no internet at the address. I thought this odd as when I viewed the property there was a room set up with monitors etc. Turns out the vendor has virgin media. My ISP is saying I have to have an engineer out once I moved in to connect the line (or whatever they need to do). On the fittings and fixtures form the seller has ticked ‘None’ by telephone receivers. Does this mean there is no phone line? It was built in 1992, it must have a phone line? I am working from home so need internet connection. 

I think we might need to clarify some terminology...

"Internet" can be delivered by a number of different types of physical connection.

Most common is ADSL, via the usual BT network copper landline phone connection plugged into BT equipment at the local exchange.

VM delivers both phone and data, usually over a dedicated cable connection - they are the only mainstream cable company across the UK.

Sometimes internet service providers (ISPs) offer their connection over ADSL, but via their own equipment installed in the local exchange - "LLU", local-loop-unbundled. The other end of your bit of copper is physically unplugged from the BT kit and plugged into the LLU ISP's own.

But, of course, both phone and data can be delivered over the cellular phone network, too.

"Telephone receivers" could be taken to refer to a BT copper landline, or even just the trivially unpluggable handsets.

Yes, it's almost certain that a 1990s-built property will have had copper, and probably ADSL over it, in the past. That doesn't necessarily mean they are functional now. The line may well be physically present, but not necessarily functional, having been voluntarily disconnected in the past. BT will charge to reconnect that line, even if it is still physically present.

You really need to go back to the vendor and ask them to clarify what their current phone and internet provision is.

user1977

Sorry, I misread the OP - yes, "telephone receiver" means the thing you talk into, not the wire going into the house. In ye olden days (i.e. the 90s) people used to get inexplicably excited about whether or not the phones were included in the price. Isn't there somewhere else on the forms for their current utility providers?

Weathergirl_76

Morning. My intention was to remain with my current ISP who have offered me a new contract, with the same telephone and fibre optic line I have now (which is great and sufficient for working from home) plus they will meet the cost of their engineer visiting the property to connect the line (I was quoted £150 for this). 

I asked my agent to clarify with the vendor if there was a line at the address as my ISP said there wasn’t and needed to send an engineer, and that’s when they told me the vendor has Virgin Media there. 

I was planning to just use who I am using now, what I don’t understand is why they need to install a line. 

The ‘telephone receivers’ terminology was taken from the form the seller completed. For my sale,  I ticked it was included on my form, and understood this to be the telephone point you plug your phone into, or BT socket. 

Weathergirl_76

I am going to call virgin media and see what they offer me. It would possibly mean no interruption in service if I stick with them when I move in give or take a day or two.  Thanks for the suggestion 

GixerKate

If I understand correctly the house is using virgin media for internet access not BT lines so if you want to use BT lines then a new line will be needed to connect the house to the rest of the BT network.  Of course, there could already be the connection there but an engineer will be needed to connect the house to the network.  

Personally, I would suggest going with Virgin, I've had the opposite - I've gone from a house with Virgin Media to a house with BT.  The connection just doesn't compare and I have full fibre as I also work from home and require good connectivity, as soon as Virgin becomes available I'm cancelling my BT contract to get the better connectivity with Virgin.

Weathergirl_76

GixerKate said:

If I understand correctly the house is using virgin media for internet access not BT lines so if you want to use BT lines then a new line will be needed to connect the house to the rest of the BT network.  Of course, there could already be the connection there but an engineer will be needed to connect the house to the network.  

Personally, I would suggest going with Virgin, I've had the opposite - I've gone from a house with Virgin Media to a house with BT.  The connection just doesn't compare and I have full fibre as I also work from home and require good connectivity, as soon as Virgin becomes available I'm cancelling my BT contract to get the better connectivity with Virgin.

Helpful to know this, thank you. I am calling VM today to see what they can offer me. Thanks again 

AdrianC

Weathergirl_76 said:

My intention was to remain with my current ISP who have offered me a new contract, with the same telephone and fibre optic line I have now

What is physically available at the new home is determined solely by the local infrastructure.

If you have fibre to the property (FTTP) now, then that may not be available at the new property.

Most domestic "fibre" is only to the street cabinet (FTTC), with copper for the last-mile to the property. It's that copper which defines the available speed of the connection.

powerful_Rogue

If it's Virgin Media at the premises, then the telephones now plug into the router, rather then having a phone socket on the wall.