Broadband and virtual Landline

[#1]

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@mechanic123 wrote:

So what's the relation of voip to sogea?

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If you are on a SoGEA connection, that is without a voice component .

[#2]

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@mechanic123 wrote:

So what's the relation of voip to sogea?

It isn't, other than if you want to disassociate your existing phone number from your combined broadband+phone service, you need to remove the phone part, which usually means converting the broadband to SoADSL, SoGEA or FTTP !.

FTTC (using copper wires) = VDSL (broadband) + analogue landline phone service.

SoGEA (using copper wires) = VDSL (broadband) and NOT associated with a telephone number.

VoIP is a standardised digital telephone service, which can use ANY internet connection to make/receive calls.

The UK analogue telephone system is being phased out and switched off before the end of 2025.

If you wish to continue to use your existing analogue landline telephone number, then you can port your number to a VoIP service provider,  and then it's up to you how you make and receive calls using that number.

• You could get an adaptor for your existing phone to allow it to connect to the internet via your broadband router.
• You could install a VoIP app on a mobile phone, and use that to make calls using your old landline number.
• You could run a VoIP program on your laptop/computer, and make calls using the microphone and speakers.
• You could buy a VoIP specific phone, which has an internet connection, and use it like your old house phone.

[#3]

ok I'm getting it after some reading. Pity most literature is aimed at business users.

[#4]

@jab1 

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@jab1 wrote:

The only way to do that, if you wish to stay with PN, is to ask for your BB service to be switched to SoGEA, and once that is done, move your phone number to a VoIP provider, within 30 days.

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I'm in a very similar situation, with a Plusnet joint broadband and landline package running out soon. We want to stay with Plusnet to keep our email addresses but also want to keep a landline. We'd like to upgrade to a full-fibre package but none of these include a landline. In addition the analogue phone signal won't be around for much longer. So I have the following questions:

• Who do you have to ask to have the broadband service switched to SoGEA?
• What do they have to do and where (ie in your house or at the exchange or entirely with software)?
• After the service has been switched to SoGEA can it be used with a full-fibre package?

Many thanks

Simon

[#5]

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@simonc2 wrote:

• Who do you have to ask to have the broadband service switched to SoGEA?

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Go to your Plusnet Member Centre and look for Upgrades & Offers,  and you should be able to switch from there

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@simonc2 wrote:

• What do they have to do and where (ie in your house or at the exchange or entirely with software)?

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For FTTC to SoGEA, no home visit required, no change to your router etc, they just switch off your phone number from working at the exchange

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@simonc2 wrote:

• After the service has been switched to SoGEA can it be used with a full-fibre package?

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Yes, if FTTP (full fibre) becomes available to you in future, you just go to your Member Centre Upgrades & Offers, and choose your FTTP upgrade.  SoGEA comes to your house over copper cables, whereas FTTP will be a new fibreoptic cable that will need to be installed, and your existing phone Master Socket will be replaced with an "ONT" which is a wall box similar sized to your existing socket (but needs a nearby mains wall socket for the plug-in power supply).  If you have a Plusnet HUB-2 router, then you disconnect the current DSL cable, and instead use an Ethernet cable (in the WAN) socket to connect to the ONT. Job done.

If FTTP is already available to you, then you don't need the intermediate step of changing to SoGEA, just upgrade directly from FTTC to FTTP, then port your landline phone number to a VoIP service within 30 days.

[#6]

@simonc2 Note that f you do go down that route, but want to keep a 'landline', you will need to set up an account with a VoIP provider within 30 days of switching - if you wish to retain your number.

[#7]

If you have a Plusnet HUB-2 router,

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Actually I have a Plusnet Hub-1 router, but I assume the connections are the same.

[#8]

I've looked at my upgrade options and I assume the SoGEA upgrade is the Fibre Broadband without phone line option?

Can anyone recommend a decent virtual Landline service that allows transferring of an existing number?

Thanks

Jon

[#9]

@simonc2 They are, but you could ask to 'upgrade' your Hub to a Hub2 if they don't offer one at the time.

@Jonchilly Yes, that is correct. I'll let others suggest your VoIP provider options - not my field.

[#10]

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@Jonchilly wrote:

I assume the SoGEA upgrade is the Fibre Broadband without phone line option?

Correct

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@Jonchilly wrote:

Can anyone recommend a decent virtual Landline service that allows transferring of an existing number?

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https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/ 

[#11]

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@Jonchilly wrote:

Can anyone recommend a decent virtual Landline service that allows transferring of an existing number?

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https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/ 

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a&a page on 'porting landlines to voip':

"We can port in numbers without the loss of the broadband and the copper pair service only if the broadband and copper pair are provided by us, we have a procedure to transfer the copper pair to us and then initiate the export to VoIP."

- bit of a red flag there!

[#12]

Using A&A's procedure to simultaneously move your broadband service to them and port your existing landline phone number to their VoIP service, has the advantage of virtually zero downtime on either the broadband or the availability of your phone service - which is probably important for businesses or people who need to be constantly contactable.  In addition, A&A's procedure simplifies the transition if you currently have different broadband and phone providers.

If you follow what is generally being talked about on this Plusnet forum, that you want to keep broadband with Plusnet but port the landline number to a VoIP service,  the rigmarole of getting Plusnet to 'upgrade' your service to broadband only, then quarantining your number for 30 days, then ordering a third party VoIP supplier to port your number, and the delay in your VoIP service going active - is likely to mean that your phone number will be unusable for 7 to 14 days.

The disadvantage of moving your broadband to A&A, is that they are quite expensive - particularly for their version of SoGEA.

[#13]

@mechanic123  A&A's use of the  "renumber and export" procedure which was only used by them because it was rather prone to going wrong without careful management of the process is somewhat irrelevant now that SOGEA broadband with no phone and the right to port allows a ceased number to be transferred to VOIP. Also A&A have shown they can do this even if the number is no longer active (Some VOIP suppliers have difficulty with this) Quite a number of forum members have Plusnet broadband and VOIP from A&A

So it's a green flag rather than a red one.👍

[#14]

You disagree with what a&a say on their website (as quoted by me above) then?

[#15]

@mechanic123  No, I am not disagreeing with the quote from the A&A site as it is perfectly correct in the context of the "renumber and export" process where a Broadband service is being transferred to A&A and the number ported to VOIP but it is not relevant and does not apply to the right to port a ceased number to VOIP as it is a completely different procedure.