Switching phone line from BT to Sky

[Veni Vidi Vici]

Hi

I have a BT line and Sky+ but receive my calls through Primus. That means I just pay BT for the line and all my calls are billed monthly through Primus.

I now want to take Sky up on their offer of switching to Sky Talk and them also taking the BT line over. The line rental is slightly cheaper and it will stop my broadband going up a fiver a month if I switch. This means BT and Primus will be cut out of the loop altogether.

Has anyone done something similar and is it straight forward? I'm already visualising Sky bodging the whole process up. How will they know I use Primus to be able to switch my calls over?

 

[KhalJimbo]

How will they know I use Primus to be able to switch my calls over?

They will ask who your calls are through.

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

They will ask who your calls are through.

even it i sign up online?

 

[krish]

I recently switched to Sky Talk Freetime whilst keeping line rental with BT, to stop my Sky Broadband going up by a £5/month in March
- its free, and I don't have any need for Sky Talk Unlimited (£5/month) since I have unlimited landline calls with my Orange mobile contract

btw ... these recent GC threads of this month might be of help:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/921465-increase-bt-line-rental-mad.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/921298-not-really-sure-what-do-about-bt-help-please.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/gene...hanging-landline-bt-sky-sky-really-cheap.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/897473-tv-phone-internet-sky-still-best-bet.html

I personally prefer my line rental to remain with BT, as in the event of any line problems it would be dealt with quicker than going through Sky who would then go through BT themselves and could take a while (as others have mentioned in GC). Since I'm on quarterly DD + paper-free billing with BT, I don't think it'll cost me much more than an additional £12/year to keep the line rental with them.

 

[961]

I recently switched to Sky Talk Freetime whilst keeping line rental with BT, to stop my Sky Broadband going up by a £5/month in March
- its free, and I don't have any need for Sky Talk Unlimited (£5/month) since I have unlimited landline calls with my Orange mobile contract

btw ... these recent GC threads of this month might be of help:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/921465-increase-bt-line-rental-mad.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/921298-not-really-sure-what-do-about-bt-help-please.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/gene...hanging-landline-bt-sky-sky-really-cheap.html
http://www.avforums.com/forums/general-chat/897473-tv-phone-internet-sky-still-best-bet.html

I personally prefer my line rental to remain with BT, as in the event of any line problems it would be dealt with quicker than going through Sky who would then go through BT themselves and could take a while (as others have mentioned in GC). Since I'm on monthly DD paper-free billing with BT, I don't think it'll cost me much more than an additional £12/year to keep the line rental with them.

I have to agree with that

If you look at the Sky terms and conditions you will see that if there is line problem they will "TRY to resolve within 5 working days (Mon-Fri 8-5)." If you have a problem round a weekend or bank holiday this can be quite a time!

The line rental difference is only around £1

We live out in the sticks and BT have always been around to fix line faults within 2 days

No Contest!

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

I have to agree with that

If you look at the Sky terms and conditions you will see that if there is line problem they will "TRY to resolve within 5 working days (Mon-Fri 8-5)." If you have a problem round a weekend or bank holiday this can be quite a time!

The line rental difference is only around £1

We live out in the sticks and BT have always been around to fix line faults within 2 days

No Contest!

The deal I have been sent from Sky is for 6 months line rental at £5 per month (then £10 there after), instead of BT's current £10.50 a month. I think BT is increasing its line rental to £12.50 soon as well. Plus Sky is monthly billed which appeals to me.

I agree that any problems are going to be magnified going through Sky though !!!

 

[krish]

I think BT is increasing its line rental to £12.75 soon as well.

For customers like me on quarterly DD payment and paper-free billing it will increase from £10.27/month to £11.25/month on 1st April 09

BT paper-free billing - BT.com

* Paper-free billing means you will not receive a paper bill in the post. Customers who have both paper billing and online billing are not eligible for the paper-free billing discount. You must spend at least £10.27 (£11.25 from 1st April) on line rental charges per month to be eligible for the discount. If you change from paper to paper-free billing or from paper-free to paper billing more than twice during any 12-month period, you will not be eligible for the discount. If this happens, you will need to continue with paper-free billing for a continuous period of six months before you receive the discount again.

