Burlington Telecom Residential Telephone Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same regular old telephone service that I'm used to?

Yes. This is the same type of landline telephone service that you are used to.

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Can I keep my same telephone number if I switch to Burlington Telecom?

Yes. When the FCC allowed local competition, it insisted on customers being able to keep their telephone number when they switched to new telephone providers. This is called Local Number Portability. Phone companies also collect a fee from customers to pass on to the national organization responsible for administering the process. You may see this fee listed as LNP charge.

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Is this VOIP? What is VOIP, anyway?

No, this is the same standard telephone service you get through Fairpoint, not VOIP. VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. This service has grown in popularity over the past few years. Special equipment is needed along with a hi-speed internet connection. When you use VOIP telephone service your calls are being transmitted over the internet mixed in with all the other internet traffic and are not subject to the same quality of service standards that regular telephone service is required to. For this reason, Burlington Telecom has choosen to offer the higher quality of telephone service over it's fiber optic network. We may in the future offer a VOIP product should the residential demand become strong.

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If we switch to BT will our listing still be included in the Fairpoint phone book?

Yes. And listed and published numbers will continue to be available through directory assistance as you currently enjoy.

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What features, such as voicemail, will be included with the phone service?

All the same features that you currently enjoy will also be available through Burlington Telecom. Click here to view over 30 available calling features >

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Does 911 work?

Yes. Our telephone service works just like your existing telephone service.

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Do I need to buy a new phone or put a clunky adaptor (as for DSL) on my phone?

No. Keep the same phone you have, same wires, no adapter.

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Will I be without service during my switch to Burlington Telecom?

You may temporarily lose dialtone when converting your service, although, most of the time it is not noticeable.

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Can I choose someone other than BT for my long-distance provider?

Yes. There is a one-time $5 activation fee for any providers other than Burlington Telecom when you select a different in-state and interstate long distance provider. You will incur these charges at any time when you make changes to your long distance provider, unless you are changing to Burlington Telecom as your long distance, in-state or interstate.

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My Fairpoint phone line is really scratchy from time to time. Will this be improved if I use BT?

Possibly. Often times noisy line conditions can be attributed to interference in cable outside your house. Because our cable is optical and constructed from glass, BT service is not susceptible to this type of service degradation. Your existing internal house telephone wiring may still be a cause of "buzz" or "scratch."

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Do I have to change my 1-800 numbers if I switch my toll-free services to Burlington Telecom?

No. You keep all your current phone numbers. You just receive the service over our fiber-optic network.

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A state-of-the-art telecommunications network for Burlington residents and businesses.