Moving home next wk - How do I get broadband activated asap?

I'm moving into a new flat within the same development next Tuesday (15th Feb), and need to get broadband in that flat as soon as possible because I'm self-employed and work from home.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get broadband installed asap? Cost isn't really an issue as the loss of earnings will be greater.

Some more info and thoughts:

I spoke with Sky (my current provider) and they informed me it would take 10-15 days to be set up. I told them I'd be keeping my number, although I don't need to and haven't yet spoken with BT, but have since read this delays matters. Is this correct?

I'm renting and the new place is currently vacant. I'm wondering if I can just get a new telephone account set up in the new place asap, then when it's live I can arrange for a new broadband service on it and it could theoretically be ready for next week?

The mobile reception in the flat is non-existent and so a dongle isn't an option.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, TP.

There is a facility called "Simultaneous Provide". Not many ISPs do it, and even fewer have frontline staff who know about it.

Can you tell for sure what exchange the new flat is on? The safest way is to put its existing telephone number into this checker. Post the link to the result. If not, on that same site there is an Exchange Mapping page. You can drill down to the address from that, but not 100% guaranteed accurate.

If you want to go for a simultaneous provide you have to make that clear at the time you order the phone, but broadband doesn't have to be from the same suppplier. The phone company should then be able to give you a "Linked Order Number".

It would be easiest now if you give us that link, as that will tell us which ISPs you can get. Otherwise there are too many possibilities to discuss.

Thanks for your reply.

The site does suggest the new flat is on the same exchange as my current flat (it's part of a new development built a couple of years ago). This is the result of the search using the two postcodes as I do not know the telephone number of the new flat.

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

That's just the link I gave you. You need to highlight the URL at the top when the exchange details are showing, and copy that .

Sorry about that!

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/CLCAN

Click the Broadband and Landline tab on this page.

Try ringing them - see this post.

Be broadband packages are possibly the best available. On the Exchange Mapping page of samknows it may give you a speed estimate to help you choose between the 12Mbps Value or one of the higher ones. If the estimate is below 15Mbps no point in going for the top one. You won't get the faster upload and you will lose download.

I hadn't registered the one month wait . But that should be exchange-related. See what they say.

You might find it quicker to order a line of BT then order Be broadband after. Simultaneous provides do seem to take a while, but generally quicker than phone followed by broadband. A month seems unusual to me.

Thanks, the one month wait would obviously be an issue but I'll give them a call first thing tomorrow morning and see what they say.

These flats do have an unusual (at least to me) set up. There's an HNS (Hub Network Services) box in a cupboard which has a number of data and telephony cables in numbered ports and an IRS LoftBox. There are eight telephone sockets dotted around the flat. I'm not sure if that's an issue or not as I'm a technophobe.

I had a slight problem in that the previous tenant hadn't cancelled their account, but they have now.

Be cannot do a simultaneous provide until 3rd March, and so it would be quicker to order a BT line and get the Be broadband up and running a week later.

This isn't ideal but I'm struggling to think of an alternative. If I hadn't just taken a month off then I wouldn't mind taking a week off work!

PITA.

It's wierd that simultaneous provides involve a longer wait. Plusnet are the same.

I hope it all goes smoothly from now on though.