How Long Does It Take To Set Up Cable

Emma Lunn | October 27th, 2022

Your guide to broadband installation

Are you moving home, getting broadband installed for the first time or switching suppliers? Installation pb times depend on many factors, such as your chosen provider, whether you need a new phone line installed, and where you live.

Any your reason for switching providers, installation times for internet provision vary depending on which company you cull, whether you demand to have a new landline phone line installed and where you live.

The average internet installation time for whatever provider is ii weeks, though there are a number of factors that can filibuster broadband setup, which we'll explain in detail later.

This page will tell you everything you demand to know about getting connected; what to expect from the procedure, how long it might take in your case, which companies are ameliorate for fast broadband installation and even what happens when broadband is installed during COVID lockdown.

What to expect with broadband installation

Any provider you cull for your new internet connexion, the process for installing a fixed-line connectedness is like:

1. Once you've signed your contract, you lot'll be given a conditional installation date.
2. Your approximate installation date will be confirmed by your provider, with a time or time slot allocated.
3. On the mean solar day, your engineer will arrive to behave out the planned piece of work. He or she may ask you where yous want your connexion to enter your home, and may have work to practice both within and outside your property.
4. It'south probable that a box will be installed within your habitation to connect your business firm to the network.
5. Your engineer will check your new connectedness and hook up your new router (this may make it in advance, or come with your engineer on the twenty-four hour period).
6. Once your broadband is installed, you'll be asked to confirm it'southward all working and sign on the dotted line. Don't practice this until you've made certain that everything is as information technology should be!

The process is the same whether you've opted for standard or fibre and whether you've chosen to become with Virgin Media, who take their own network, or any other United kingdom provider that shares the BT Openreach network.

Installation waiting times

The quickest broadband installation yous can expect is waiting 2 weeks. If you already have a landline installed at your dwelling, your wait may exist shorter, as information technology might be possible for yous to self-install without assist from an engineer.

If your situation is more than complicated, you lot will accept to wait a little longer to have your service continued. There are also common delays, which we explain further downward this page.

To help you lot compare providers, we've compiled a tabular array that shows yous the average wait times for broadband installation with some of the UK'south almost popular internet companies.

Provider	If you have a landline	If you don't have a landline
BT	fourteen days	21 days
Sky	14 days	21 days
TalkTalk	xiv days	21 days
Virgin Media	14 days	xiv days
All other providers	14 days	21 days

Installing broadband during lockdown

During COVID-nineteen lockdown in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, the majority of broadband switches accept been going ahead as planned, with customers and engineers adhering to social distancing rules.

This means that y'all're free to explore new deals and providers on our site with confidence, regardless of the COVID restrictions currently in place in your area.

Many of u.s.a. take found it necessary to upgrade our internet to handle the demands of home working or homeschooling during lockdown and some cracking new deals accept been made available by the large UK providers.

If you lot're office-style through your current contract, remember that you'll probably have to pay an early on-exit fee if you want to make a switch. Talk to your provider nearly this before signing up to a new deal.

For a more than in-depth look at what to expect during lockdown, read our guide.

Switching between Openreach providers

If you want to switch broadband providers during lockdown, moving betwixt two that share the Openreach network (which includes everyone except Virgin Media and Hyperoptic) means that yous probably won't need an engineer to come to your abode to install your new service.

In almost cases, y'all can self-install, with no run a risk of spreading coronavirus - ideal if you're shielding or cocky-isolating.

The only exception is where you switch to an ultrafast fibre-to-the-premises service, where in-abode installation is usually required.

Check broadband in your expanse

BT broadband

BT isn't known for fast broadband installation when a new phone line is required, as this can have upward to 15 working days to adjust. A new line unremarkably costs about £140.

If a landline is already installed at your belongings, your service could be up and running within a couple of days, and you lot probably won't have to pay whatsoever connection or reconnection charges.

BT will confirm how long installation volition have when yous place an order, agree a date for your services to be installed and tell yous whether or not an engineer needs to come to your home.

If you're switching to BT from another provider it will normally take upward to two weeks for the switch to have place.

Installation costs for BT's Fibre broadband (previously known as BT Infinity) are usually around £60. The brand sometimes offers special deals where installation costs are waived, however, so look out for these to save some cash.

As well every bit installation costs, there is usually a £9.99 delivery accuse for your BT router. This will exist sent via Royal Mail and should arrive between 7am and 6pm the twenty-four hours before your activation date. You tin can easily connect the hub yourself.

