Change from NTL to BT with no reconnect fee?
beachbeth
Posts: 3,862 Forumite
in Phones & TV
I want to change our phone to BT from NTL and also change our internet from NTL to Metronet but when we rang BT and explained what our old Bt connection box looked like (its been in our house since it was built in 1930!)they said it would cost us £75 to go back to them! Does anyone know of any offers we can take advantage of so that this is cheaper or even free?
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Comments
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The charge they have quoted you for is a new line. According to the BT price list:
"A new line is where there has been no previous BT PSTN connection at the location, or is in addition to other BT lines at the premises. Additionally, it may be a replacement to another line at the premises that may have been used for supply of certain other services. New line charges may also apply if BT is unable to utilise existing wiring or installations, or if new wiring/routing is required. There is normally no connection charge for Residential customers if BT service has previously existed at a premises, unless that premises has been refurbished (e.g. divided into flats, rebuilt) or extensive new construction is required, as specified at Section 45 Part 1 All new supply is subject to survey. "
If the wiring is OK but the socket is the old fasioned sort then they may consider that they are "unable to utilise existing wiring or installations" and charge the full £74.99 or might charge £29.38 to change the hard wired old fashioned master socket to a modern linebox, unless "there is someone in the household who is disabled as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act i.e. someone with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities " where there is no charge.
http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/current/docs/Exch_Lines.boo/0002.htm0 -
I'm afraid the answer to this is no. BT aren't allowed to depart from the published price list. Console yourself with the thought that £75 is a lot less than it used to be, even when you don't take inflation into account.Does anyone know of any offers we can take advantage of so that this is cheaper or even free?
It's free to reconnect an existing line but not to install a new one from scratch.0 -
The thing is we've only had Ntl for about 4-5 years and previous to that we were on Bt which we had put in when we bought the house in 1985 (there was no telephone connection before this) and we paid the connection fee whatever it was then.
But now they are saying we have to pay £75 to reconnect because of this brown box that they put in in 1985 and that we had up until a few years ago. Seems unfair that we have to pay £75 yet again (it was probably more than this in 1985 because I think charges have come down?)0 -
What is this brown box? Is it like the ones shown here? If you have a BT telephone socket, I'd say it's irrelevant. It's not uncommon to have something like these, in addition to your socket, if the installation is an old one that was modernised at some point....But now they are saying we have to pay £75 to reconnect because of this brown box that they put in in 1985 and that we had up until a few years ago.
I'm not sure why you needed to mention the brown box when you spoke to the BT person. Perhaps they thought you have an old hard-wired set-up (without a plug and socket) which would obviously have to be replaced. If the line was installed in 1985, you'll probably have the old style master socket, rather than a more modern linebox (NTE5). You can see the difference here.
The old master socket is obsolete, but it's still fine for modern phone equipment.
On the other hand, if you haven't got a BT socket, then it's reasonable to be charged for coming and fitting one.
Another possibility is that what you have in the house makes no difference: the wires between your house and the telephone exchange have been recovered and reused and you're being charged for re-providing them.
For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure my parents paid something like £110 for a new line in 1983. Before that, in the seventies there were waiting lists for new lines in some areas. Things have improved in some ways!0 -
I want to change our phone to BT from NTL and also change our internet from NTL to Metronet but when we rang BT and explained what our old Bt connection box looked like (its been in our house since it was built in 1930!)they said it would cost us £75 to go back to them! Does anyone know of any offers we can take advantage of so that this is cheaper or even free?
Just call BT and tell them you want to "reconnect" your BT line (this is normally free) - don't use the words "new line" - that means something elese
Don't bother describing your telephone point to them or how/when BT installed something there.. - at the most just say you were BT customers 4/5 years ago but then switched to NTL and now want to move back.
http://www.bt.com/reconnect/index.jsp may help.
Once your line has been reconnected, you may face a small charge if you don't have a "modern" master socket - though if it was installed in the 1980's you may have this already (or the BT engineer may fit one free when he comes to check your line has been reconnected properly)
Regards
Sunil0 -
Thanks for your input and suggestions. Our box looks like the BT35A or BT60A shown in your picture, Wellisorter, but we also have a white plug-in socket with ntl on it. Im sure this used to be a BT one!
I may try ringing up and asking to 'reconnect' as you say, gt. It was my husband that rang before and he mentioned the brown box to them - I don't think I would have thought to do so.
I'll let you know how I get on!0 -
This is only possible if NTL nicked the BT one (possible I suppose) or just put theirs in the same place.but we also have a white plug-in socket with ntl on it. Im sure this used to be a BT one!
Maybe it was a sneaky way to prevent you going back to BT!
(For what it's worth, I have BT and NTL lines in my house and have no complaints about those who came to install either.)0 -
BT provided ones usually have the BT logo on. With its age it will probably be the old 'T' logo. Is the NTL where the BT one used to be?...but we also have a white plug-in socket with ntl on it. Im sure this used to be a BT one!0 -
I was discussing this with hubby last night and we're both pretty sure, after thinking about it, that the brown box hasn't been in use for some time. I'm positive that the Ntl white box we have is where the Bt one used to be.
We were just confused because it had Ntl on it and not Bt, but Im sure it used to be Bt!0 -
Did the NTL installer drill holes for the NTL socket? Maybe he took the BT socket off and used the holes to fix the NTL one to the wall.We were just confused because it had Ntl on it and not Bt, but Im sure it used to be Bt!0
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