Home phone Guides

Landline installation in the UK

Updated: Monday 16 January, 2012

By Anthony Hill - anthony.hill@consumerchoices.co.uk

Whether you need to get a phone line installed in your new property, or want to get a second one installed for your business, there are plenty of options.

Whatever you need your new phone line for, getting a landline installed is really easy, and needn’t cost a fortune. Choose the right package and you could even get a line installed for free. Watch this video for a quick guide to line installation, and then take a look at our top tips below:

BT phone line installation

Many people choose to get their new landlines installed by BT, as BT is the biggest UK home phone provider. BT charges £130 to install a new landline, but if the wiring and socket isn’t damaged and the line still has a dialling tone, it’s likely you will be able to rejoin BT for less. A BT engineer will let you know whether or not the connection charge applies to your property before you complete your order, so you can always change your mind in time.

You should also consider bundling your services, because if you sign-up to a BT Broadband and BT Vision bundle with your new phone line, you won’t have to pay line installation. Shop around for the best deals for your TV and broadband, and see if you could save by taking a triple-play bundle.

Landline installation with other suppliers

When it comes to landline installation, most people in the UK will instantly turn to BT. But did you know that BT isn’t the only provider in the UK that offers line installation? Other providers, including TalkTalk, Primus, Sky and the Post Office, all install landlines, and all charge less than BT. Take a look at the table below for information on some of the UK’s cheapest line installation deals:

	Free installation	28 Day Guarantee
Call TalkTalk 0800 049 7834 Go	Call BT now 0800 028 4474 Go	Call Virgin Media 0808 189 0508 Go	Call Sky now 0844 241 0582 Go	Call Primus now 0800 036 0170 Go
FREE connection	£0 with any calls & Broadband package	£0 with Calls Broadband + TV £40 otherwise	£10 connection charge	£59 connection charge
Set-up usually within 7 & 10 days for a new line installation. If switching from Virgin, you can keep your line until your new line has been activated *	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 normally between 14 and 28 days for connetion or new line*	Setup between 12 - 14 days normally for a new line installation *
Go Call TalkTalk now 0800 049 7834	Go Call BT now 0800 028 4474	Go Call Virgin Media 0808 189 0508	Go Call Sky now 0844 241 0582	Go Call Primus now 0800 036 0170

* 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.

When choosing a provider to install your new landline, you should also look at the call plans and line rental the provider offers. All providers will make you sign-up to a 12 or 18-month contract with them when getting a line installed, so it is important you choose a provider that offers the right calls package for you.

Read our guide to making cheaper calls to find out how to choose the package that’s going to save you the most money.

Cable phone line installation

You should also consider having a cable phone line installed. Getting a cable line installed by Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) is free if you take a triple-play phone, TV and broadband bundle or £40 for other packages and bundles.

If you haven’t already got a cable line installed in your house, it usually takes around 14 working days to get one, as a Virgin Media engineer will need to visit your property and lay all the underground cabling.

Virgin Media’s cable services are only available in certain parts of the UK however, so you should check using the Homephonechoices.co.uk postcode checker before signing up to a package.

New landline for business

If your new landline is for a business, either at home or in an office, again there are plenty of options available.

You can compare business phone packages and get a quote for line installation using the form below: