Full Fibre - Losing my landline

[#1]

An update and happy conclusion.  Transfer to FTTP and a new VoIP provider worked.  My landline AND broadband were cut off by PlusNet in the morning and FTTP was not established by OpenReach until late afternoon, but that was the only downtime.

I've now answered the question no-one seemed sure about.  I CAN have multiple analogue handsets around the home with just one VoIP account - here's how.  I persuaded the OpenReach engineer to cut off the wire to my old BT master socket, but leave the socket in place, because it has wired links to other BT-type sockets around the house.  I bought a GrandStream analogue telephone adapter, connected its Ethernet to my router and connected its RS11 port to my old BT master socket.  Hey presto, all the old BT sockets round my home work with the old analogue handsets as if nothing had changed.  Brilliant.

Notes of caution:

The OpenReach engineer had an instruction to remove the old BT master socket.  I had to be quite insistent to persuade him to leave it in place.

Configuration was not entirely straightforward but the support person from my new VoIP provider (Dial9) was very quick and helpful. 

I had not realised that a VoIP service only permits one 'device' to be connected per line.  In my case that's now the GrandStream adapter, which is obviously happy to accept being connected downstream to multiple analogue devices.

My analogue handsets all have their own power supply;  I don't know what would happen if they took their power from the old phone line.

The OpenReach engineer was surprisingly ignorant as to how to connect my old router to the new service.  He knew to plug it into the yellow WAN port, but I had to log into my router's management interface and configure it myself.  That surprised me - doesn't he have to help with that on every domestic job?

Incidentally, I chose my VoIP provider from the few that responded quickly to my many requests for pricing information.  I think that was a good idea, because subsequent email requests for support were answered, by an intelligent human, just as quickly.  Two of the VoIP providers I contacted didn't get round to answering my request for contract information for over a week.  I wouldn't want to have to use their support systems!

[#2]

I'm glad you're all up and working relatively pain free.

Just a note on your comment on "I had not realised that a VoIP service only permits one 'device' to be connected per line".  This may vary between provider.  Two of my VOIP accounts (with different suppliers) I used to have 2 devices registered with, and at times 3 devices with at least one of them.  For other people, if you are wanting multiple devices registered against a single account then it may be worth checking with the supplier before signing up.

[#3]

I had not realised that a VoIP service only permits one 'device' to be connected per line.

@pfurness that's not necessarily true, it depends on the VOIP provider. For instance, my Sipgate account will allow multiple devices to be connected (registered) and incoming calls will ring all devices. A & A also allow multiple devices but Localphone dont.

edit: @pjmarsh types faster than me

[#4]

Thanks.  Dial9 explained that with their system I could have several devices connected to one VoIP phone number but each would have to be logged with them as a different 'extension' (at a small extra fee) and then configured to all ring at once.

I thought I'd done quite a bit of internet research before selecting my VoIP provider, but I never saw this mentioned.  Is there a comprehensive dunce's guide somewhere?  If not, could someone write one (please!)?

[#5]

@pfurness 

Glad it went well.

With regard to the Master Socket - If OR insist on removing it surely it would be possible to buy one online and wire it up so long as OR leave the space and wires intact.

Brian

[#6]

Well this thread has made up our minds for us. 

OpenReach are currently installing FTTP on our development & the main fibre optic cable has reached the nearest junction box  so it would have been a few metres to our house if we'd decided to go ahead but now we're not going to.

A few seconds saved by a higher download speed isn't worth the hassle so far as we're concerned as we don't do any streaming or gaming.

I suppose we'll have to change at some point in the not to distant future.

[#7]

@caravanj 

Sounds like you have an underground feed. If so, the actual install should be straight forward with OR in and out in a couple of hours.

The hassle is if you have a landline with a number you wish to keep. If so, hassle is coming sooner or later with the switch off of PSTN (copper based services).

Brian

[#8]

---

@caravanj wrote:

Well this thread has made up our minds for us. 

OpenReach are currently installing FTTP on our development & the main fibre optic cable has reached the nearest junction box  so it would have been a few metres to our house if we'd decided to go ahead but now we're not going to.

A few seconds saved by a higher download speed isn't worth the hassle so far as we're concerned as we don't do any streaming or gaming.

I suppose we'll have to change at some point in the not to distant future.

---

It's not just about download speed though @caravanj - FTTP is a far more reliable system which is less susceptible to faults caused by weather for example.

I've got FTTP but also still use a copper landline, and just this morning have had a visit from Openreach to repair a fault ('Dis one leg' at the pole across the road) which prevented phone calls and would have affected any DSL service which may have been reliant on the line.  The pole itself is perfectly serviceable, and under normal circumstances easily accessible, but due to wind today the OR tech decided to call for a cherry picker which arrived quickly.

As it happens the landline is only used for incoming calls and we could still make and receive calls on other 'VoIP lines' via the FTTP.

[#9]

Hi, can I please ask a quick question based on your experience.  Am I right in saying that you did your upgrade by logging into the portal, then selecting the upgrade option and ticking the "happy to lose my landline" box acknowledging that you were happy to lose your landline?

I've seen several posts and it wasn't clear how people did it, but your comment struck a chord with me, that when I agree to proceed and say that I don't need a landline, that my number does indeed go back into the pool for 30 days to allow me to port it out to a SIP provider.

Sorry if it's been asked before, just wanted to check your experience before I went ahead.

Thanks, Matt

Thanks, Matt

[#10]

Reply to Matt: Yes, that’s what I did.
Saying (falsely) that I was happy to lose my landline felt a bit scary. But I was given a date and time for the switch, which OpenReach kept to accurately. Before then I agreed a contract with a VoIP company. I told them the date and time of the switch and it all went smoothly. They provided a temporary number so I could set up and test their VoIP before the switch. On the day of the switch my landline and internet were cut off about lunchtime. The engineer arrived about 3pm and by the end of the afternoon the new system was working, using my old phone number.
So no problem. But you do feel very dependent on OpenReach, PlusNet and your new VoIP provider doing exactly what they say they will do, at the right time.
Peter
PS I am in no position to recommend any VoIP provider. But for information, I used Dial 9, largely because they responded fast to my initial query. They did the same for all subsequent messages. Some of the VoIP providers took several days to reply to my initial query. If they had maintained that reply speed it could have been disastrous.

[#11]

Thanks Peter, appreciate the reply very much.  That’s exactly what’s been holding me back as we still use the landline for calls (mainly from elderly relatives!) and don’t want to lose it.  I am more confident now that I am able to go ahead and put my faith in the process, hoping for a successful outcome like yours.  With no sign of the need for our landline reducing, I’m going to have to do it sometime between now and Dec 2025, so I am keen to move sooner rather than later so we can have more reliable and faster internet as well.

Thanks too for sharing your experience with Dial9, there have been some horror stories with other providers and when your number is in limbo, all you really want is to have the security that they are contactable before you lose your 30 day window to transfer.

Many thanks for your help – FTTP coming this way!

Cheers, Matt

[#12]

@mattjf9 

A&A seem to have a good reputation and keen prices. Several PN members have gone with them with no real problems.

Brian

[#13]

@bmc thanks for the recommendation, I'll have a look at them! 

Thanks all for the support

[#14]

@mattjf9  -  Here is a link  A&A : VoIP - Voice Services 

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[#15]

Thanks @Anonymous !  For incoming calls that seems a cost-effective way and from what I've read in the forums, their reputation of migrating Plusnet customers numbers onto their SIP service seems to be reliable as well.

Good to have some options for residential customers as most of the SIP hosting seems to be geared towards business!  Thanks