BT home phone - minimum contract

mansonk

I am currently trying to change phone provider from cable to a BT line, so I can switch to Talktalk. There used to be a BT line from the house, and I believe it would be easy to re-connect. However, would I be locked into a contract with BT? I really just want to change to BT, then as quickly as possible switch to Talktalk.

Heinz

Welcome to the MSE forums mansonk.

Talk Talk (and any of the other line providers now in the market) can, like BT has to do, employ Openreach to install/reconnect the line. However, Talk Talk (and others) have 'previous' for insisting that they cannot do so and that you have to have an active BT line before you can switch to their service. That's a lie but you may still encounter it when you ask them to connect you.

Most of the line providers will require you to agree to a 12 month contract initially. With BT, that's a 12 month contract for line rental but, immediately, you could start using a CPS calls provider and/or indirect access providers like 1899 and 18185 for your calls.

If you move your line rental from BT inside the 12 months, BT will charge you up to £70 for breach of contract.

BritBrat

Have you pluged a phone into the old BT box to see if it has a dial tone?

If it does dial 17070 and listen to a message and it should tell you the telephone number, if you get no dialtone or a number it will cost you £125 to have it activated unless you can get someone else to install a new line cheaper.