I couldn't understand why BT are the only company who can connect a landline (sometimes at a cost of £125) and that you then HAVE to enter a 12-month contract with them. I can't stand BT and don't want to give them any money. This also seems to eliminate any choice, which seems to be against consumer choice laws.

I have found out through BT, and had this confirmed by OFCOM that: as several landline call providers complained to OFCOM that BT were connecting people who wanted BT Broadband quicker than everyone else, that all landline rental providers should also be able to connect people. OFCOM agreed. The entire system (including BT's computer system) has been changed to allow this. Yet virtually none of them have taken this up.

I have just had two frustrating conversations with Talk Talk (Sales dept and Customer Service) where I was saying that I want to go with Talk Talk for line rental, calls + broadband, but am being forced to go with BT for 12 months as Talk Talk won't connect me, even though they can. They kept saying they couldn't, despite me explaining the above to them and saying "You can, but you won't - why?". Got nowhere.

Does anyone have any idea which companies WILL connect you. I only need the connection that BT offers for free (an engineer goes to the exchange and presses a switch) as opposed to the one where BT charge you £125 (an engineer goes to the premises and checks the line). According to OFCOM there are quite a few companies who are doing it now, but they can't tell me who in case they miss anyone out. They have all been able to do it for ages, but most of them still don't!

Hopeful that someone is in the know!

Dawn

I have just switched back to BT ? BT broadband that is , but stayed with talk talk for line rental and calls , BT T & C now state "that you need a BT line or similar" . I just argued that my line is a BT line going to a BT exchange and serviced by BT engineers despite my paying line rental to Talk Talk for call package. They signed me up no problem and I'm going live on 18th April 08 no hesitation what so ever and the best bit ? the sales girl spoke english too .

HI Dawn

I have the exact problem. My current suplier VirginMedia another *** company that is going down messed me up, some greedy salesman gave me a new contract without my permission, I have void that agreement, I do not care if Virginmedia take me to court. When I got NTL bundles 4 years ago, they removed my phone connection from the exchange box, so they can tie me down, I still have my BT connection at home.

Now, I phoned BT, asked them to reactivate the line as I want to use BRoadband+line rental + phone services from Talktalk. They said £125 to send the engineer to connect me at the BOX, and then I have 12 months contract with them. I told the stupid girl, I just my line to be activated, and she did not understand what I meant by activated, at the end she hung the phone on me. I phoned BT again, this time I got a decent guy, he understood what I meant by activation, and he said I still had to have a contract, but he told me a TalkTalk engineer can go and activate my line at the exchange, well I was surprised.

I phoned Talktalk and told them BT said a TalkTalk engineer can go an activate my line at the exchange, does not need a BT engineer, to my surprise these idiots at talktalk never heard that a Talktalk engineer can do that, that's the main purpose of unbundling. I was willing to pay BT £125 to activate my line, but I am not going to have a contract with BT, I do not like them at all. Now, I am stuck with that crap Virginmedia, most probably will go bust soon with their $5 bn debt, while all telephone charges are going down NTL is hiking the price by nearly 30%, they are desperate. They are charging £18 for 2MB broadband amazing, and £25 for 4MB. I had enough of VirginMedia, they are losing customers in droves. My services are going up every month, now nearly £90. I can have all these services from sky and talktalk for £36. Virginmedia should not have disconnected my line at the exchange.

I am going to call Ofcom tomorrow and ask for advice and documentation that a talktalk engineer can connect my phone line at the exchange without a BT engineer. I am going to forward those documents to line manager or a director at Talktalk, they should know that they can go at the exchange themselves, it sounds they don't have a clue of the regulations of unbundling of local loop. Anyway, these switches can be activated from a computer, they are all electronic exchange.

I am so desperate to stop giving Virginmedia my money, they have not treated me like a valued customer, I always get some gobby customer adviser on the phone, these useless idiots do not know people like me who are indirectly paying their salaries. I do not care what Virginmedia says about my contract, I will void whatever they say. I have been with them 4 years, why would i have another contract this feb 2008 with them, laughable, they would lose in court.

Bye

Sunseeker

Hiya,

Cheers for the reply. That sounds like total hassle. I've been really impressed by my Virgin credit card, but have never had any other services from them (sounds just as well!).

Please let me know how you get on with Talk Talk. OFCOM said that they were still in the "testing" phase of this, so that's why their staff wouldn't know about it.

I've since read on another forum that it costs quite a lot for these companies to send an engineer to the exchange (it has to be activated from the exchange, not just by a computer anywhere), but as BT own OpenReach (they company who provide the engineers), they can offset the cost. Apparently, it costs over £100 for activation and around £250 for switching and checking at the box on the premises. So, I reckon that Talk Talk will never provide this service, as they'll try to keep their call costs as low as possible. Still, they should give you the option to pay for it yourself as it would probably still work out cheaper to pay £100 to Talk Talk for activation and be with them instantly, rather than being with BT for 12 months!

Anyway, would love to know how you get on with this.

Good luck!!

Dawn

HI Dawn

I will be contacting ofcom first thing. No It does not cost £250, to switch, that's what BT may say and stiffle competition, if that would be the case it would cost many £billions for other companies. These things take 2 minutes job, I have a telecom engineer friend. Either they switched at box and do an electronic switch.

Anyway, I agree Talktalk I prefer to pay TT that 100 than paying BT a penny, and certainly I will never a contract with them.

Well ViriginMedia and Vigin Credit card are 2 different entities. Pickle Branston got a stake in NTL, I think the biggest mistake of his life. Since Sky removed all the channel from VirginMedia, people are leaving droves, Branston and co. thought they could outsmart Murdoch, most people watched sky one as all the nice programs like Lost, Prison break. VM still charged us the same price even with sky channels. Now they are increasing the phone charges, every other telco bringing prices down. Even their international calls are like mobile operators cost.

I keep you inform

Cheers

S