Phone Company switching Lark

I'm moving houses in a few weeks, and wanted to switch my phone to the new Gaff.

So I rung BT who said it would be £125 to install the line and then a 12 month contract to tie me to BT, which i don't want as i get it all through Orange.

when it old them i just wanted to connect the line and that was it and no line rental, the woman told me i couldn't have a line installed,a si need a 12 month line rental conract this can't be right can it?

Has anyone else experienced this?

Are there any other options to get around this, i'm wracking my brains and any help would be welcome.

No, that can't be right.

bt are definitely very keen on getting people to make a long-term commitment at the moment. i've been trying to work out which is the best tv/broadband/phone package and the bt girl really confused me with her incentives and desperation.

now i know how my ex-boyfriends must have felt.

Dunno about the 12month thing, but the line rental is correct.

You are still using BT's hardware, BT's street furniture, BT's exchanges. Only from the exchange onwards are you "on" Orange, although really you are still on BT's network, it's just that Orange, having bought a fuckload of capacity off them, are re-selling it to you.

This is true for almost all such arrangements, with the exception of folks like NTL/smellwest, who in some areas DO have their own "lines to the curb" and switching.

bloodynora wrote: bt are definitely very keen on getting people to make a long-term commitment at the moment. i've been trying to work out which is the best tv/broadband/phone package and the bt girl really confused me with her incentives and desperation.

now i know how my ex-boyfriends must have felt.

Keep your providers separate if possible, and avoid VOIP phone services.

"my interweb's broken, I'll just phone tech support.....oh fuck! Ah well, I'll watch telly for a while to see if it comes back on....Oh FUCK!"

If you MUST do it, I am lead to believe that Sky are getting good, having gotten rid of their fair use (ie, no use) policies and having alledgedly cluefull phone-techies.

Doctor? wrote:

Keep your providers separate...

I'd second that. I've had no trouble at all since I swapped back to BT (from the dreadful onetel) and UKOline have been worth every penny of the broadband charges (£10 a month).

I had the same problem and in the end signed to BT.Took over 12 months to bill me correctly for the LINE and i am still in dispute with both BILL receiving and actual costs for the INTERNET.Also their router didn't work(fcuk off just cos i DON'T)......... Victor Meldrew.

Do you guys have Vonage over there?

Definately worth going to. Companies usually try to suck the life out of thier customers, but Vonage is really good. One of the best companies I've ever dealt with... need a broadband internet connection....

Pretty cheap as well, here its $24.00 month with unlimited calls... my wife calls Japan for only 2 cents a minute... unbelievably cheap.

Jeffari-al-Texani wrote:

EdelBrock wrote: Do you guys have Vonage over there?

Definately worth going to. Companies usually try to suck the life out of thier customers, but Vonage is really good. One of the best companies I've ever dealt with... need a broadband internet connection....

Pretty cheap as well, here its $24.00 month with unlimited calls... my wife calls Japan for only 2 cents a minute... unbelievably cheap.

but Doc Campbell just said not to use VoIP!!!

I think he's full of it... plus who doesn't have a cell phone now-a-days anyways? Call tech support withh that...

I've had VoIP for 6 years now and have yet to have any issues with it... actually it has far surpassed any regular telephone network I've ever had... not to mention if you ever move you don't have to change yer phone again, just bring it with you...

Dunno what mobile tarrifs are like in Jesusland but calling tech support from one sounds like you may need a second mortgage.

There's nowt wrong with voip as an actual technology. In fact ALL calls are voip from exchange to exchange these days anyway. Our phone system in work has gone from a hybrid analogue/voip system to pure voip from the caller's exchange to my desk and the quality is greatly improved. Of course, we still get people who phone using skype and for get to pause the porn download. It's like talking to a severely stoned dalek, everything sounds like that Josh Wink tune "hiiiiiiigheeeerrr sssssssstaaaate offffff" etc.

MONTY SEZ.... if you've got a disconnected BT line in the house,POST OFFICE will connect you for £110 and no minimum contract on homephone service,£10.95 a month line rental,free calls after 6pm,free calls at weekend (6pm Friday-6am Monday),free calls to UK mobile numbers at weekends,and free weekend calls to 20 international destinations. You can have a package of phone and broadband which gives you 5 GB/month download time £19.95 a month,or unlmited download time with free wireless router for £24.95. Daytime calls 4p/min and if you know anyone else on POST OFFICE HOMEPHONE it's free between users anytime of the day!

I like to blow my own trumpet......said PRINCE.

I Rung ofcom today, and they said that Orange can sort my line out,any provider can start your line from an exchange they just can't be arsed.

When i originally rung Orange they told me not to bother ringing ofcom cause i'd be wasting my time, but now i know why.

So i rung Orange back and hey presto my line is getting connected for free and moved etc.

RESULT and bastards :D