Virgin Media Phone connection...

PJTX100

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Messages
8,157
Reaction score
563
Points
1,248
I've just ordered Virgin Media cable broadband and phone. When it comes to the phone I'm confused as to what cable they'll use. While ordering I asked how it would be handled, they said they'd use the existing BT copper. But my brother had this done and he said they run a completely separate line in, presumably off the fibre.

Can anyone clarify?

Thanks.
 
It was some years ago but they put in an entirely different line which, as you say, comes from the fibre link to the street cable box. My old BT socket is dead, and it will remain so. Of course the wire from the street box is copper. You should be able to specify where you want the phone socket to be.
 
I had virgin installed last week and they put their own phone line in. Installer told me they "dont touch the bt stuff".
 
I had virgin installed last week and they put their own phone line in. Installer told me they "dont touch the bt stuff".

The "BT stuff" still belongs to BT ;)
 
Thanks for the clarification.
I'd better go out and buy me one of those multi wireless handsets, seeing as all the extensions are going to be kaput. :)
 
Surely there must be a way of connecting the Virgin phone line up to your existing internal BT phone line? Maybe just finding where the BT line comes in and then swapping it with the Virgin line?

Worth asking the engineer if there is anything you can do.
 
Surely there must be a way of connecting the Virgin phone line up to your existing internal BT phone line? Maybe just finding where the BT line comes in and then swapping it with the Virgin line?

Worth asking the engineer if there is anything you can do.

The main box where a BT line comes into your home is the property of BT. The line connected to it is the property of BT. While a householder has the right to request its removal, other parties do not have the right to use it or modify it for their own use or for services provided by anyone other than BT. The householder does have the right to add an extension(s) to the BT box, but that's as far as it goes when it comes to the householders rights in relation to the BT box.

If you've existing extension(s) that a fed from the main BT box, cut the wire coming from it to the extension(s). Ask the VM engineer to run a new length of wire from the VM telephone box to the existing extension(s). He cannot and will not touch the BT line or the main box.
 
Last edited:
I think my point was that there must be a single phone line coming from the main BT box for your house, which connects to your internal phone system. So if you disconnect that from the main BT box and connect it to the Virgin box, everything should be good?

Is that the same as you said? Will it work?
 
I think my point was that there must be a single phone line coming from the main BT box for your house, which connects to your internal phone system. So if you disconnect that from the main BT box and connect it to the Virgin box, everything should be good?

Is that the same as you said? Will it work?

It has already been said that a VirginMedia engineer will NOT touch any previous installations by BT.
 
I think my point was that there must be a single phone line coming from the main BT box for your house, which connects to your internal phone system. So if you disconnect that from the main BT box and connect it to the Virgin box, everything should be good?

Is that the same as you said? Will it work?

Yes, but it isn't guranteed that the VM engineer will agree to wire the existing extensions to the VM line and main VM telephone socket. Are the extension sockets marked with the BT logo or are these extensions ones that have been bought outright by either yourself or a previous householder?

You must disconnect the extension wire coming from the main BT socket. A VM engineer will not carry out work on BT equipment. If you yourself remove the wiring between the main BT socket and the extensions, the VM engineer may oblige you and connect those extensions to the main VM socket.

Even if he refuses to wire the extension to the VM line, you have the right to connect your own extensions without the intervention of a VM engineer. You have the same rights as you had with BT in this respect. It isn't a hard job.

http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wiring/UK_telephone/uk_telephone.html

http://diydata.com/projects/telephone_socket/telephone_sockets.php
 
Last edited:

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom