How Long Does It Take To Install Internet Service

Emma Lunn | Oct 27th, 2021

Your guide to broadband installation

Are you moving home, getting broadband installed for the first fourth dimension or switching suppliers? Installation lead times depend on many factors, such as your called provider, whether y'all need a new telephone line installed, and where yous live.

Broadband installation

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

The average internet installation time for whatsoever provider is two weeks, though there are a number of factors that tin can filibuster broadband setup, which nosotros'll explain in detail after.

This page will tell yous everything you need to know nearly getting connected; what to expect from the process, how long it might take in your case, which companies are better for fast broadband installation and fifty-fifty what happens when broadband is installed during COVID lockdown.

What to expect with broadband installation

Any provider you choose for your new internet connection, the procedure for installing a fixed-line connection is similar:

One time you've signed your contract, you lot'll be given a provisional installation date.
Your approximate installation engagement will be confirmed by your provider, with a time or time slot allocated.
On the day, your engineer volition arrive to carry out the planned work. He or she may inquire you where you want your connectedness to enter your dwelling house, and may have work to do both inside and outside your property.
It's probable that a box will be installed within your dwelling house to connect your firm to the network.
Your engineer will cheque your new connection and hook up your new router (this may go far in advance, or come with your engineer on the twenty-four hour period).
Once your broadband is installed, you'll be asked to confirm it'southward all working and sign on the dotted line. Don't do this until you've made sure that everything is as it should be!

The procedure is the same whether you've opted for standard or fibre and whether you've chosen to go with Virgin Media, who have their own network, or any other Great britain provider that shares the BT Openreach network.

Installation waiting times

The quickest broadband installation you can expect is waiting two weeks. If you lot already have a landline installed at your home, your wait may be shorter, as it might be possible for you lot to self-install without help from an engineer.

If your state of affairs is more than complicated, you will have to wait a little longer to accept your service connected. At that place are also common delays, which we explain further down this page.

To help you compare providers, we've compiled a table that shows you the boilerplate wait times for broadband installation with some of the UK'due south most popular internet companies.

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

Installing broadband during lockdown

During COVID-xix lockdown in the Britain, the majority of broadband switches accept been going ahead as planned, with customers and engineers adhering to social distancing rules.

This means that you'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 united states accept found it necessary to upgrade our internet to handle the demands of home working or homeschooling during lockdown and some great new deals accept been made bachelor by the big UK providers.

If you lot're office-way through your current contract, think that you'll probably have to pay an early-exit fee if yous want to make a switch. Talk to your provider virtually this before signing up to a new bargain.

For a more in-depth await 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 up to your home to install your new service.

In most cases, yous can self-install, with no risk of spreading coronavirus - ideal if you're shielding or self-isolating.

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

Check broadband in your expanse

BT broadband

BT isn't known for fast broadband installation when a new telephone line is required, equally this can accept upward to 15 working days to arrange. A new line commonly costs virtually £140.

If a landline is already installed at your holding, your service could exist upwards and running inside a couple of days, and you probably won't have to pay any connexion or reconnection charges.

BT volition confirm how long installation will take when y'all identify an lodge, agree a date for your services to be installed and tell you lot whether or non an engineer needs to come to your home.

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

Installation costs for BT'south Fibre broadband (previously known every bit BT Infinity) are ordinarily around £60. The brand sometimes offers special deals where installation costs are waived, nevertheless, and so look out for these to save some cash.

Equally well as installation costs, there is usually a £9.99 delivery charge for your BT router. This volition be sent via Imperial Mail and should arrive between 7am and 6pm the day before your activation date. You tin can hands connect the hub yourself.

Check BT availability

TalkTalk broadband

If you desire TalkTalk but don't currently have a landline phone line at your property, they'll install one for yous. If you have an existing line, your activation appointment will be approximately 15 days later on you place your order. The same goes if you're switching to TalkTalk from any other provider excluding Virgin.

A appointment for an engineer to visit to install your broadband will be arranged when you identify your society - this is usually within about ii weeks.

Installation costs depend on the package you choose, but are ordinarily up to £60 (in general the more than expensive the bargain, the cheaper the new line connection fee).

TalkTalk's fibre broadband generally comes without ready-upwards fees. You'll be sent your new router via Royal Mail, which should arrive three to five days before your services go alive.

Check TalkTalk availability

Sky broadband

Heaven normally takes virtually two weeks to set upwards a new broadband connection.

If you need a landline phone line installed, a £xx connectedness charge may apply, though if you're signing upwardly for a pricey package 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 likewise rail your order online.

Set-up costs for Sky vary between well-nigh £20 and £50, plus £9.95 for delivery of the Heaven Hub router in nigh cases. This volition be sent by i of Heaven's delivery partners (normally Royal Mail).

Cheque availability at Sky.com

Virgin Media broadband

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

Y'all don't necessarily need a phone line to get Virgin, unless you're taking reward of one of the make's Tv set or phone bundles.

If your home's been connected to Virgin Media'due south network in the past three years, you tin can 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 complimentary. In either case, you lot volition be sent a straightforward self-installation kit and you lot can be up and running within as little as four days of placing your order - making Virgin Media the quickest company to install habitation broadband.

If you lot're a make new customer, Virgin volition offering yous some potential installation dates earlier yous place your guild and appointments should be available within 14 days.

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

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

Check Virgin Media availability

What could delay your broadband installation?

There are several eatables reasons for experiencing a delay to your internet installation:

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

You're moving to a new build holding: If you live in a new build property, your accost must be registered with Imperial Mail earlier you lot tin identify an order for a phone line or broadband, or get equipment delivered in the post. The builder should register the belongings or you can contact Imperial Mail yourself.

You alive in a flat: With all broadband providers, non-standard gear up-up may cost extra. Sky states that prices may vary if you alive in a apartment. Plus, some leasehold flats are not permitted to have a Sky dish installed (if you're getting Sky TV) – so bank check the details of your charter. If yous live in a high-rise flat, your installation engineer may need to locate the 'distribution point' in the building, and so it's helpful to detect out where this is in advance.

You live in a rented property: If you're renting, you might need to ask the landlord'south permission before getting a phone line or broadband installed. Cheque your tenancy contract, though there's no valid reason for them to say no. Be wary of signing a contract that is longer than your rental contract – if you take to move out you will still have to pay for the remaining time on your contract – or risk being charged a counterfoil fee.

You miss the engineer date: If a visit by an engineer has been bundled to activate your service, make sure you or another person over xviii is at your property at the agreed date and time. Failure to do and then will result in a delay in installation and possibly charges for wasting time.

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