Crystal Ball Gazing.

[#1]

My FTTC contract with phone number expires in November 2024.

We want to retain our phone number, so I have already started setting up a Gigaset NP300 IP, got landline and 4 SIP accounts. 1 x A&A, 3x Sipgate Starters, all working as expected.

We have had new ‘wooden sticks’ put up by Connect Fibre as there is no ducting in the ground, or to the properties. Cables were just laid in the ground and tarmac over 50 years ago. Great when there is a fault as digging and a new footway box is put in.

Very happy to stay with PlusNet, but the PSTN is switched off 31st December 2025. Plusnet do not do a 12 month contact anymore to November 2025 (may do as existing customer), but this is just delaying the switch over for us and would rather do it sooner that later.

Now, SoGEA will be around long passed 2026, and looking at the price currently, we can double our speed with PlusNet for the same price and we do not need the superfast 1000Mb speed. However, all connection will at some time become FTTP, so they say.

Do we stay with PlusNet until OR dig up the road to lay FTTP, or jump to Connect Fibre on the lowest tariff, or wait and then forced? to Connect Fibre as the exchange feeding the cab is sold and switched off.

As for the landline we will more that likely port it to A&A, the Sipgate accounts may? soon disappear as the are free at the moment so do not want to port there and then be informed it’s now £XX per month.

When we port how do PlusNet handle the transfer from landline to SoGEA but transfer the number successfully.

TIA

[#2]

When we port how do PlusNet handle the transfer from landline to SoGEA but transfer the number successfully.

Plusnet are actually not involved in the port its all done by the gaining provider.

If you transfer to SoGEA, then Plusnet will request that Openreach cease the landline and it goes into quarantine. You then have 30 days (under the Ofcom right to port) to port the number to a voip provider. At the moment, some voip providers seem unable/unwilling to port non-active numbers though!. I suspect they are waiting for the One-touch-Switch process which should be live later this year.

If you attempt to port BEFORE changing to SoGEA , it WILL cease the landline and FTTC.

[#3]

@mystreet1 

As stated you have 30 days to port the number. If going to A&A you should note it may well fail as their systems don't handle ceased numbers. You then need to get A&A Support to phone and arrange a manual transfer.

I assume you know VOIP doesn't work during power cuts.

You could give PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 a phone to see what deal they might offer if you decide to move to SOGEA before the end of your contract. Remember the upcoming price increase will hit either way.

Brian

[#4]

Moving on a bit.

Had a very nice call from Connect Fibre CS. Offered 'Home Hypersonic 1000' for a very good price, most likely the same as PN when the increase comes in. The price is guaranteed until I take up the service, be it in April when the service is live or November when PN is up for renewal. There are no mid term rises either, so for 18 months I will know my exact cost. Does go up to £50 pm after the contract ends, but I am sure that I will be able to get another discount. Did I say that they will credit my account with the PN early exit fee once the bill is emailed to them, so could jump early if I want.

The service from A&A is working fine and I will port my number to them when the time comes. Will get the fibre in and running first, then port the number to cease the PN service.

One question on the porting, will A&A port the number to my existing service, or create a new VOIP service for me with my ported number, hence I will then have 2 VOIP number from A&A, so need to cease the current VOIP. Also, cannot seem to find the cost to port, seen on here it stated as £15, is that correct.

[#5]

@mystreet1 

One question on the porting, will A&A port the number to my existing service, or create a new VOIP service for me with my ported number, hence I will then have 2 VOIP number from A&A, so need to cease the current VOIP. Also, cannot seem to find the cost to port, seen on here it stated as £15, is that correct.

You can have multiple numbers on an A & A voip account, you can add and remove numbers at any time.

Whether you can easily use multiple numbers will depend on your voip equipment. You need a device that will support multiple SIP accounts, since each number will require separate SIP authentication. (actually that's not quite true if you have a PBX and can support SRV records!) 

Last time I looked, porting  was £15. My guess would be that the default action on porting would be to add the number.

[#6]

Whether you can easily use multiple numbers will depend on your voip equipment. You need a device that will support multiple SIP accounts, since each number will require separate SIP authentication. (actually that's not quite true if you have a PBX and can support SRV records!) 

Have a NP300 IP which has 3 Sipgate starter (got 4 in total), 1 A&A and 1 localphone currently running. Also, have the free ZoiPer app on the mobiles. Looking at localphone for the outgoing calls (if any). Will more than likely cancel the Sipgate accounts as there are comments/rumours that Sipgate will change these to 'pay £x per month' one's, but still have credit on some of them. 

[#7]

Have a NP300 IP

@mystreet1 in that case no problem. I have one at home with a Sipgate Basic (still free at the moment) and Localphone accounts configured. Sipgate is used only for incoming, the Localphone account has the Sipgate CLI registered and is used for all outgoing. If Sipgate start charging then I'll move my number to A & A. AIUI Localphone do support incoming numbers but their porting details and charges are not well documented.

In the office the PBX has an  A & A account with 22 numbers , one block of 20 (main DID numbers) and a block of 2 (used for training). Again Localphone is used for outgoing using the CLI of the main number block.

[#8]

Hi,

Does anyone have advise on setting up the Zoiper (free) app on an iPhone. I have configured it to the A&A service and seems to be working fine. Then after a while it disconnects from the service, have to access the app again to wake it up. 

Or do you advise another app, both for iPhone and android.

TIA

[#9]

@mystreet1 this https://community.zoiper.com/6303/zoiper-on-ios-in-background-not-re-registering and the link https://www.zoiper.com/en/support/home/article/205/Zoiper_Push_Proxy in there might explain

You might be able to improve things a bit by increasing the registration time ?