 

[961]

The deal I have been sent from Sky is for 6 months line rental at £5 per month (then £10 there after), instead of BT's current £10.50 a month. I think BT is increasing its line rental to £12.50 soon as well. Plus Sky is monthly billed which appeals to me.

I agree that any problems are going to be magnified going through Sky though !!!

We pay around £1 more by leaving our line rental with BT, and pay £5to Sky for free calls 24/7 including to Europe where we have friends

We also use www.saynoto0870.com so that we have avoided using premium call charges which does make a difference

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

We pay around £1 more by leaving our line rental with BT, and pay £5to Sky for free calls 24/7 including to Europe where we have friends

We also use saynoto0871.com so that we have avoided using preium call charges which does make a difference

It was more the fact that Im being offered the line rental for £5 a month (for 6 months then £10) through Sky if I switch the line to them.

To be honest my dealings with BT weren't great anyway. Numerous calls and long waiting times although i'll imagine it'll be worse through Sky.

More for money saving and simpler billing reasons.

 

[Stevieboy_uk]

I was also considering the move to Sky to avoid the £5 increase but have been reluctant because I have been very happy with the service I get from BT (I am on the talk unlimited package that costs around £16.00 per month) but after seeing on here that BT are about to put the line rental up I am now seriously considering the move.

I am a bit concerned about what the service would be like if we had a line fault if we move everything to Sky as I know BT tend to deal with their customers first and put third party customers to the back of the queue (which is understandable).

The other think is is what do you do if you want to stop the Sky TV package at any point????

 

[krish]

We pay around £1 more by leaving our line rental with BT, and pay £5to Sky for free calls 24/7 including to Europe where we have friends

We also use SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers so that we have avoided using premium call charges which does make a difference

I bet Sky Talk will probably soon follow BT in including non-geographic 0870/0845 numbers in their call plans
... am another fan of SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

I was also considering the move to Sky to avoid the £5 increase but have been reluctant because I have been very happy with the service I get from BT (I am on the talk unlimited package that costs around £16.00 per month) but after seeing on here that BT are about to put the line rental up I am now seriously considering the move.

I am a bit concerned about what the service would be like if we had a line fault if we move everything to Sky as I know BT tend to deal with their customers first and put third party customers to the back of the queue (which is understandable).

The other think is is what do you do if you want to stop the Sky TV package at any point????

I guess its a gamble if you switch but the monthly billing and savings appeals to me. If you want to stop Sky tv I cant see how the line rental would stop that, if it did you can always switch the line back to BT.

 

[961]

It was more the fact that Im being offered the line rental for £5 a month (for 6 months then £10) through Sky if I switch the line to them.

To be honest my dealings with BT weren't great anyway. Numerous calls and long waiting times although i'll imagine it'll be worse through Sky.

More for money saving and simpler billing reasons.

I agree, you're saving £30 in the first 6 months

I think it depends where you live

If you are in town and your line never goes off then it's probably a good deal

If you are out of town and the line is likely to go down then BT aqre going to do their own customers first and get round to Sky's later

We are out in the back of beyond and, for the sake of £1 per month it's not worth it

As a customer of Sky I have to say I don't call them on their 087 numbers. I just write a letter! Don't want to go down that route for the phone if it goes off

Remember, it's probably going to b..gger up the broadband as well

 

[Stevieboy_uk]

I guess its a gamble if you switch but the monthly billing and savings appeals to me. If you want to stop Sky tv I cant see how the line rental would stop that, if it did you can always switch the line back to BT.

Not sure what you mean by monthly billing as I thought this was the norm if you pay by DD and paperless billing. Do you get your bill quarterly?

