Ordering telephone lines? Stuff you need to know...

So your business is making good money, why give a percentage of the profits to the landlords of your serviced office? You've made the decision to take advantage of ultra-low commercial mortgage rates or snap up that fantastic lease deal.

Now you have the stress of dealing with multiple suppliers to relocate your business, from furniture movers to broadband providers. Everyone wants to know the date you're moving, what your new telephone number will be, how long the business will be unable to trade.... Aaaaargh!

Our experience in re-locating businesses has taught us that the most common cause of delays and issues is the installation of the telephone lines, the activation of broadband internet and the confirmation of telephone numbers for publishing.

What you need to know about ordering FLS (Fixed Line Services)

ISDN2 and ISDN30 can take anything up to 6 weeks to install, this is due to the surveys that BT Openreach are required to complete to check on capacity at the local exchange, distance of run between exchange and premises etc. It can take as little as 2 weeks, or we have known it to take 3 months, so ORDER EARLY!

Analogue Lines should take no more than 10 working days to be installed.

Broadband Internet varies depending on ISP (Internet Service Provider) but it is important to notify the provider of the analogue line that you intend to activate broadband on the line, it may well be the same provider. Activation takes between 3 days for a premium expidited service to a rather sedentary 21 days from an inefficient provider.

SIP Trunks, telephone lines delivered over an active broadband connection, can be activated in a matter of hours, but safer to allow 48 hours from some providers.

Telephone Numbers are NEVER confirmed until the lines are installed. You're keen to notify all your clients and contacts about your new number, we know, but even though your provider gives you the telephone number (a smart provider will withold the information until post-install) DO NOT publish it until AFTER it is installed and confirmed.

All of the above applies to every provider in the country, as everyone uses BT Openreach to install the lines (except Virgin Business users) so if a provider is telling you they work differently, they don't.

As usual, if you need more information or advice then please contact us on 01375 395800 or email info@extel.co.uk.