How to switch from Virgin's cable to anoth ISP with phone?

I'm enquiring this for a friend who has Virgin cable supplying both her phone & broadband. She wanted to move to the other ISP with phone & broadband as her Virgin's broadband is getting worst recently, including occasionally dropping .(definitely not her cable faults) She has been made aware by myself that she would need a NEW phone line installed, probably a NEW phone number as well, before she could move away from Virgin. If she wanted to move to BT and get their Infinity, i.e. FTTC, how much BT would initially charge her for a new phone line installation prior to getting FTTC? Alternatively, if she moved to SkY's FTTC by asking them to installed a new phone line and getting their FTTC, would it be feasible and particularly, slightly cheaper than going with BT??? In each case, how to go about that, in particular does she need a MAC or just cancellation from Virgin???
Many thanks

A new phone line will be needed and the Virgin account needs to remain active until after the new line is installed which will then allow the number to be transferred from Virgin to BT. There might be a short period of 1 or 2 days where a temporary number is used but if everything is timed correctly it can be done.


And the BT page on switching from Virgin:

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProduc...

Edited by MHC (Tue 28-Jan-14 18:45:42)

No MAC required. VM cable and the BT Group telephone system are totally unrelated, and MACs are for particular kinds of move within the BT Group phone system. She just cancels VM, but better to wait until her FTTC service is up and running as things seem to be going wrong occasionally at the moment with Openreach schedules. I doubt if she would want to end up with neither phone nor broadband.

As for the rest of it, everyone here would need to look up all the current prices and deals for the two suppliers you suggest in order to answer your questions, and that would no doubt give rise to further questions to be asked of you/her. Can't you do that? Can't she? I could do it, at £50 per hour plus Vat, and under my existing T & Cs. I don't think I want to.



Incidentally, why exclude TalkTalk and Plusnet?

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 28-Jan-14 17:59:34)

Why not ask the ISPs themselves?

If there is a BT master socket, there won't be a connection fee if you go with BT, and you can transfer your Virgin number. The phone will be transferred automatically by BT, the broadband will start without a MAC and it's up to you to cancel Virgin broadband separately. Not sure about Sky.

If there is a BT master socket, there won't be a connection fee if you go with BT,

Are you sure ?

Yes.

See this page. The "For new customers" Online exclusive offers. Hover the cursor over "Connection included". If you need a new line you won't pay a penny for connection (normally £130).

Thank you for your hints and web-links. I know what to do now, in particular the current BT's offering for new customers who move from Virgin, or similar ISPs, to not charging their NEW phone-line installation, which could be amounted to £131 according to BT. Also keeping the Virgin line active and only cancel it when the new phone-line (with same number requested) and broadband are both working is a very good idea indeed!!
Thanks you once again.

I got the idea now, thank you Robert!!!

Yes, I seconded that with the current offerings from BT, which stated that the "line installation is included, i.e. their £131 new line installation charge will be lifted" currently (just wonder for HOW long though).
Thanks

P.S: My friend used to be BT customer before switching to Virgin. As such she still has the BT Socket and associated line, but I would think it is NOT active any more.

Edited by deleted (Wed 29-Jan-14 09:46:53)

Yes, you're right!!! I A new customer moving to BT phone is currently not requiring to pay for BT's standard installation line charge, which could be up to £131. Thank you

In reply to a post by OCdragon:

Yes, I seconded that with the current offerings from BT, which stated that the "line installation is included, i.e. their £131 new line installation charge will be lifted" currently (just wonder for HOW long though).
Thanks

P.S: My friend used to be BT customer before switching to Virgin. As such she still has the BT Socket and associated line, but I would think it is NOT active any more.

Well, they've offered free connection on 1st lines when taking broadband since at least 2008, so I wouldn't be pushed by the sales tricks - other deals are fluid for all ISPs, so crunch the numbers when it's time to move. Yes, the BT socket wouldn't be active, this is why it needs connecting (not sure exactly what you're saying/shouting there!)