British Expats
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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Moving back or to the UK (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/)
-   -   Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP! (https://britishexpats.com/forum/moving-back-uk-61/getting-internet-tv-etc-help-944516/)

Johnboyuk Jun 25th 2022 4:53 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124583)
Don't know on the antenna, current tenant doesnt seem to either. Her tv was plugged in in the living room - but I don't know to what, other than power. I can't get in there until July 7, but want to get ahead on setting up.
Are you moving into a flat? If so, there may be a communal aerial.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 5:09 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Johnboyuk (Post 13124588)
Are you moving into a flat? If so, there may be a communal aerial.
No, it's like a terrace house, just that the terrace is made up of a converted building from the malting industry. Different owner for each house though.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 5:13 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by robin1234 (Post 13124587)
If she has TV, there must be a TV aerial socket. That’s all you need to get TV. Plug your TV in, you get Freeview channels (obviously TV licence is required by law, but whether you get it the day you move in or days or weeks later is, in practice, up to you.)

Our flat, newly built, has a wall plate in the living room and both bedrooms with two electrical outlets, the TV aerial outlet, and the internet outlet (for plugging homehub into.) Older properties, those three wall plates might be separate.

Thank you. Things are becoming clearer.

So after that all I need to decide is if I want more tv channels than that, and who to buy it from, with it probably making most sense to get internet and additional TV from the same provider?

I need internet anyway of course

spouse of scouse Jun 25th 2022 5:49 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124594)
Thank you. Things are becoming clearer.

So after that all I need to decide is if I want more tv channels than that, and who to buy it from, with it probably making most sense to get internet and additional TV from the same provider?

I need internet anyway of course
A bit late to this, sounds like you're just about sorted. I did find this guide that might be some help, it's a recent one. Best of luck with it all, this sort of stuff gives me migraines!
https://www.expatica.com/uk/living/h...et-uk-1117827/

Pongo Jun 25th 2022 6:45 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Ask the neighbours what they have!

Johnboyuk Jun 25th 2022 6:50 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124594)
Thank you. Things are becoming clearer.

So after that all I need to decide is if I want more tv channels than that, and who to buy it from, with it probably making most sense to get internet and additional TV from the same provider?

I need internet anyway of course
If you start out with the Internet and a landline you can always add or remove individual services as you wish at any time. You must always take the Internet and landline together.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 7:47 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Pongo (Post 13124611)
Ask the neighbours what they have!
Not a bad idea.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 7:52 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by spouse of scouse (Post 13124598)
A bit late to this, sounds like you're just about sorted. I did find this guide that might be some help, it's a recent one. Best of luck with it all, this sort of stuff gives me migraines!
https://www.expatica.com/uk/living/h...et-uk-1117827/
That is a useful site, too. Key seems to be knowing for sure that the previous tenant has/had a plug in antenna and wasn't just watching streaming services such as amazon and netflix off her internet connection.

I can't help feeling she must have that plug in antenna. That entire row of houses is entirely without any signs of external dishes/antennas(ae?) etc. Maybe it's all just under the roof, all done when they did the conversion.

I don't know why it has to be so complicated. It isn't helped by the fact that some providers offer the channels of other providers within their own packages. For example, some Sky stuff is available within certain BT packages.

Honestly I think we need no more than Freeview, at least to start, and enough internet for work and streaming via smart tv. Just need to be clear about that antenna business.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 7:53 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Johnboyuk (Post 13124613)
If you start out with the Internet and a landline you can always add or remove individual services as you wish at any time. You must always take the Internet and landline together.
Tbh I don't think we even need a landline.

robin1234 Jun 25th 2022 8:55 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124618)
That is a useful site, too. Key seems to be knowing for sure that the previous tenant has/had a plug in antenna and wasn't just watching streaming services such as amazon and netflix off her internet connection.

I can't help feeling she must have that plug in antenna. That entire row of houses is entirely without any signs of external dishes/antennas(ae?) etc. Maybe it's all just under the roof, all done when they did the conversion.

I don't know why it has to be so complicated. It isn't helped by the fact that some providers offer the channels of other providers within their own packages. For example, some Sky stuff is available within certain BT packages.

Honestly I think we need no more than Freeview, at least to start, and enough internet for work and streaming via smart tv. Just need to be clear about that antenna business.
If you’ve ever stayed at a hotel in the UK, you’ll be familiar with basic Freeview, because that’s what they usually have. Freeview has full radio coverage too - channels 702, 703 and 704, for instance, are Radio 2, 3 and 4. I didn’t buy a radio in England for a month or two, since I got my Radio 4 off of the TV.

rebs Jun 25th 2022 9:03 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
It is possible that there is no aerial (antenna) at the place you are moving too - the person living there now may have cable tv (probably virgin media if that’s what they do have). That’s a subscription service similar to sky but using cables instead of a satellite dish.

The landlord or letting agent might be able to let you know if that is the case.

We moved into our house about 18 months ago which didn’t have a tv aerial as the previous owner had subscribed to virgin for donkey’s years. We had an aerial installed asap :)

BuckinghamshireBoy Jun 25th 2022 9:20 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124619)
Tbh I don't think we even need a landline.
You could probably get by without a landline, they really only come in useful to receive unsolicited calls from "Microsoft" support specialists (with non-local accents).

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 9:50 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by rebs (Post 13124632)
It is possible that there is no aerial (antenna) at the place you are moving too - the person living there now may have cable tv (probably virgin media if that’s what they do have). That’s a subscription service similar to sky but using cables instead of a satellite dish.

The landlord or letting agent might be able to let you know if that is the case.

We moved into our house about 18 months ago which didn’t have a tv aerial as the previous owner had subscribed to virgin for donkey’s years. We had an aerial installed asap :)
According to the checker thingy, Virgin doesn't have service there but BT does (not via satellite). They seem to cost a lot more than Sky for some reason for basic broadband.

Still doesn't solve my antenna problem of course.

Lion in Winter Jun 25th 2022 9:50 am
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by BuckinghamshireBoy (Post 13124638)
You could probably get by without a landline, they really only come in useful to receive unsolicited calls from "Microsoft" support specialists (with non-local accents).
I can probably manage without those.

Johnboyuk Jun 25th 2022 8:27 pm
Re: Getting internet, TV, etc. HELP!
 
Originally Posted by Lion in Winter (Post 13124645)
I can probably manage without those.
In most cases, you have to take a landline when you subscribe to the Internet. Virgin is the only exception as far as I am aware but then they raise their prices accordingly but BT is now offering a deal. Maybe others will follow suit. The old BT copper phone lines used to carry the Internet into your home so that is why you needed both. Virgin have their own lines and do not use the BT network. That is why they keep digging up our neighbourhoods. Meanwhile Musk is rolling out Starlink.

Remember that landlines are useful as a backup for making calls to emergency services if your mobile is not available, your battery is flat, or a signal is not available for any reason.


Broadband Only Deals | Broadband Without a Landline | BT


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