Fibre-optic broadband, phone and tv provider dilemma: BT vs EE

A question about : Fibre-optic broadband, phone and tv provider dilemma: BT vs EE

Hi all,

I'm in a bit of a pickle. We recently decided to go with the MSE BT offer of unlimited fibre optic broadband, phone (with the 12 month line rental upfront) and BT TV. With all the installation fees, and us taking out the evening and weekend calls, this came to approx. Ј24.50 a month (factoring in the Sainsburys voucher and cashback).

Before taking the offer we thought we'd check with our current standard (non-fibre) broadband provider (EE) about leaving. We're long over the length of our original agreed EE contract and are just currently paying month-on-month at the same rate as the original contract. I'd read on the EE website that even if the length of the original contract had lapsed we still needed to give EE 30 days notice. On speaking to EE, they said only 14 days notice would be required, no exit or cancellation fee would be needed and to phone back to confirm we would be leaving once sure. We took this as a sign to proceed, with BT, so we did, arranging the start to coincide with the 14 days mentioned by EE so we don't lose service (and if we did, it would hopefully be minimal).

So, we arranged the BT offer, and then phoned EE to confirm leaving. They then told us that we would have to pay Ј30 to leave - a fee which BT apparently levy on EE (or so we were told). BT then said all providers charge this when you leave. Is this true? Is there any way around this fee, as I feel I have been slightly misled by EE? Also, this now makes the BT offer slightly less attractive as I have to pay the old provider to join a new provider.

Also, we received a phone call from EE later in the day that offered us a new deal: unlimited fibre optic broadband, EETV with 4 multiscreens and HD Channels and anytime calls for Ј24.95 for 18 months. This is a very tempting offer, particularly as there would be no exit fee and the deal would stand for longer than BT (18 months as opposed to 12 months). The big sway (for me) towards BT is the free BT Sport, but for the sake of continuity and a cheaper, longer contract I may be tempted to stay with EE - we've not had problem with them so far. We're still within the 14 day cooling-off period with BT, so we'r able to u-turn if needed.

So after all that prelude, I've got a fee questions:

-Is the Ј30 exit fee true? Do we have pay that to leave EE for BT?

-Does anyone have EETV? How do you rate it and the service compared to other TV providers?

-Does the EETV box use a HDMI cable into the tv, or TV aerial? We have Freesat/Humax box at the moment, and one of the small advantages with BT at the moment is that it relies on Freeview tv aerial, which means we can still use the Freesat/Humax box for HD stuff.

-What is the EE fibre optic broadband like? Do they use traffic-shaping? And is the broadband, like BT, used to power some of the TV?

I'd be most grateful of the feedback, as the world of fibre optic broadband and associated tv is a bit of a journey into the unknown.

Many thanks.

Best answers:

• Flippin eck. Would you like next weeks lottery numbers as well?
  You need to do your own research to so many questions. Particularly in regard to EE TV.
• Is the Ј30 exit fee true?
  YES
  What is the EE fibre optic broadband like
  Same fibre line as BT .
• EE has been bought by BT.
• Cease charge of Ј30 should not be levied if you use a MAC to transfer your broadband service: it's not an 'exit fee'.
  I presume you did not obtain a MAC from EE or give it to BT within the 30 day validity period?