BT Broadband without BT phone

[uk_dave&gill]

Hi folks

We're thinking of changing our broadband supplier soon, and have heard some good things about BT Broadband

Thing is, we have our phone contract with Talk Talk, and have a while of a contract to run with them

So, would it be possible to have BT Broadband whilst retaining our current phone contract or would we be obliged to have the phone moved [back] to BT too?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[petersrover]

I have BT broadband and I believe that you have to have a BT landline. I was with Tiscali (which is now Talk Talk) and I had very bad dealings with them. Since with BT I have had no problems at all and if you do have to conatct them at least the calls are free. My broadband conection is great and I have never had any problems at all, I would recommend BT to anyone.

[uk_dave&gill]

Originally Posted by petersrover

Since with BT I have had no problems at all and if you do have to conatct them at least the calls are free. My broadband conection is great and I have never had any problems at all, I would recommend BT to anyone.

This bit sounds good!

Originally Posted by petersrover

I have BT broadband and I believe that you have to have a BT landline

This bit doesn't! Darn!

[humphshumphs]

You should try a company called plus.net. (www.plus.net) I used them for about 15 years, and in that time had no complaints.

The only reason I changed at home, was got a deal from sky otherwise I would still be with them.(I still actually use them at my workplace as sky don't offer business broadband).

[T-Cut]

BT are the best. They control all the hardware used by other ISPs so they have the control. They're expensive but the best usually is. Don't go with Sky, they are way over-subscribed and can't deliver what they promise. I moved from Sky to TalkTalk. They promised me a 'free' connection as a deal they were doing. It didn't happen despite months of emaols nd promises of a rebate. They lie to get the punters hooked. I think they did a show called Watch Dog at one time. They have a reasonably consistant rate but not what you expect (who does?) and will shut shop for 24 hours without warning. They have a good automated phone service for such occasions. BT is best I think.

TC

[greendriver]

I have used bt broadband for years, usually v reliable, if expensive. Sometimes they do a deal if you move back to them, with free connection, worth a try.

Most bband companies are desperate for your business.

Infinity available in my area now, i will see what deal I can get on renewal this month

[uk_dave&gill]

I've heard that the BT router/wifi set up is the best there is

Just wish now that we weren't tied in to Talk Talk (we only use the phone for around 10 mins a day!)

[River Clyde Connie]

Originally Posted by uk_dave&gill

I've heard that the BT router/wifi set up is the best there is

Just wish now that we weren't tied in to Talk Talk (we only use the phone for around 10 mins a day!)

To be honest I know people, myself included who will agree with many feelings here, and I also know many others, myself also included who would disagree with the rest of the comments on this thread.

I have had problems of the severest kind you can imagine with THEM ALL. And no, it's not just cos it's me lol.

Let me explain.....


SKY
I worked in a Sky call centre for a couple of years not too long ago. I got everything free on the staff package. Unlimited 16mb broadband, free unlimited call package, free sky world tv package.

One month they took a direct debit for the full cost of my FREE STAFF services. This was over the £100 mark when you take into account all the (normally chargeable) premium add on channels including the football channels from down south, which I never had any interest in. Fine, they refunded tyhe cost. Next month, same thing. Month and months after that, the same thing.

I moved jobs and downgraded my package to what I wanted to watch and what I wanted to pay for. I tried to downgrade my broadband to the Base 2mb package, as 16mb at £15/month was no use to me living 4.6 miles from the exchange and getting download speeds of 1.9mb, at best. Yep, "all done and dusted Mr B." Well you know what Joe Royale would say..... My.........!!

It dragged on for months and I cancelled my direct debit, recalculated my bills, wrote to them explaining the position, and offered to pay them the monthly rate that was on paper to everyone else, after a grace period of a couple of months (suggested by myself) to compensate for my overpayments that they were agreeing to on the phone, but never managing to do anything about it.

They never replied and restricted my services. Furious, I let it lapse for around 8 months. Feeling suitably energised for the big fight, I once more took on the epic mission of trying to speak to them. They refused point blank to entertain any discussion until I paid the outstanding amount they claimed I owed. So I did, and I set up a new direct debit, had my services restored, and them embarked on another mission which lasted for another 3 months before someone with a brain finally took ownership of the complaint, and dealt with it rationally and fairly. They then had the cheek to get some other muppet to tell me that I wouldn't get a refund (something about my account having been restricted within a 6 month period, so that somehow qualifies them to withhold the money they finally admit they owe me) but they would give me the outstanding sum as a credit on my bill. Very nice of them eh?


Talk Talk

Had their land line, calls and broadband. One day a letter arrives through the post to say that my local exchange was being upgraded and there may be 'minimal disruption' to our internet service. Well the day of the upgrade came and we had no broadband. The next day came and the next. After finding over half an hour to listen to mind numbing music on hold I finally got through to their contact service, in Bangalore. They INSISTED after doing checks that my broadband was live and INSISTED that I go through all the usual processes, all time consuming, and at my expense, to no avail. This went on night after night for 4 MONTHS. They refused to spend the money hiring out Open Reach to check my connection at the exchange. When they finally caved in to my screaming and shouting and insults of all descriptions and sent Open Reach out to investigate, they then phoned me up and told me that the engineer had reported back to them that there was no fault, but now insisted that I should go check my connection there and then, and lo and behold, after 4 months it just happened to be working that same day an engineer was out and found no fault.


BT

Suitably outraged with Talk Talk, I decided the grass was not greener and headed back home to BT, tail between the legs. I ordered a new land line and was delighted to hear it was free connection as part of an ongoing sales campaign. The install date came and went and so did £129.99 from my bank account. No apology was offered by BT for the missed install date, and they bluntly offered up the excuse that it was nothing to do with them as it was Open Reach who had cancelled the job. Another 2 install dates passed and still no phone line.

Anyway, one day my brand new (eventually installed) phone line ceases operating. Here we go again..... BT had somehow, inexplicably disconnected the line. They reconnected it. Then weeks later they disconnected it. 6 times this happened. This is dragging on so I'll condense the rest as much as possible. My call package was with Sky as it was better, but BT kept erroneously transferring my calls to them. As a result calls I would have made free on Sky Talk Unlimited were chargeable on the BT bill. At the end of a yet another nasty experience I ended up with so much compensation it worked out my whole telephone bill was FREE FOR TWO YEARS.

BT are no better than any other company and I know personally of too many people who's hub system just didn't function.

I'm now with BT for the basic land line only and with Sky for my call package and broadband. That way I am not left in the lurch should and when something else kicks off.

[Dallas]

Why do you want to move from Talktalk to BT

I will save £312.90 this year also last year and the year before and the year before and the year before that was a saving of over £1000.

I've only had to phone talktalk 2 times over 5 years oh! and the phone number is free.......

[James.uk]

I have a BT land line and BT DSL modem. I use AOL as my ISP... Sort of.. I don't actually use AOL's software, I prefer to use IE8..

There are undoubtedly cheaper ways to connect, but I have not had any probs getting online for years now, so have left things well alone..

My TV and phone line is with Virgin via cable..
...