BT line connection - can this be right?

Wej · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:16

I'm moving into a property (renting) and I've just contacted BT to make sure the phone is connected, as I work from home and need internet connectivity. They have told me that because it wasn't used last year, it's been 'disconnected' - fair enough I said, can you get it reconnected for me.

They then quoted me 15th October as the first date they can do this, which means I'll be in the property 6 weeks without internet, making it impossible to do my job. Apparently, that is the first date that they can get an OpenReach engineer out.

Have I got any alternatives? Do I have to get BT to do this?

I can't believe it takes 6 weeks to get a phone line... Especially in a property that has a phone line!

Kamwah · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:18

Wej said:
I'm moving into a property (renting) and I've just contacted BT to make sure the phone is connected, as I work from home and need internet connectivity. They have told me that because it wasn't used last year, it's been 'disconnected' - fair enough I said, can you get it reconnected for me.

They then quoted me 15th October as the first date they can do this, which means I'll be in the property 6 weeks without internet, making it impossible to do my job. Apparently, that is the first date that they can get an OpenReach engineer out.

Have I got any alternatives? Do I have to get BT to do this?

I can't believe it takes 6 weeks to get a phone line... Especially in a property that has a phone line!

6 Weeks isn't long. Took me five to get internet in my apartment and that wasn't anything but getting it activated -_-

Narj · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:19

See how long it'd take for VM to install one?

Brookert · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:19

Wej said:
I'm moving into a property (renting) and I've just contacted BT to make sure the phone is connected, as I work from home and need internet connectivity. They have told me that because it wasn't used last year, it's been 'disconnected' - fair enough I said, can you get it reconnected for me.

They then quoted me 15th October as the first date they can do this, which means I'll be in the property 6 weeks without internet, making it impossible to do my job. Apparently, that is the first date that they can get an OpenReach engineer out.

Have I got any alternatives? Do I have to get BT to do this?

I can't believe it takes 6 weeks to get a phone line... Especially in a property that has a phone line!

Do you have a dial tone? dial 17070 and it should give you a number if you have a working line.

Dave M · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:21

virgin if you are on their fibre network. If it's virgin over bt lines I doubt it'd be any different.

Otherwise mobile phone / 3g dongle.

kPATm · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:23

Yes. I had a right time of it getting my phone line installed. Open Reach are a right bunch of Jokers. It may say the 15th but be prepared to be let down :-(

paradisiac · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:24

if its just a case of reconnecting sky offer the service, think its about £20. but obvs you would then have to be a sky customer.

edscdk · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:27

they had had a lot of problems due to the weather, recently its taken 3 weeks to get a business line in, and (about) 6 weeks to get a private phone line in...

Gecco · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:35

Ring around other service providers, they might have sooner appointment slots.

MuttsNutts · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:35

try and use a reseller of phone lines like Sky as they get priority engineer bookings.
once i had a similar issue called BT and they said would take 6 weeks for an engineer (aswell as a £99 re connection fee) to come and re connect / activate the line. I called sky to order sky TV Phone & BB to go on the BT line
but they put the order in for the whole lot and just short of 2 week later the BT guy came (arranged by Sky) sorted the line out the day after SKY engineer came and did the TV & Phone the BB did take an extra week as the Sky router did not turn up but the BB activation date was 2 weeks from the day I called sky so 2 weeks and 2 days from the day i called for TV, Phone & BB is not bad going in my eyes and Sky did not even charge me for the BT line to be reactivated......

Edit: BTW the BT engineer that did come was only at the house for 5 mins he plugged a his lappy into the line clicked a few buttons went away came back 10 mins later and checked the line with his lappy again and went.......

Wej · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:37

Don't these other companies use OpenReach engineers though - at least that's what I'd heard...

paradisiac · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:38

Wej said:
Don't these other companies use OpenReach engineers though - at least that's what I'd heard...

not sure, but a sky van turned up to do my mates, whether they were working in conjunction with BT I couldn't tell you. ring a company and ask?

Brookert · 28 Aug 2012 at 13:45

I was told by an orange representative, no idea of it's true, that there is no need for an engineer to be called out when there is a physical phone line with a dial tone and a number.

It would make sense to me, as there is a working line there, it just needs to be activated, because there is no line rental being paid.

Andy · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:14

Line rental orders through BT Openreach are taking about 4 weeks+. Apparently it is because of the olympics and wet weather...It is a disgrace that one company has such power.

Andy · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:14

Brookert said:
I was told by an orange representative, no idea of it's true, that there is no need for an engineer to be called out when there is a physical phone line with a dial tone and a number.

It would make sense to me, as there is a working line there, it just needs to be activated, because there is no line rental being paid.

It still requires an engineer in the exchange.

Haggisman · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:21

As far as I'm aware you'll be out of luck with Virgin too, as they aren't doing any new installs at the moment (at least that's what they've told the last few times I've called them). Not sure what kind of business model they're operating when they tell you they don't want your money, but it's certainly a refreshing change from the usual hard sell

norm · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:22

Get a 3G modem. Or approach a neighbour to share their wifi.

Resident · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:28

Haggisman said:
As far as I'm aware you'll be out of luck with Virgin too, as they aren't doing any new installs at the moment (at least that's what they've told the last few times I've called them). Not sure what kind of business model they're operating when they tell you they don't want your money, but it's certainly a refreshing change from the usual hard sell

I live in a village and there's big interest in getting VM from a lot of the people here but VM stopped laying cable about 200yrds from the village. When I enquired they said they had no future plans to extend into the village. It's mad, there are ~8000 households in the village and we're all stuck on crappy ADSL.

I've recently enquired about BT optic and we've even got to wait till mid 2013 for that :mad:

SubFocus · 28 Aug 2012 at 14:45

We're currently getting dates in October for business line installs so yeh Openreach are certainly struggling with installs at the moment.

As mentioned try other providers who have their own infrastructure (Virgin etc)

Most will go over BT's lines which means they will be contacting Openreach for the install anyway so will get the same dates.

Rids · 28 Aug 2012 at 16:21

This is a strange one, I moved into my flat on the 11th and I had my BT line activated on the 23rd. There was a problem with the wiring in the flat (the person that lived there before me had cut the cable inside the BT socket) - I logged a fault on the 23rd when I realised the problem and they had an engineer out to me by 3pm the next day. I'm guessing they may only be backed up certain areas?