How to find out who supplies your phone line

Touser

Hi,

We have just moved into rented accommodation and are wanting to get a phone line and broadband. There is a phone socket with a BT logo on it at the property but it doesn't have a dial tone.

When we phoned BT we were told that we would have to pay £125 for a new line because they don't own the line. We think that the previous occupant was with Talk Talk with a BT line so we contacted Talk Talk and they checked the line and said it was still with BT. BT however are adiment that they don't own the line and that we have to pay £125 to get a phone line, this seems to be a bit of a rip off, surely it doen't cost that much to reconnect a line.

Does anyone know how we can find out who actually owns the phone line to our house or how we can find out who the call provider is?

Thanks.

normanmark

Plug a phone in & dial 150 from the handset. It'll take you through to the customer services of the company that owns the line. Voila you have found out who it is, that is if the line hasn't been disconnected already.

You don't have to use BT to connect the line, theres a number of other providers that will activate/install a line for you. Costs between £110-125 from the range of providers. However the cheaper ones for installation might offer more expensive calling charges, so something to think about.

Heinz

normanmark wrote: »

Plug a phone in & dial 150 from the handset. It'll take you through to the customer services of the company that owns the line. Voila you have found out who it is, that is if the line hasn't been disconnected already.

Having no dial tone is a bit of a bar on doing that.

There is a phone socket with a BT logo on it at the property but it doesn't have a dial tone.

normanmark

Problem solved then. Its now a case of choosing who you want to connect the line for you.

Touser

The thing I don't understand is all I thought was needed is to make the phone line active again rather than have a new line put in at £125.

Quentin

BT will do it half price, in return for you giving them an 18 month contract. That will save £62.50 off the £125. (Offer due to end 9/5/08)

normanmark

Touser wrote: »

The thing I don't understand is all I thought was needed is to make the phone line active again rather than have a new line put in at £125.

Activation of a phone line isn't something done remotely by a switch. An engineer will have to visit the exchange, any outside boxes and possibly your premises in order to complete the activation. Thus a charge of £88 + VAT is levied by Openreach to carry out the work for the chosen Communication provider.

Its then up to specific communication provider what they will charge their customers (profit margins & the like). Like I said previously, some will do it for less than BT. Benefits might be £15 less but long term their call plans might be more expensive. Best bet is to do the research & calculate over 12 months the potential costs to yourself.