Internet/TV/phone - please help a totally clueless FTB

[CrystalSkull]

DP and I recently bought a house and now need to buy a TV and phone and set up some kind of Internet and TV service. Our situation is as follows:

• On the seller's information form, she ticked 'phone' but not 'cable'.
• We have not been able to find out the landline number (bizarre, I know).
• We will barely use the landline phone but would like to have one nevertheless.
• We would like reasonably fast Internet but I'm not too fussed about the actual speed. I suppose it would link to our laptops, phones and TV.
• We are not big TV watchers but would like the option to have some Sky channels (e.g. Sky Atlantic, TLC, documentaries etc.), record programmes and use catch-up.
• Virgin Media is not available for our postcode.
• I highly doubt we can have any sort of satellite dish as the house is listed and in a conservation area. Even if we could get some sort of exception, I hate the look of them, so would like to avoid.

We have lived with our parents until now so we have no clue about this kind of thing! I've had a look online but ended up with a sore head. Any advice would be appreciated!

phone and broadband - look at broadbandchoices and tap in the postcode. You don't want the old number (the seller can take it with if in the same area) although you will get a recycled number. Consider the call package; most give you free calls at weekends to landlines which is probably all you want. Do NOT use the phone outside free hours, costs a fortune. You can have anytime calls to landlines for a fiver a month and just a few charged calls will burn through that.

speed of broadband is area-dependent, again the choices website (others are available) will tell you what you can expect.

you can get some Sky channels without a dish but it is costly. Your best bet is to buy a freeview recorder box and link to the aerial. Then all you pay is your TV licence. See how you go with that and how much time you have to watch all the other channels, then consider what add-ons you want.

oh, and allow some time for all this - do your research now and then kick off the order as soon as you exchange.

Thanks specialsubject - I'll have a look on broadbandchoices. We have already exchanged (and completed!) but not moved in yet.

What about BT VIEW.
it's quite cheap and you get a recording free view box with it.

Also can you plug a phone in and use it to ring your mobile to get the number

or even easier, plug a phone in and dial 17070.

if the line is deactivated, shop around - some providers charge more than others to reactivate.

I have a Humax box which is basically a box that can record programmes, you can record 2 things at once, fast forward, rewind etc, series link so it records the whole series. It's the same as Sky+ but without paying the £70 you pay for the full sky package.

We also pay for Netlix which is free for the first month then £5 a month afterwards. This is good if you watch box sets of stuff (Breaking Bad, Skins, Sons of Anarchy). I shant ever have Sky again as unless you're a big sports fan its' just not worth it.

If you opt for Broadband and phone together you often get it slightly cheaper.

Look at Compare the Market for comparisons.

all recorder boxes do the above - but with varying degrees of reliability. You can record 2 things at once, but as all the decent telly is on at 9pm this is still a challenge!