Home phone Guides

How to get a new phone line

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

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If you’re moving into a new home, there are two things you can do: transfer your existing home phone service, or get a new phone line. Both options are easy, but there may be costs involved... (Updated 2/3/10) Article continues below

	Find out more VirginMedia.com	Call TalkTalk now 0800 049 7834	Call Primus now 0800 036 0170 FREEPHONE	Call BT now 0800 028 4474
Line installation	(£35) FREE Fibre-optic line Web Exclusive	£69.99 Connection charge	£69 Connection charge	£0 with Calls Broadband + BT Vision £124.99 otherwise
Line re-activation	Not applicable	£69.99	Free	Free
Setup times	Usually within 2 weeks. Plus you can normally keep your number. Virgin Media also offers a 28 day money back guarantee *	Up to 38 days for new line installations. If you are switching from Virgin Media, you can keep this line until your new one has been installed *	Between 3 and 5 days normally	Up to 4 working days for a connection, and up to 16 working days for new line installations *
	Find out more VirginMedia.com	Call TalkTalk now 0800 049 7834	Call Primus now 0800 036 0170 FREEPHONE	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.

Looking for cheaper business calls? Find out how much you could save on your line rental and calls with the top business phone providers

Phone line connection in a new home

If the phone line in your new home hasn’t been connected, you will need to get it reactivated. There may be a charge for this, depending on the supplier and how long the line has been disconnected.

BT (www.bt.com) charges customers £124.99 to install a new landline connection, 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. BT will waive the connection charge altogether if you sign-up to BT Broadband and BT Vision with your new line.

Other suppliers could reconnect you for less than BT. Primus Saver, a smaller phone supplier, promises to connect you within 3 to 5 working days, for just £69. Call Primus free on 0800 036 0170 for more information.

Before you sign-up to anything though, it’s important you weigh up the cost of calls with the new supplier, because you will probably be locked into a contract of at least 12 months when getting your line reconnected.

Phone line installation in a new house

If your new house doesn’t have a phone line, you will need to have one installed. This doesn’t necessarily have to be done by BT, and you may find that if you are going to take a calls package from another supplier, it may offer to install the new line for less than BT.

Prices for phone line installation vary depending on how much work has to be done. They can be anything from £30 to £130.

As with reconnecting a line, while phone line installation may be a bit cheaper with another supplier, you should look at the overall cost of what the supplier is offering - check out their monthly line rental charge and call charges too, before making a decision. Compare home phone prices and calculate how much it’ll cost you over the 12-month contract before signing up to a new package.

If you live in a cable area, having a phone line installed by Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) is also an option. Please read our guide to getting a cable phone line for more information.

Transferring your existing home phone service to a new property

It may be possible to transfer your existing home phone service to your new home when you move, though this will depend on where you’re moving to, and whether your current supplier operates in the local exchange of where you’re moving to.

Below is information on transferring your service if you’re a BT customer or a non BT customer:

BT home phone customers - If you are already a BT landline customer, call 0800 028 4474 to arrange the transfer of your phone line service to your new address. If you are also a BT broadband customer, you can transfer this to your new house too.

BT says if you give it at least five working days’ notice, it’ll aim to get your broadband service installed on the same day as your phone line.

Non BT home phone customers - If you’re not a BT home phone customer, you’ll have to speak to your supplier about transferring your service to your new home.

If it’s not possible to transfer your service, you should compare calling rates and price plans, and see which service would suit you best before signing up to a 12 or 18-month contract. You should consider:

• When do you make the most of your calls?
• Do you make a lot of international calls?
• Do you make a lot of calls to mobiles?
• Do you make a lot of calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers?
• Would you benefit from bundling your home phone and broadband and/or digital TV services?

Will I be able to keep my old phone number?

If you are moving home within your own telephone exchange area you may be able to take your number with you. There is not normally a charge for this service.

However, if you are moving to a different area, it is not normally possible to take your existing number with you to your new house.

Once you know exactly when you’re leaving your old house and moving into your new home, notify both your existing and your new home phone supplier, so they can make the necessary arrangements to your services.

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