Moving Home - best course of action for broadband?

I will be moving home in about 2 weeks, and should have a confirmed moving date next week. What would be the best course of action for minimal downtime of broadband? I've read about doing a Simultaneous Provide but that looks like a lot of hassle.

The plan is to phone BT once my moving date is confirmed, and ask them to cancel our current line and activate the new line for phone and ADSL (confirmation needed on ADSL). I'm moving into a new housing estate - new house has phone line fitted already (judging by the installed phone socket I saw) and the house has never been lived in.

When should I expect my new number to be given after calling BT? I would then place a new broadband order at my ISP immediately via IDNet's website once I have the number, and then cancel my current ADSL package. I don't mind losing website/email, as I do not use them.

I suppose my question is, how long will it take for BT to activate the line? And how long does it take for an ISP to connect me? If I go with the plan I've written above.

Cheers

Edited by Aaron_01 (Mon 09-Apr-12 13:05:22)

Sim provide and the Linked Order Reference number is the official way

The new number cannot be used for starting an ADSL order until the line is actually active. Use of the LORN bypasses this

How long, varies from a few days to two weeks.

IDNet do phone packages inc line rental so you could do the whole simultaneous provide with them.

Otherwise you have the guaranteed delay before you can order broadband.

SIM provide can be multi-supplier. That's the whole point. And it should all happen on the same day.

OK, that can fail, but so can a SIM provide with a single supplier.

Thanks for the replies, have spoken with dad and he's OK with having line rental with IDNet.

Is filling in the form http://www.idnet.net/contact/placehomephoneorderonli... all I need to do for getting it ready by moving date?

It does ask for a phone line install address, but I think it already has a line fitted, trouble is, the other sign up forms ask for telephone number which I do not know, Persimmon Homes have not given us one. I just want to avoid unnecessary installation charges when an installation isn't needed.

Thanks

Persimmon cannot give you a number as one will NEVER have been assigned to the line, which is probably not connected to anything at the cabinet or exchange yet.

You need to talk to IDNet to ensure they do this as a Sim provide

You will get charged an install fee, the size of which varies, and this pays for BT time in getting the phone liine to the property

SIM provide can be multi-supplier

I know.

But as IDNet do sensible phone services the scope for timing errors is reduced if it's one outfit doing it.

True . In a way I was trying to make it clear to the OP that they don't have to do it that way. I'm sure now they are absolutely clear.

Just read today that BT only allow FTTC on their own line rental, does this mean I'm going to have to switch line rental again from IDNet to BT in 2 months time when our exchange gets FTTC?

IDNet do FTTC, as do other ISPs; they just don't do Infinity which is BT's trade name for it.