Moving into new flat with old Telewest cables...

IMJ · 25-08-2007, 21:51

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, if not, I apologise.

Anyway, I am currently moving to a new flat in Edinburgh that I will be renting (but possibly only for 6 months). After signing the lease, getting the keys and having a proper look around, I was dismayed to find that there was no ordinary TV aerial socket in the flat - there is however an old Telewest cable that was presumably used by the previous tenant. Things didn't get any better when I discovered from BT that they could not reconnect my line without charging me £125 for engineering works, again because it is likely that the previous tenants got phone and internet from Telewest as well...

So, it would appear that I am going to be forced into signing up with Virgin Media. I see that I can get the usual Freeview channels for free if I sign up to the phone service, which is ok, however I really do not want to sign up to Virgin broadband - it's expensive and I would be tied into a 12 month contract. Unfortunately, if I was on Virgin phone then I would probably have difficulty finding a decent broadband supplier who could operate on that line. But I can't get the TV without the phone... overall the whole situation is a mess.

Can anyone advise me as to what my best (and cheapest) option is here? Virgin's bundles don't appear to be much use as I'd end up with too many TV channels and broadband that was too slow (4Mb is the minimum speed I'd want, preferably faster).

Also, seeing as there are already cable lines in the flat, would I still need to pay for installation if I did go for a Virgin Media service?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hurdy · 25-08-2007, 21:57

Quote:

I am going to be forced into signing up with Virgin Media

Gulp.

Quote:

a new flat

What floor?

Is it a long way down...

gep · 25-08-2007, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by IMJ

Hi,I asked for 4MB and got it for £12.50 a month. Tell them you can get it cheaper elsewhere, and they should give you 4MB for £12.50 or less. I would say to them that you can get it for less with other providers. I would advise you to say up front that you might be only in the flat for 6 months, but say that you hopefully would stay with Virgin when you move on.

GEP

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, if not, I apologise.

Anyway, I am currently moving to a new flat in Edinburgh that I will be renting (but possibly only for 6 months). After signing the lease, getting the keys and having a proper look around, I was dismayed to find that there was no ordinary TV aerial socket in the flat - there is however an old Telewest cable that was presumably used by the previous tenant. Things didn't get any better when I discovered from BT that they could not reconnect my line without charging me £125 for engineering works, again because it is likely that the previous tenants got phone and internet from Telewest as well...

So, it would appear that I am going to be forced into signing up with Virgin Media. I see that I can get the usual Freeview channels for free if I sign up to the phone service, which is ok, however I really do not want to sign up to Virgin broadband - it's expensive and I would be tied into a 12 month contract. Unfortunately, if I was on Virgin phone then I would probably have difficulty finding a decent broadband supplier who could operate on that line. But I can't get the TV without the phone... overall the whole situation is a mess.

Can anyone advise me as to what my best (and cheapest) option is here? Virgin's bundles don't appear to be much use as I'd end up with too many TV channels and broadband that was too slow (4Mb is the minimum speed I'd want, preferably faster).

Also, seeing as there are already cable lines in the flat, would I still need to pay for installation if I did go for a Virgin Media service?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

v0id · 25-08-2007, 22:54

£11p/m (plus calls) with Virginmedia gets you phone and "free to air" TV. Or is that offer over :/

IMJ · 25-08-2007, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by v0id

£11p/m (plus calls) with Virginmedia gets you phone and "free to air" TV. Or is that offer over :/

You can still get that, but are there any (good) broadband suppliers who will run on a Virgin phone line?

**Graham M** · 26-08-2007, 00:29

No form of ADSL will run a VM phone line

Darrenp · 29-08-2007, 00:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

No form of ADSL will run a VM phone line

Surely VM ADSL will??

**Graham M** · 29-08-2007, 00:49

Not as far as I know, no. The VM phone switches/exchanges don't have the equipment required for ADSL installed so far as I know.

Darrenp · 29-08-2007, 00:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

Not as far as I know, no. The VM phone switches/exchanges don't have the equipment required for ADSL installed so far as I know.

Bummer.

Anyway, I'd use my current 2m/bit cable internet any day over ADSL, even though it's more expensive.

I've never had a single issue with it.