New build flat and ADSL

MagicBoy

MagicBoy

MagicBoy

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
19,372
Location
South Manchester
I've just moved into a new build flat which is prewired for Phone and Sky. I'm getting fed up of "just" 460k Web only access via 3G so I need to get proper broadband.

I've been using NTL cable elsewhere for the last 8+ years but the new place is not in an NTL area so that's not an option. Which leaves ADSL - which I've not seen before so it's all a bit new to me.

Had a wander round the internet and there's all sort of providers. Some state a BT line is required and a few don't. I've noticed the Sky TV+broadband deal seems rather attractive.

Called BT and they want £130 to connect me up (it's only 100 yards to the exchange building!) Do I need to go to BT to get the link installed to the exchange or can I get someone else eg Sky to provide me with a phone line?

I'm looking for an option that doesn't cost £130 for a bit of copper cable. Suggestions are welcome ...
 
It just cost my mate £125 for BT to activate his line in a new build, I'm sure you can pay it in 3 or 4 installments though.

Distance from exchange I would think would have no relevance.
 
Yeah, i had to pay around £125 or something ridiculous. Surely these days it takes about 5 seconds with a computer. Day-light robbery really.
 
LewisStuart said:
It just cost my mate £125 for BT to activate his line in a new build, I'm sure you can pay it in 3 or 4 installments though.
Click to expand...

Yep you can (well could anyway) pay the connection fee in installments.
 
I know what you mean about the BT Costs, it's really quite shocking :( However if you want ADSL you need to pay it.

As for supplier at bit more info -

Are you a heavy net user?
How much a month can you afford?
 
I am with Demon and pay 24.99 per month. It's an 8mb connection uncapped (it was at the time I ordered, not sure if the same is true now). It's very fast, but I only usually msn, irc, and e-mail with it. My downloads come when i cvsup and portupgrade the BSD box. I get 200k/s on those.
 
Valo said:
I know what you mean about the BT Costs, it's really quite shocking :( However if you want ADSL you need to pay it.

As for supplier at bit more info -

Are you a heavy net user?
How much a month can you afford?
Click to expand...


I tend to be a heavy user. I like my TV shows and Podcasts... Usually averaged 30-40Gb a month when was on NTL.

I'm willing to pay probly up to £20 a month, plus line rental if appropriate.

The Sky package for £26 caught my eye as I get TV too :D , although I suspect the 16Mb broadband may be required.
 
I didnt have to pay bt that sort of money i remember they wanted it to begin with but then i said well im paying x amount line rental x amount adsl from you and x amount connection fee im damned if im paying that £100 odd

I cant remember what i did pay but it was no where near that much
 
It's not just a case of them (BT) activating something via a computer...

They need to physically install the line from the nearest telegraph pole in to your home - that's why it costs them £125. (Mostly labour & materials costs me thinks)
 
yup, so you saw your local telegraph pole down and create some debris that makes it look like your building was linked up to the telegraph pole.

And then the engineer will hook your house up for free.


:)
 
EVH said:
They need to physically install the line from the nearest telegraph pole in to your home - that's why it costs them £125. (Mostly labour & materials costs me thinks)
Click to expand...

Not in a new build. When BT came to install our line it literally took him 30 seconds. The building was already all prewired, as with most new builds. He just had to patch the line in down in the basement.

I suppose they make a profit on little jobs like this, so they can claw back the losses when they have to send out crews to put up new poles etc.
 
Hi, I recently bought a new build flat that already had the BT line installed. I also got charged £125 for connection even though no one had to come out. Obviously I was a bit annoyed as to why they charged so much for changing a flag on a computer (I presume).

Turns out when housing developers build these flats, they don't actually pay BT for the initial installation of the lines. Also every new development I know of has no cable (NTL/Telewest) services so residents are pretty much forced to go with BT.

The housing developer strikes a deal with BT to pass the installation cost onto the residents after they move in.
 
Get them to send an engineer out but mention that there's already a phone socket. When they then send you the £125 bill...ring them up and argue with them that the engineer had to do nothing (as you'd already told them would be the case).

I did that and they refunded the money. At the end of the day, if the line is already there and it's just exchange work then BT have no right to charge you.
 
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