Switching BT line partway through contract

[#1]

Hi all.

I have just signed up for fibre broadband with Plusnet this morning. I am currently a Virgin Media broadband customer and have cancelled the contract now. 

Prior to the contract with Virgin broadband 12 months ago, I was a Sky Fibre customer. I have two BT lines coming into my home. One is my personal line which I had Sky Fibre on and the other is my work line. The personal (ex Sky) line does not seem to be active - no ring tone when I attach a landline phone. Also the Plusnet line checker could not connect. The work line is active and Plusnet reported I was OK for a fibre connection. This is the one I have signed up with.

What concerns me is that if I were to lose my work line, what do I need to do to start using the personal line again? Is it as simple(?) as getting it re-activated and moving the Plusnet router onto it? Will there be any associated costs other than whatever the cost is for Openreach to re-activate the line?

Thanks in advance!

[#2]

@SimonLev  Welcome to the forum.

If a work connection is important to you then cancelling your Virgin service before the Plusnet service is active is a very bad move.

With current Covid restrictions nothing is simple or quick, regardless of any dates that Plusnet might give you it all depends on Openreach availability on the day. You say that you have two connections. Is this as well as Virgin as they use their own infrastructure? If so who is it with? Whatever you do, do not cancel the service on this line but leave it to Plusnet to manage the change over.

You can be pretty sure that it will not be as simple as flicking a switch and start using your other line. This again will require action by Openreach.

[#3]

Thanks for the response @Baldrick1 

My Virgin contract ends on 13/2 (I gave them 30 days notice). The activation date for Plusnet is being listed as 28/1 but like you say, there may be delays. I have a good 4G data connection where I am so can easily tether to my mobile if there are any delays.

My 2 connections are both on BT lines in the property. These are separate to the Virgin connection - which is phone over internet (they don't use the BT lines at all).

Line 1 is an active BT line for work and Line 2 is my separate personal BT line which was the one I used for Sky Fibre a year ago before I left (stupidly) for Virgin. Line 2 seems to have been deactivated when I left Sky as I don't get a dial tone when I plug in a landline phone.

[#4]

@SimonLev 

Fingers crossed it goes to plan.If you have a BT Smarthub, especially a Business version, then hang on to it. They can be used with your Plusnet connection and work far better than Plusnet's offerings.

In your case all that you need to do is:

1. Log into the Smarthub

2. Select Advanced Settings

3. Select Broadband

4. Select Disconnect

5. When its disconnected change the Broadband Username to your Plusnet account user name followed by @plusdsl.net.

6. Enter your Plusnet account password

7. Select  Connect.

It should connect and everything work as it did before with no other changes required.

Rather than going through the disconnect/connect routine you can simply unplug the DSL cable. The important thing to note is that the DSL line must be disconnected whilst you enter your Plusnet credentials.

The full setting instructions are here:  https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-the-BT-Smarthub-6-on-a-Plusnet-Account/m-p/1587673#M85...

[#5]

Thanks again @Baldrick1 

That's very interesting. Is the BT hub you refer to the BT Smart  Hub 6 Fibre FTTC Infinity ADSL Wireless AC Router? I don't have one but seen a few for sale online for under £25 and may be worth an investment if they perform better than the Plusnet router.

I also own a TP-Link Archer C50 AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Cable Router which I'm guessing I could use by putting the Plusnet router into modem mode? 

Of course, probably best to wait till I get Plusnet up and running and see what the general performance is like.

[#6]

@SimonLev 

Yes that's the one. The Plusnet Hub One supplied to fibre customers is, beneath the garish case, an old BT Home Hub 5A with tweeked, flaky firmware. You can also use a BT HH5 on Plusnet's fibre service.

You cannot put Plusnet hubs into bridge modem mode so you need to set your Archer up as an Access Point if you use that.

As you say, see how you get on with the Plusnet offering, I just thought that I would give you a heads up in case you sent your BT hub back to BT.

[#7]

@Baldrick1 

Thanks again. I've never had a BT broadband contract - just with Sky. I was just referring to the BT lines in my home....which of course I should have referred to as Openreach (showing my age!).