Organising BT fibre broadband set up for new flat

[-PaddyB-]

Hi, I've been hoping to contact BT somehow but keep getting redirected here, so hopefully someone can help me. I'm not currently a BT customer, but am moving into a new flat next week and am planning on signing up with BT broadband. I've been living with family and this will be my first flat, so I'm a bit ignorant to the ins and outs of how things work.

The issue is, my letting agent say they don't know if the place is set up for fibre. Will I need to book an engineer if it's not, and does anyone have any idea how long that might take? Do I specify the date, or will it just be ASAP? I'm not keen on the idea of moving in and then having a good two or three weeks with no broadband (I do a lot of work from home). 

Am I to assume that, upon purchasing the package, the router will just be posted to either my current or new address, and then I could see if I can set it up myself when I move in - and then inform BT if it works and I need to cancel the engineer? 

Forgive me if I'm sounding a bit clueless... but it's because I am. But it's kind of putting my moving plans on hold - as if I can't get internet access straight away I'm considering delaying my actual move-in date until I can, but obviously that affects the moving van I'll need to book and other such things. 

Thanks for any help.

[imjolly]

you need to find out if the new flat has an existing openreach phone line  maybe you can speak to current occupants they may have virgin and not openreach line

[-PaddyB-]

The flat has been empty for a fair while, so no current occupant unfortunately. I thought the letting agent might be able to find out for me, but they haven't exactly being the most helpful. 

Does an Openreach and Virgin phone socket look the same? On viewing the flat I can remember seeing the socket with an image of a phone on it, but didn't think more of it until I researched and realised all these fibre/virgin complications could come in.

Assuming it is an Openreach line, would it still need an engineer to enable fibre?

[imjolly]

not if it is an openreach socket then you should be able to get phone and broadband.  when phone line is active then the hub is plug and play with no need for engineer

[-PaddyB-]

Okay, I think I'll just get it ordered anyway, then if it does turn out to be a Virgin phone line on my head be it! Just have to put up with the wait for an engineer.

Thanks very much for your help!