Switching phone supplier.

[Lucy Thomas]

I am looking to switch my phone supplier from BT to someone else. What I want to know is will my broadband be effected if I change.

I am with Wanadoo and one of the questions when I signed up was 'Do you have a BT line?'

Will my BB still work if I switch.

If it will the I will switch suppliers and let BT know that they can stick their payment charge where the sun don't shine.

[Ethel]

As far as I know the only phone suppliers that don't use a bt line are Kingston - a local company in Hull, and Virgin cable phone.

Everything else is through your BT line, so you can answer 'yes'. Your broadband will still work.

What payment charge are you disputing?

[Lucy Thomas]

I object very strongly to BT charging me �4.50 just for the pleasure of paying my bill.

[Ethel]

Lucy Thomas - Virgin charge �5. My gas and electricity companies charge �5, as do my insurance companies.

As I love DD I don't pay these charges. I think you'll struggle to find a company that doesn't have some sort of charge, or will refuse to accept cheques in the near future.
They are simply far too expensive for the companies to process.

[gina32]

my daughter is with tiscalli and she doesnt have a bt line

[Ethel]

gina32 - bet she does. This is from Tiscali's website:

Tiscali broadband works through your analogue BT phone line. If your current broadband and/or phone service is provided via cable you will not be able to switch over to Tiscali using a MAC code. However, if you have an additional BT line at home you can join Tiscali by registering as a new customer, but don't forget to cancel your existing cable service.

If you don't have a BT line but wish to join Tiscali you must notify your existing cable provider that you wish to cancel. Additionally you'll need a BT line installed before you registering for Tiscali Broadband.

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/help/broadband/mac-qu estions.html#faq12

[gina32]

ethel bet she doesnt, she has had it for years so maybe when she did get it you didnt need one but i do know that she HASNT got a bt line

[gina32]

my father is with virgin and he doesnt have a bt line either never has been

[gina32]

sorry meant never has had

[Ethel]

gina32 - that is because Virgin use cable which were originally laid by NTL or Telewest, not bt phone line.

Tiscali have got to send the broadband to the house somehow and they do not nor ever have laid their own lines or cables. They use bt lines and pay BT out of your daughter's monthly charges.

[WendyS]

I've known various people who have had major problems with their broadband supplier if it hasn't been British Telecom when things have gone wrong, especially if there has been a line fault or something like that. . Other suppliers who rent the facilities from BT are usually slow to liaise with BT to get things put right. so although you may save money with a deal elsewhere, the issue may be how long it takes to get sorted when a problem arises.

[gina32]

ethel thanks for telling me what happens in my daughters house, i'll ask you in future should i wnat to know anything

[Ethel]

You are very welcome, gina. :)

[Rod Mac]

Take my experiences recently - I subscribed to Sky for their "See- Speak- Surf" Deal.

I was, and always had been, a BT subscriber.

In order to extricate myself from the Broadband provision it was necessary to obtain the MAC Code from BT {something to do with Migration Access}.

This was required by Sky - in order for them to activate my application with them!!

So within a few working days I was notified, by Sky, of my 'activation date'.

However:-
There is still the need to remain as a BT subscriber in order to avail myself of the 'Sky' Deals.

[The copper wire link from my home to the outside world remains BT's concern, after all is said and done]

Hope this helps.. :-)

[juanny69]

I work for Vigin and you can have any telco supplier and any bb supplier at the same time,so no it wont affect anything