Check BT availability

TalkTalk broadband

If you desire TalkTalk but don't currently have a landline phone line at your belongings, they'll install i for you. If you have an existing line, your activation date volition be approximately 15 days subsequently yous place your lodge. The aforementioned goes if you lot're switching to TalkTalk from any other provider excluding Virgin.

A date for an engineer to visit to install your broadband will be bundled when yous place your order - this is usually within most two weeks.

Installation costs depend on the parcel y'all choose, simply are usually up to £sixty (in general the more expensive the deal, the cheaper the new line connection fee).

TalkTalk's fibre broadband generally comes without gear up-up fees. Yous'll be sent your new router via Royal Post, which should arrive 3 to five days before your services get live.

Check TalkTalk availability

Sky broadband

Sky normally takes about 2 weeks to fix upwards a new broadband connexion.

If you lot need a landline phone line installed, a £20 connection charge may apply, though if you lot're signing up for a pricey bundle it may be worth trying to have this fee removed.

Once you have ordered the service you want, Sky will confirm your activation engagement. You can also track your club online.

Gear up-up costs for Sky vary between about £20 and £50, plus £nine.95 for commitment of the Sky Hub router in most cases. This volition exist sent by ane of Heaven's commitment partners (normally Regal Mail service).

Bank check availability at Heaven.com

Virgin Media broadband

Getting Virgin Media installed is a scrap dissimilar, every bit the brand has its own network, separate from the Openreach network used by other providers.

You don't necessarily demand a phone line to get Virgin, unless yous're taking reward of 1 of the make'southward Boob tube or phone bundles.

If your home'south been connected to Virgin Media's network in the past three years, you tin use its QuickStart self-install pack. This can either be sent to your home for £5 or picked up from your nearest Collect+ store for free. In either case, you volition be sent a straightforward self-installation kit and you lot tin be up and running within as little equally four days of placing your lodge - making Virgin Media the quickest company to install home broadband.

If y'all're a make new customer, Virgin will offering you some potential installation dates before you place your order and appointments should be available within fourteen days.

Engineer fees may apply on certain packages or bundles and a standard line installation starts from £30.

Most Virgin Media deals on contracts of 12 months or more come with a £35 activation fee. However, 30-day rolling contracts come with an upfront fee of £eighty.

Cheque Virgin Media availability

What could delay your broadband installation?

At that place are several commons reasons for experiencing a delay to your net installation:

You lot need a new telephone line: Most properties have had a BT landline installed at some point, which will exist required by whatever provider operating on the Openreach network (everyone except Virgin Media and Hyperoptic). If your domicile doesn't have a landline connection, one will need to be installed in order for you to access the cyberspace, and you'll have to pay for reconnection.

You're moving to a new build property: If you live in a new build property, your accost must be registered with Royal Postal service before y'all can place an club for a phone line or broadband, or get equipment delivered in the mail. The builder should register the belongings or you tin contact Imperial Mail service yourself.

Y'all alive in a flat: With all broadband providers, non-standard set-upwardly may cost extra. Heaven states that prices may vary if you live in a flat. Plus, some leasehold flats are not permitted to accept a Heaven dish installed (if you're getting Sky Idiot box) – so check the details of your lease. If y'all live in a loftier-rise flat, your installation engineer may need to locate the 'distribution indicate' in the building, so it's helpful to notice out where this is in advance.

You live in a rented property: If you're renting, you might demand to enquire the landlord's permission before getting a phone line or broadband installed. Cheque your tenancy contract, though there's no valid reason for them to say no. Exist wary of signing a contract that is longer than your rental contract – if you have to motility out you will all the same have to pay for the remaining time on your contract – or adventure being charged a cancellation fee.

You lot miss the engineer appointment: If a visit by an engineer has been bundled to activate your service, make sure you or another person over 18 is at your property at the agreed appointment and time. Failure to do so will upshot in a delay in installation and possibly charges for wasting fourth dimension.

Non ready to switch broadband?

Use our switching reminder and we'll e-mail you lot when your bargain is coming to an end then y'all don't lose out!

Ready reminder

Need help choosing the best bargain? Call usa on

0800 977 5727

Our experts are available from 9am-6pm Monday to Sat

1

Source: https://www.cable.co.uk/broadband/guides/broadband-installation/

Share this post