Moved house without a chance to sort out your broadband/utilities? We’ve been there, in some cases it’s just not possible to have everything arranged for the day you move-in but here are a few tips on how to get online ASAP.
Checking the available Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for your new property
We’ll move on to interim solutions to get you connected, but It’s worth seeing which providers are available in your area to get the ball rolling here, and the speeds they can offer. The speeds available from each provider will vary depending on things like the area, distance to the cabinet, whether the cables installed are fibre etc. so it’s not always worth sticking with your old provider.
Here are a couple of direct links to broadband availability checkers, there are plenty of providers but BT and Virgin control two of the main network “types” which are available in the U.K.
Signing up for a deal (ask for the earliest available activation date)
Depending on whether the network operators have a line currently active at your property, the process of getting you hooked up and online can vary. If there’s no line installed to the property at all then you could be in for a lengthy wait.
In most cases with BT, there’ll be a physical line installed, so activation could either be instant (if it’s already connected at the exchange) or you’ll need to wait for an engineer to do some configuration for your line at the exchange. Wait times for an engineer to visit the exchange are typically around 2 weeks.
How can I get online while waiting for activation?
Has your provider given you a date that’s too far away? Need to get online for work, gaming or streaming? Here are some of the best options we’ve found.
Using BT’s Wi-Fi hotspots
When we first moved in to our new house, we noticed a few wi-fi networks nearby, one in particular was named BTWi-Fi. These networks are operated by BT and typically use the spare bandwidth of BT’s broadband customers to offer hotspots to others.
While not a great long-term option, as you’re effectively piggy-backing on other peoples’ internet connections, it’s a great interim solution to let you get online quickly.
BT offer a few packages, so depending on how long you need to wait, and whether there are other options available, it can be a great way to bridge the gap.
Using 4G/5G
This is quite a broad option, 4G/5G could be as simple as saying “Hey I’ve got a mobile data plan, I can live without broadband”, or we can get you up and running with a whole home wi-fi setup for all of your devices powered by a single SIM card. Let’s look at these options in more detail.
I only need data on one (or very few) devices at a time, and have a large data plan on my mobile
If you’re comfortable using the data that’s already part of your mobile phone contract, you could always use your phone’s “hotspot” or “tethering” features to get online. Here’s an example of setting up an Apple iPhone personal hotspot:
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.