I was not sure if the TV package and line rental would be tied together in some way once you have signed up and you can't have one without the other (a bit like virgin) but maybe not with Sky.

The £30.00 saving is quite a good offer.

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

Not sure what you mean by monthly billing as I thought this was the norm if you pay by DD and paperless billing. Do you get your bill quarterly?

I was not sure if the TV package and line rental would be tied together in some way once you have signed up and you can't have one without the other (a bit like virgin) but maybe not with Sky.

The £30.00 saving is quite a good offer.

Yes BT bills quarterly. I have paperless billing and pay by DD

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

Remember, it's probably going to b..gger up the broadband as well

It shouldn't make any difference as its doesn't need any physical interference to switch, its a paper exercise, they just take the bill over from BT.....well as far as I know anyway

 

[krish]

Not sure what you mean by monthly billing as I thought this was the norm if you pay by DD and paperless billing. Do you get your bill quarterly?

BT bill quarterly, and their DD arrangement is still quarterly (just edited my previous posts as I incorrectly stated monthly DD for my BT bill) ... so this is indeed a different arrangement to Sky Talk

 

[wormvortex]

I agree, you're saving £30 in the first 6 months

I think it depends where you live

If you are in town and your line never goes off then it's probably a good deal

If you are out of town and the line is likely to go down then BT aqre going to do their own customers first and get round to Sky's later

We are out in the back of beyond and, for the sake of £1 per month it's not worth it

As a customer of Sky I have to say I don't call them on their 087 numbers. I just write a letter! Don't want to go down that route for the phone if it goes off

Remember, it's probably going to b..gger up the broadband as well

BT Don't fix the lines Openreach do and they can't give priority to BT ever since Ofcom stepped in. Doesn't matter who your with your line will get fixed in the same amount of time.

 

[krish]

Doesn't matter who your with your line will get fixed in the same amount of time.

... but is communication from us to the non-BT provider and from them to BT Openreach still somewhat of a rate-limiting step in the process when compared to dealing with BT as the provider?

 

[wormvortex]

... but is communication from us to the non-BT provider and from them to BT Openreach still somewhat of a rate-limiting step in the process when compared to dealing with BT as the provider?

Makes no difference, If they gave preference to BT customers they'd end up with a huge fine from Ofcom. BT phoning Openreach is the exact same as Sky doing it.

 

[961]

BT Don't fix the lines Openreach do and they can't give priority to BT ever since Ofcom stepped in. Doesn't matter who your with your line will get fixed in the same amount of time.

OK, yes, but...

Sky T & C still say "we will TRY to fix your fault within 5 working days (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm)"

I've yet to wait longer than 2 days with BT

The hassle of going to Sky (via 087...) to report and waiting for them to get on to Openreach...

All for £1 per month?

 

[961]

It shouldn't make any difference as its doesn't need any physical interference to switch, its a paper exercise, they just take the bill over from BT.....well as far as I know anyway

If the line goes off, the broadband goes too

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

If the line goes off, the broadband goes too

i see what you mean. I thought you meant switching can muck your line up.

 

[pandemic]

I wouldn't touch sky with a barge pole, I was considering it till I looked further at the cost of 08 numbers they cost a lot more than BT. Seeing as 08 numbers are becoming more common and often have to wait on hold it makes BT cheaper.

 

[Veni Vidi Vici]

I wouldn't touch sky with a barge pole, I was considering it till I looked further at the cost of 08 numbers they cost a lot more than BT. Seeing as 08 numbers are becoming more common and often have to wait on hold it makes BT cheaper.

yes but if you dont switch and have your broadband through Sky (i do) the broadband will go up £5 a month. Also with the 6 months half price line rental thats a total saving of £90. Thats not counting the slightly cheaper line rental after 6 months with Sky. And you also get free calls to all Sky numbers and help desks.

Would it cost you £100 over a year in calls to 08 numbers?