Home phone Guides

BT phone line activation

Updated: Monday 23 August, 2010

By Garnet Roach - garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

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Just moved home and want to get a landline and broadband bundle, but don’t want a cable phone line? You’ll need to have a BT landline activated or installed - find out how in the guide below...

Free installation		Fastest setup
Call BT now 0800 028 4474	Find out more VirginMedia.com	Call Primus now 0800 036 0170	Call TalkTalk now 0800 049 7834	Call BT now 0800 028 4474
£0 with any Calls & Broadband package	£0 with Calls Broadband + TV £35 otherwise	£69 connection charge	£69.99 connection charge	£29.99 BT connection charge (usually £127.99)
Setup within 4 working days for a connection, and up to 16 working days for new line installations *	Setup usually within 2 weeks. Plus you can normally keep your number. Virgin Media also offers a 28 day money back guarantee *	Setup between 3 and 5 days normally *	Setup within 20 days for new line installations. If you are switching from Virgin Media, you can keep this line until your new one has been installed *	Setup within 4 working days for a connection, and up to 16 working days for new line installations *
Call BT now 0800 028 4474	Find out more VirginMedia.com	Call Primus now 0800 036 0170	Call TalkTalk now 0800 049 7834	Call BT now 0800 028 4474

* All providers allow you to select a convenient appointment on a suitable date when you place your order online. However, line setup times will typically depend on the availability of an engineer, and other factors, such as the number of concurrent line installations in your area.

Phone line activation costs

Standard BT landline activation costs £29.99, however, many customers do not have to pay this fee.

If your new home has had a telephone service from BT (www.bt.com) in the recent past, if the wiring and socket is undamaged and the line still has a dial tone, it is easier to have your line reconnected, and you won’t have to pay an activation fee.

You'll just have to pay your line rental, which costs £12.79 a month with BT, as well as any calling plan costs, the cost of calls, and for any additional services you want, such as call plan add-ons.

If there isn’t a suitable BT line available in your property, if there's no dial tone on the line, or if you have been disconnected for non-payment, there will usually be a standard activation charge of £29.99 unless you take advantage of one of BT’s bundle deals.

Home phone bundles

If you want to bundle your home phone line with a broadband connection or even BT Vision, BT’s digital TV service, you can have your line installed for free.

All you have to do is sign-up to one of the provider’s broadband bundles, including a call element and BT will activate your line, waiving the reactivation charge.

How long will I have to wait?

It you have to have a completely new line installed, it could take up to 16 working days to get connected, and BT will contact you to arrange a suitable installation date.

However, if you already have a suitable line in your home, BT says it can get you up and running in around four days.

Alternatives to activate your phone line

BT isn’t the only home phone provider to install landlines. TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk), Plusnet (www.plus.net) and Sky (www.sky.com) all offer the service, among others.

If you live in a cable area, you can also get your landline - plus your broadband, digital TV and even mobile phone and mobile broadband - from Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) in a money saving bundle.

Charges vary from one provider to the next, but you should also take call costs into account when choosing a provider, as you’ll have to sign-up to a line rental contract for at least 12 months.

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