Am I stuck with Virgin Media if I want Broadband?

sitesafe

Any advice on my options - I've been with Virgin Media for 15 years and seriously considering leaving.  However I don't have an actual landline 'line' (I have a landline phone run off the virgin media connection as part of a package) and my cable fibre belongs to Virgin Media I assume.
Do I have any options with other service providers, I mean do they use the existing cables etc of Virgin or do they have to come in and install their own at a cost?  Or is it a lot simpler than this? Thank you

littleboo

Only Virgin use the Virgin infrastructure. If you go to an Openreach based provider, such as BT, Sky, Talk Talk etc, they will arrange for Openreach to install a line, depending on what’s available in your area. You may gave other options from other providers if they cover your area, CityFibre or a local AltNet for example. 

iniltous

Although it’s possible that you live in an area that only has Virgin Media, it’s very unlikely.
If any Openreach based provider delivered services to the address before VM , then that can be ‘restored’ even if you are unaware where the OR socket previously existed, perhaps that socket was incorrectly removed when VM started to provide their service.
https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL
Enter your address to see what Openreach based services are available.
Only VM use VM ‘cables’ , if you have OR availability, then either the existing OR connection would be reused , or if it doesn’t still exist , replaced with a new connection, if FTTP is available then it would be a new connection regardless 
As far as cost , it will vary , one company may give a free install but charge more per month , another may charge for an ‘install’ , but charge less per month , most people would look at the entire cost over the minimum term , if getting the cheapest price is the most important thing ,   For example £100 install and £25 a month for 24 months  is £700 , free install and £ 30 a month is £720, paying £100 ‘upfront’ may suit some but not others who would prefer to pay the ‘extra’ £20 over 24 months 

sitesafe

Many thanks, probably what i thought then.  I'm guessing it comes at a cost with the line installation etc.  tvm

sitesafe

iniltous said:

Although it’s possible that you live in an area that only has Virgin Media, it’s very unlikely.
If any Openreach based provider delivered services to the address before VM , then that can be ‘restored’ even if you are unaware where the OR socket previously existed, perhaps that socket was incorrectly removed when VM started to provide their service.
https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL
Enter your address to see what Openreach based services are available.
Only VM use VM ‘cables’ , if you have OR availability, then either the existing OR connection would be reused , or if it doesn’t still exist , replaced with a new connection, if FTTP is available then it would be a new connection regardless 

Thanks - what does FTTP mean please?

oldernonethewiser

Help with jargon

https://www.broadbandcompared.co.uk/guides/what-is-fttp-fibre-to-the-premises-explained

dreaming

sitesafe said:

Many thanks, probably what i thought then.  I'm guessing it comes at a cost with the line installation etc.  tvm

I had also been with Virgin for many years - both in this house and previously. I did think about changing a couple of years ago and obtained a price for new BT landline as I had not had one at this property. I didn't follow up due to illness but this latest round of price rises made me look further into changing and I have now switched to Vodaphone via CityFibre connection. The connection was done in the last week or so and was carried out smoothly and efficiently. I haven't been charged for this - possibly because it is a new option in my area but I had decided to change as I am now saving over £30 per month to what Virgin wanted to charge. I did try haggling with Virgin first but they could only offer a few pounds discount on the new charge and instead offered to add in "extras" (faster speed etc.) which are of no interest to me. A day before the new connection was made I did get another call from Virgin - this time pretty much matching what Vodaphone were charging but my mind was made up to switch as in 2 years time I will then be able to switch to another provider if necessary as more and more are coming onto CityFibre. My view was that, even if there had been a charge for new connection, the saving per month would pay for it fairly quickly.

iniltous

sitesafe said:

iniltous said:

Although it’s possible that you live in an area that only has Virgin Media, it’s very unlikely.
If any Openreach based provider delivered services to the address before VM , then that can be ‘restored’ even if you are unaware where the OR socket previously existed, perhaps that socket was incorrectly removed when VM started to provide their service.
https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL
Enter your address to see what Openreach based services are available.
Only VM use VM ‘cables’ , if you have OR availability, then either the existing OR connection would be reused , or if it doesn’t still exist , replaced with a new connection, if FTTP is available then it would be a new connection regardless 

Thanks - what does FTTP mean please?

FTTP , Fibre to the Premises, this is where the fibre connection is all the way to the house , so there is no distance related reduction in speed , so if you purchase 80Mb ( for example ) you get 80Mb , and it can offer speeds that FTTC ( fibre to the cabinet ) cannot reach , like 500 or 900Mb.
OR have the biggest network, so the chances are , if you have alternative networks to chose from , OR will be available, although FTTP isn’t available everywhere, FTTC pretty much is , the link to the checker will tell you what type of service is available and the  speeds