Tier 2 ICT to Tier 2 General and ILR under Tier 2 ICT

Hi All,

I have a few doubts and getting varied responses so would appreciate if i can get some guidance on this forum.

Iam on a Tier 2 ICT Visa which was issued in Oct 2011. Iam planning to switch to T2G. Can you help me with the below?
1) Can i switch from ICT to T2G without changing sponsor or is it only applicable when Iam changing sponsor?
2) If switching is applicable from ICT to T2G, can i do that in country?
3) I have been in the country for almost 4 years now. Does this time on ICT count for my ILR or only when Iam on T2G?
4) Finally, if my current visa expires in Oct 2014, when is the earliest i should be applying for T2G?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

Ankur