New build - Phone line Q - does it need to be 'activated' by BT?

Vanilla · 19 May 2018 at 18:34

Hi all,

I am of the generation that does not use a land line.

I have just bought a new build. My question is while i may not take out line rental do I still need the line 'activated' by BT?

I'd probably go for another provider tbh (SKY/Virgin) so really don't want to be locked into BT just because it's a new build.

Does anyone know the process? I'm of two minds to repost this into the home forum as i'm sure people have been through this but wanted to try here first.

Thanks

MissChief · 19 May 2018 at 18:49

Pretty much any provider can activate a line these days, you don't need to ask BT directly. Of course Virgin have their own network so have nothing to do with BT/Openreach.

You'll need to pay line rental regardless if you use an Openreach network provider.

Vanilla · 19 May 2018 at 19:27

MissChief said:
Pretty much any provider can activate a line these days, you don't need to ask BT directly. Of course Virgin have their own network so have nothing to do with BT/Openreach.

You'll need to pay line rental regardless if you use an Openreach network provider.

So I can just approach Virgin directly and get lineless broadband and TV?

I mean, at my current place I just have lineless broadband.....

MissChief · 19 May 2018 at 20:07

Vanilla said:
So I can just approach Virgin directly and get lineless broadband and TV?

I mean, at my current place I just have lineless broadband.....

Yes, assuming they supply your area. And if its a new build they might not. Or they may have liaised with the developers and already have cable laid. Check on the virgin media website.

Avalon · 19 May 2018 at 21:08

MissChief said:
Yes, assuming they supply your area. And if its a new build they might not. Or they may have liaised with the developers and already have cable laid. Check on the virgin media website.

Unlikely Virgin will provide service to a new build, in all my years with them they only ever had dealings with one single developer in one region, the rest was a ball ache.

WJA96 · 23 May 2018 at 07:55

Avalon said:
Unlikely Virgin will provide service to a new build, in all my years with them they only ever had dealings with one single developer in one region, the rest was a ball ache.

I don’t know where about in the UK the OP lives, but in Greater Manchester they are outfitting all the new builds with separate trunking for Virgin. Obviously, if he’s getting his house built somewhere less densely populated they may well not be interested. In Norfolk, as far as I’m aware, there is nothing Virgin outside of Norwich. (and yes, there is a joke there somewhere!)

Vanilla · 26 May 2018 at 19:29

An update for those interested.

- My address did show up on the virgin website.
- Engineer arrived about 4 days later, very good I thought.
- Found that virgin was indeed cabled but was not happy with it - it was basically the outdoor cable coming in through a hole where it should have been separate indoor/outdoor. Shoddy.
- Cable was showing up as 'Dummy' he had to go and find the local box and activate my connections.
- He routed this cabled into my aerial until he found the one that connected to the living room.
- He installed everything fine.