Thinking of getting BT

Hello

I am thinking of signing up with BT as my local exchange Slinfold isn't geared up for ADSL2 and isn't in any rollout plans either commercially of through BDUK at present. I have lived in the area before and will be doing so for 2-3 months again before moving. The reason I am thinking of going with BT is because they'll enable me to move for free and upgrade to infinity mid contract should the new area support it (according to their online chat sales team)

I just wondered, when should I order the service? I move to the new property June 30th and would like it installed that day as I can be there to wait in. Will I be billed from my go live date and can I pick that date? Previously I had to wait 7 weeks for the installation to take place.

Any advice is much appreciated.

I am waiting 3 weeks now for inifnity because I need a line too. I would say as soon as possible.

In regards to the date yes you can but a word of caution. I wrote a line of notes to the engineers and in that times my AM slot was gone and I had to choose PM instead. This varies from area of course but your slot is not booked until you submit the order.

Is someone already in the property? If they are then not sure if you will be able to order the broadband until after they cancel their phone/broadband - you don't own the phone line so I don't think you can order broadband on it until you do.

The property is currently empty, the business who I rented it from haven't let it since I moved out 8 months ago.

The annoying thing is BT don't list the property address, they almost have it but it's incorrect. I remember this caused a lot of pain last year and was the reason I went with the Post Office.

In reply to a post by brandscill:

Hello

I am thinking of signing up with BT as my local exchange Slinfold isn't geared up for ADSL2 and isn't in any rollout plans either commercially of through BDUK at present. I have lived in the area before and will be doing so for 2-3 months again before moving. The reason I am thinking of going with BT is because they'll enable me to move for free and upgrade to infinity mid contract should the new area support it (according to their online chat sales team)

I just wondered, when should I order the service? I move to the new property June 30th and would like it installed that day as I can be there to wait in. Will I be billed from my go live date and can I pick that date? Previously I had to wait 7 weeks for the installation to take place.

Any advice is much appreciated.

If the property is at present empty can you gain access to it for some reason (measure up for carpets or something) ?
If you can take a phone with you and see if the phone socket has a dial tone. If it does then dial 17070 and take a note of the phone number.
Then dial 1471 if the response is that the number cannot be recognised then it is a stopped line.

When you are ready to order the phone connection, tell them that the property has a stopped line, you have 17070 it and tell them the number.
This will help a great deal as the address and history of the line will come up for them. don't worry if you want to bring across your old number, you can do that once the line is up and running.

Correct. The BT system will not allow for an order to be placed while there is an active service. Not sure what they use now but the system I used to use wouldn't do it.

Hi systemx

I am in Manchester at the moment so won't be able to go to the property. I know I was the last person to live there and no one has since and I remember the number I used to have. When using that number in the BT ADSL checker it tells me it doesn't exist.

If I was to provide this number to BT would it help them locate the property still?

Thanks

In reply to a post by brandscill:

Hi systemx

I am in Manchester at the moment so won't be able to go to the property. I know I was the last person to live there and no one has since and I remember the number I used to have. When using that number in the BT ADSL checker it tells me it doesn't exist.

If I was to provide this number to BT would it help them locate the property still?

Thanks

You could try, but you really need the number allocated now. When you closed the account previously, your old number was removed (that's why it now does not exist) and a new number allocated.
At least you know the history of the property since you last lived there so you could try with the information you do have. Tell them there is a dial tone at the property ( a bit of a gambol as the line may have been damaged but they can do a line test to see if the circuit is still o.k)

Edited by systemx (Tue 06-May-14 14:07:10)

What they used to do ( when I did it) was use the BT wholesale gateway to do the start of a stopped line which was usually a computerised switch on at the exchange. And then they would place an order within BT's "Eco" system usually for 5-7 working sdays time.

I believe when you order online this is still done automatically.

I used to fix problems like yours for others and could the whole thing in about 4 mins and on the one call (going back in 24 hours to do the broadband provide)- I am sure it's much faster now ( and the systems have probably all changed)

But it's one of the easiest to sort out - your phone line can usually be on the next working day and then it's 5-7 days after that for the broadband

In regards to the ADSL checker it usually takes around 24 hours after a line is activated for the system to show information on it.

You say I'd need the number allocated now but if nobody lives there and hasn't done since I left why would a number be allocated?

Thanks for your continued help.