Migration, full fibre, landline and hosting problems

[#1]

Customer Options Team very helpful.

@TonyN No they weren't , they gave you incorrect information!

They suggest moving to VoIP and then to FTTP and see no problems in doing so. Vonage Home Phonely is their suggestion for VoIP but I will be looking at AA too.

No! that's not the way to do it. If you move the phone to voip, it will cease the line. That in turn will cease your broadband and close your Plusnet account.

As @bmc advised earlier, You MUST upgrade your Plusnet service to FTTP first, ensuring that you select keep my existing phone service with BT. This will disassociate your Plusnet broadband from the BT phone line. You can then port the number to voip , which will cease the phone service with BT , but since the Plsunet broadband is no longer associated with it, your Plsunet account and service will remain active.

[#2]

Yes @TonyN  @MisterW is right, you need to leave your BT contract totally alone until your broadband migration is totally resolved and the old ADSL service closed down.

Once you've sorted out all the broadband just ask your chosen VOIP provider to take over your phone number which will cease the BT contract and your copper line.

In my case I chose A&A and set up an account, equipment and additional local number to make sure it all worked before triggering the landline number transfer. BT actually refunded me overpayment and I was only charged up to the transfer date.

[#3]

@bmc said "If @TonyN went for a second account he would lose his web space. He's trying to avoid that at the moment while he figures out how to move his site."

Perhaps I wasn't clear, I meant install a new/second line (not necessarily from PN, though it could be a new/separate PN account as I did) and leave the old PN ADSL running while migrating the web space to wherever. THEN close down the old PN account and finally transfer the BT number to VOIP.

PN were quite happy (though it did need a phone call to set it up properly) to create a new account and install a new FTTC/SOGEA line alongside my existing BT phone line supporting PN ADSL. When I cancelled the ADSL as I was out of contract and had started a new contract  a short time before they require zero notice. It ceased within hours and I was credited back to the cease date.

I now have two PN accounts, though the old one has no products on it and will presumably disappear or be archived eventually; it is labelled "Account Closing". I have also changed the mobile number and email on the old account to be different to the new one to avoid any confusion.

[#4]

@HPsauce 

The OP is looking into what to so with his WordPress blog. Going down your route would entail running (and paying for) two accounts for a while and mean he has to move his blog. Upgrading his current account gives him the option of leaving things as they are.

@TonyN 

I would ignore any Support recommendations on VOIP. Think about what you need from your landline and then look for VOIP providers that suit you. As mentioned, if you can use your mobile for outgoing calls then A&A are probably the cheapest and can port "ceased" numbers.

If your mobile provider supports it you'll also have the option of WiFi calling if your signal's not great though power backup is needed for the ONT and router.

Brian

[#5]

@bmc I was just offering the temporary parallel connections as a method for @TonyN  to consider that may or may not suit, I'm sure he is as aware of the costs etc. as we both are. In the long run I can't see PN supporting the legacy hosting service he depends on so now, given the other reasons for change, may well be a good time to "bite the bullet" on that and change his relationship with PN to the simplified one they are trying to move everyone to.

Personally I wouldn't trust them not to mess it up, so I'd sort out the hosting and move it elsewhere before doing anything else whatsoever, but that's just my risk-averse bias. 🤣

As for VOIP providers, I agree with you that A&A are probably particularly good if you mainly use your mobile (as many do these days) for outgoing calls. That was a major factor in our choice.

[#6]

@TonyN  Customer Options Team very helpful. I don't think so, they shouldn't be suggesting a VOIP provider, they have no idea what service or facilities you might require. Also I believe the ATA (adapter to connect your phone) supplied by Vonage is locked down so you cannot make any changes to the confguration or change the VOIP supplier and I think there are cheaper alternatives available.

Many other ATA devices or VOIP DECT basestations allow multiple Voip providers to be configured, it can be useful to have different suppliers for incoming and outgoing calls to get the lowest cost. As others have said using your mobile for outgoing calls is an option, I do this as I have an old Sipgate basic PAYG account, unfortunately no longer available. They now charge a monthly fee. Incoming calls cost me nothing and calls to landline numbers are cheap or I use my mobile unlimited calls allowance.

I would not consider Vonage for a VOIP service.

[#7]

@TonyN 

+1, or perhaps that should be minus 1, regarding the comments above about Vonage.