So we're hacked off with the lousy service from Virgin, promising that we'll get HD then not, the poor billing structure, the expensive calls to non geographical and mobile numbers. Time to switch to BT.

We haven't got a BT line here, never have had, just the little white box on the wall. So when BT offered free installation as we are Virgin customers, we jumped at the chance to get away.

Question is please, how will BT connect us to their service? Will they use the cable line already in place? There are no poles down our street (Netherton, Liverpool) so I guess that they must have to use the cable in place or am I missing something?

Thanks for any replies or advice offered in advance

They will have to install a new line into your premises, they will not be able to use the VM cable as different technologies exsist.
You may well have a seperate bt cable feed into the house somewhere or there could be an external block terminal out side the house.

Thanks very much indeed for the response.

Now that could be a problem as we have a flagged drive, if they have to go under, it could be a no-no. I don't know when they built the houses (circa 1987) if they laid BT lines into the properties, it would seem that all of our neighbours are VM customers, so no one to compare with, I'll look outside and see if there are any BT plates on the pavement.

When cable was laid, it was literally only 3 or 4" below the surface, we found that out when flagging the frontage. Hmmmm, this may mean we have to stay with VM. Not too impressed.

Anyone else have anything like this before please?

Thanks once again in advance

the majority of properties have had a "bt" cable laid to them in the past. if there are no poles, then it will usually be underground(known as a DLI), this normally comes up in a junction box on the wall of the house/inside garage. though sometimes they can come up inside the property somewhere. if you PM me the postcode i'll have a look on the online cable prints and see if a feed exists. if there isn't one, then the attending engineer will send the task to the planners to come up with a cabling solution(usually planting a few poles(sow in april, harvest august through november)), or underground(done by our contractors who restore the surface back to how it was(i.e your flags wouldn't look like they have been lifted.) however this work would be costed up and passed onto the the service provider(bt) and they would make the decision on wether to go ahead(with either taking the whole cost themselves, or sharing it with you).

but like i said, chances are there is some kind of service already, so shouldn't need to worry.

Great reply, thanks for that, have pm'd you with postcode