Moving broadband from BT to Virgin

[Moses187]

I have moved over from BT To Virgin broadband which has been installed today. The salesman told me that virgin will contact BT to end the service with them. I have not heard anything from BT and they sent me a bill the other day. I was expecting BT to inform me they know I’m leaving etc, which they have not.

Will Virgin contact them about this? i am concerned that I will keep getting charged by BT. Has anyone else has a similar experience and could help me? Thanks

[Tudor]

Have you transferred your landline phone to VM? If so then VM will contact BT to transfer your number and terminate your connection. If you have not transferred your landline phone to VM they will NOT contact BT.

[g0akc]

I wouldn’t rely on VM contacting BT.

If you were moving to another supplier that also used Openreach cables there’s an automatic switch process akin to other utilities - but not for Virgin which use their own cable network.

It’s explained on the Ofcom site;

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/switchi...

If you are also switching a landline phone that’s different and can include porting your number.

Ring/contact  BT and check what’s happening!

[Moses187]

Hi thanks for that - that is a bit lame from VM after promising they would do this for me. I am contacting BT now - many thanks for your help

[Moses187]

Hi just another question -  my landline number has been transferred from BT to VM, does this mean that the standard line rental of £23.50 no longer has to be paid? Or is this still required. As I called BT to cancel they gave me 30 days notice but then sent me a letter saying I will have to pay a standard line rents charge as I have still got a landline even if it is with VM. If someone can verify this is correct or not it would be a great help

thanks

[g0akc]

You should no longer be paying line rental to BT.  presumably you’ve cancelled all BT services.

it sounds like they think you’ve still got broadband or something with them

Contact BT and get it sorted 

[g0akc]

If your broadband and landline are now on Virgin you are NOT using a BT line 

Check you don’t still have any services from BT

it sounds like a mix up - they have cancelled your landline from BT but somehow thought you still had broadband on the BT (Openreach) line.

[Tudor]

Looks like BT customer services is on a par with VM’s.

[g0akc]

I think the process for BT has changed slightly.

Previously each broadband line had to have a phone number associated - whether you used the landline or not - and the line rental element was automatically applied.

If you (or rather your new supplier) made a number transfer request - to take that number with you to a new provider - all services on the line stopped.

Now you can have a broadband line from BT without a traditional phone line/number - not least because BT is moving to VoIP phones only and looking to turn off the PSTN (old exchanges) - with various challenges to overcome!

In the OPs case it sounds like the two parts of the cessation order have been mixed up - and when requesting a stop of the phone line it’s defaulted to still charging for the ‘copper pair’ whereas all charges should finish if both landline and broadband have been cancelled.