Migration Advice

I'm planning to move my tv,phone and broadband over to BT from Virgin Media.

My tv and phone contract expires on 25th March and my broadband contract expires on 9th April. I know that I have to give 30 days notice to VM that I am cancelling my contract.

I want to move my landline number across for obvious reasons.

Can anyone suggest the best way of acheiving a successful move? (I had a bad experience last time I tried this and ended up with a new telephone number.)

I was thinking of placing my order with BT for all three services to be installed on the expiry date of my phone/tv contract. (Or should I wait until the expiry date of my broadband contract?)

John

I'd be looking to ask BT for a 'sim' provide of both line and broadband. Ask also 'number portability'. This way once the lines installed, the engineer will make a couple of calls, and you'll get your old Virgin number back as the directory number for the new BT line.

To be safe, get switched before your expiry date with VM.

Once the phone contract has expired the number is lost and cannot be ported. Get it all done before your VM cancellation date and put up with the double charges.

Be aware that in my area BT are well know for date slippage and no-shows - yours could be the same so don't make it a short overlap either. I set a two week overlap and had a BT no-show for the FTTC install with a three week delay till the next available date. I just cancelled the whole order with BT as by then my VM service was working OK again. In fact I got a good deal from retentions to stay with VM - 2 year £5 discount on BB only for 1 year minimum contract.

I would go further and not even give VM notice until the BT service is running AND you happy enough with that service. Even tho my install had no issue the no shows/failed installs are pretty widespread, reports all over the place.

Edited by Chrysalis (Mon 11-Feb-13 14:32:12)

Thanks for the tips everyone

you should Move over to BT before you terminate your services with Virgin media, all it means you have 2 phone lines and 2 broadband connections for an short time (month or 2 for broadband and TV as the phone will get cut off once BT take the number that is if BT can take the number)

i would tell Virgin your not wanting to leave yet

worst case your paying for 2 bills for an short time (you risk losing your phone number and not having any broadband services if BT miss the install date)

remember your contract expire date is not an Auto renew date just means that you can cancel at any time after that date with out having to pay an early termination fee

move first then cancel (at least stop the all TV services so your only paying for phone and BB for the remaining second month)

Edited by leexgx (Tue 12-Feb-13 02:31:02)