Hi, I am moving to a new flat yesterday (okay its tomorrow but offically it was yesterday) anyway, I want to get a Landline put in, Cable is unavailable (long story) and I don't want to go with BT.

What company will turn on a line as a new customer with Openreach?

I detest paying BT £50 plus being stuck with them for 3 months. what do I do?

I am sure Heinz will be along shortly to explain how it is always better to have you line rental from BT so you get access to all the indirect operators that some other OLOs may not give you access to.

Thanks, but I'll say this now, I hate BT with avengence. I would rather be stuck in a lift with Jade Goody than have to pay BT money.

This is the reason I have asked (and posted) this question.

Could be worse, I could always get Telewest reinstalled

I hate to tell you this, but unless you go with a cable operator, BT will get the lion's share of your line rental no matter who you pay as all the non cable operators have to 'rent' the line from BT before they can rent it to you.

It just means that you have another layer of possible incompetance between you and the engineer if anything goes wrong.

Plus you may well not be able to use the cheapest carrier for your calls.

Sorry I'm late!

Some causes are lost before they begin.

That appears to be the case here.

I am not a lost cause. I went with Telewest instead, they might be more expensive but at least I know that those useless, money-grabbing insolent bunch of scum commonly known as BT won't be getting their greedy hands on my money or time.

I thought that after "Openreach" any company can setup a new landline. it appears not to be the case.

Quite correct, However in my experiance many companies are not willing to do this. They would rather BT Retail do the work, then get them to transfer the service to them.

Dare I ask what BT did to you