Could VoIP either stay on "Home Phone" or get its own button?

[#1]

Would it be possible for VoIP discussions to stop being moved out of "Home Phone" to "Everything Else"? I'd have thought it/they was/were particularly relevant to Home Phone.

Alternatively: I see there's a "Mobile" button. Since PlusNet mobile is stopping sometime this month, presumably any remaining discussion of mobile matters will be to do with billing, and could be moved there - so maybe that button could be reallocated to VoIP? If there's someone who wants to limit the number of buttons to what we have already, that would keep that person happy.

[#2]

Shouldn't you have posted this in Community Site Feedback? 

[#3]

@G6JPG-0 This forum is designed to help with PLUSNET services, and as the brand is not going to be offering a VoIP service, then, when the mobile product is finally dead, like the TV board before it, that board will disappear, not because someone 'wants to limit the number of buttons', but because it is not a PN service.

[#4]

Yes, Plusnet will not be offering VOIP but there are plenty of existing customers who do take their landline phone service either with or without an added call plan. Plusnet are willing to move customers to "in-house" BT if they want to retain a landline service after moving to a full fibre or other broadband only product (of their own volition or because of Openreach rules).

These forums are, I suggest, to help Plusnet customers as well as support the use of Plusnet products and as such I think it is quite reasonable to expect that a topical subject such a voip, and the issues involved, to have a dedicated forum somewhere on the forums and not just be lumped into the all embracing everything else. Many existing Plusnet landline customers are likely to have to embrace voip and it is doubtful that they all want to have anything to do with with BT especially as BTs Digital Voice offering is quite expensive.

[#5]

@jgb I think I can kind of see where you are coming from, but as as I said before, these forums are to support users of Plusnet products, which does not include VoIP. The 'Everything Else' board is regularly patrolled by other Community members who have a greater understanding of the subject than some of the PN staff - sadly missing-in-action at the moment - and if anyone needs help, a topic on there will get as much attention as it would on the 'Home Phone' board.

[#6]

Yes, I should have posted it there. I'm still fairly new to this forum: I didn't know there were places other than the six buttons (broadband, fibre, home 'phone, TV, mobile, and my order). Apologies.

[#7]

As Dan_the_Van suggested, I should have posted this in community feedback - I didn't know there were more than the six "button" areas. (Sorry for part-duplication of the above thought - I couldn't see how to delete a post.)

@jgb: glad you agree with me.

@jab1: yes, I appreciate VoIP isn't going to be offered by PlusNet, but I think a lot of PlusNet customers are going to want to talk about it; I am grateful that the moderators etc. haven't started killing VoIP posts. Since it isn't a PlusNet service, I can see they might not like my suggestion of replacing the mobile button (when mobile ends which I understand is this month) with VoIP, though I still think it'd be a good idea🙂, to have somewhere we could talk about it (and not bore others who aren't interested). [The mobile button seemed a good place as I know that's ending.]

General: am I right that, should one transfer to BT, one can't have an email address (obviously not a PlusNet one)? And if one wants to retain a PlusNet email address, one has to be very careful when changing anything; I hope that (compulsory) loss of landline, when it happens, will not count as sufficient change to lose the email address, as it's an imposed change, not a customer-originated one.

[#8]

@G6JPG-0 

I agree with @jab1 thoughts, I would suggest if VoIP is to get its own topic (button) then I would suggest it would be best placed in "Other Forums" as not being a plusnet product it does not belong in "Help with my Plusnet services" regardless of the broadband delivery medium (Copper or Fibre).

[#9]

And if one wants to retain a PlusNet email address, one has to be very careful when changing anything; I hope that (compulsory) loss of landline, when it happens, will not count as sufficient change to lose the email address, as it's an imposed change, not a customer-originated one.

If an account currently has a Plusnet email facility, then product changes can be made to that account and the email address retained. Only if a new account is created and the existing one closed (which should not be necessary!) , will the email be lost.

[#10]

And if one wants to retain a PlusNet email address, one has to be very careful when changing anything; I hope that (compulsory) loss of landline, when it happens, will not count as sufficient change to lose the email address, as it's an imposed change, not a customer-originated one.

If an account currently has a Plusnet email facility, then product changes can be made to that account and the email address retained. Only if a new account is created and the existing one closed (which should not be necessary!) , will the email be lost.

[#11]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Home Phone to Community Feedback

[#12]

I tend to agree it should go under "Other Forums"  either add a new category of 'VOIP help' or add VOIP onto the category 'Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc.'    e.g. ' Tech Help - Software/Hardware/VOIP' 

I understand that VOIP isn't a plusnet service, but there is lots of interest in how to best set it up if people want to stay with Plusnet Broadband......

[#13]

I suggest that if a gamer’s board can be justified because of their specific needs … then so can a more broadly relevant VoIP board.

VoIP is a core essential service need for many people, for many of whom the service is seen as technologically daunting.

[#14]

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@Townman wrote:
I suggest that if a gamer’s board can be justified because of their specific needs … then so can a more broadly relevant VoIP board.

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I would suggest you are being disingenuous here, the gaming board is a hang over from when traffic shaping was implemented and games were set up with specific profiles etc. This was specific to the PN product and service.

Is the board redundant now? Probably.

No one is saying VoIP isn't going to increase in usage / priority whatever, but the fact remains it, as far as we know, will not be a service provided by PN and is out of the remit of 'Help with my Plusnet services' area. 
The tech help board isn't so overrun that these posts would get lost their either.

[#15]

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@dvorak wrote:
The tech help board isn't so overrun that these posts would get lost their either.

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Problem is people keeping posting VOIP topics in other boards , particularly 'home phone' because it's not obvious they should go elsewhere.....  can the topic name ' Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc" be changed to indicate voip should go there?  i.e. " Tech Help - Software/Hardware/VOIP"

[#16]

No not disingenuous at all.

I recall it being thought there to be relevant grounds for such a specific board - the reasons for which eluded me until your kind reminder. The board might well be thought to be redundant now … such is the nature of technology … it has its day when it is vogue and then it fades away.

Currently VoIP as a technology journey as a consequence of Plusnet’s exit from voice services, is of key concern to many. As a community we could make that easier by having all discussions in a clearly signposted area.

We could have put gaming into everything else technical … but we did not … I guess for good reason, if nothing other than popularity and vocalisim.

Locating a VoIP board alongside the Gamers board would similarly place it outside of the Plusnet provided services help space.