unlimited fibre extra with landline to full fibre - telephone question

[#1]

Hi.I have unlimited fibre extra & landline at the moment. Lots of my contacts use my landline number. Will I still be able to use it when I have to have full fibre? I'm getting on a bit now and loathe to change anything at the moment including security cameras, server, Asus router, laptops etc.
Thanks for any guidance on this.

Katie

[#2]

@Katie222 You can keep your current setup until (at the moment)  - December 2025, when the telephone services (PSTN) are scheduled to be turned off country-wide. You will be able to keep your current (FTTC) broadband for some time after that - the copper phone lines themselves will still be around for some time - but you do need to plan for the PSTN switch off.

[#3]

@Katie222 

First question is - is Full Fibre available at your premises. Put your number in the following. You're looking for WBC FTTP in the left hand column.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

If it's not you can check OpenReach to see if they have any current plans.

https://www.openreach.com/

As mentioned the PSTN is to be switched off by the end of 2025. The copper wire from the Cabinet to your house will remain to provide FTTC (on an OR product called SOGEA).

When the time comes you'll need to move to VOIP for phone services (which PN don't offer). Look at the FAQ's on A&A to get some detail of what VOIP involves.

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

Brian

[#4]

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Full Fibre to Everything Else 

[#5]

no Wbc FTTP - at the bottom of the page it just says -

FTTP is not available.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

jab1 & bmc - thank you so much for your advice. I am ok for a while yet but I need to sort out a plan as my brain is getting older each day   I will look at the FAQ's on A&A to get some detail of what VOIP involves.

[#6]

@Katie222 

VOIP works just fine on FTTC. When you're ready PN will happily transfer you to a SOGEA product (with a new contract) and end your phone service if you prefer to jump rather than wait to be pushed.

There are many VOIP providers out there. A&A get good reviews on this forum and can handle the port of a "ceased" number.

Do you use PN e-mail? If not, then you could consider (at the end of your contract) moving to a provider who does both internet and VOIP - BT and Zen are two examples. This tends to be the easiest of ways of changing to VOIP.

Brian

Brian

[#7]

Thanks Brian. I use P-net email only very occasionally as I use Outlook.
I also use skype for chat to family and occasional calls but not sure if I will be able to use that on full fibre.
We do have mobiles and will just have to change all our contacts to use our mobile numbers.
I have been with Plusnet since they started all those years ago and can't understand them not providing VOIP.

Katie

[#8]

@Katie222 So you have an 'Outlook' email address - in that case, just advise those who you have used that with of your Outlook address and ask them to use that in future - as you will lose the PN one if you move ISPs.

Skype - AFAIK - works on FF just as it does on FTTC.

If you moved to either of the ISPs mentioned by @bmc , you will be able to use their VoIP service just as you use your landline - the only difference being the phone will be connected to your router, rather than the master socket.

The Plusnet brand is seen by BT Consumer Division - of which they are now merely a 'brand' as the cheap internet-only offering.

[#9]

@Katie222 

You don't move to Full Fibre - you stay on FTTC which is provided as before, just on a different OR product.

I was thinking of PN email addresses - you lose these the day you move to another provider.

Anything that works now should continue as normal apart from perhaps Care and Security alarms which need to dial "Home" - if you have these you'll need to check whether or not they work with VOIP. You also need to check if your phone works - you might need an Anaolgue Telephone Adapter (ATA).

There has never been any announcement as to why PN don't do VOIP but the accepted speculation is that they are being positioned as the budget internet provider of the BT Group and EE are the "bells and whistles" brand.

Brian

[#10]

That all makes sense now. I guess I just had my head in the sand about my options.

Katie

[#11]

Thank you Brian. I don't have care & will wait & see what happens to my security alarms as they just connect to wireless so they should be ok. Still don't know what to do about voip. might just use the mobiles.

Thank you, Katie

[#12]

Still don't know what to do about voip. might just use the mobiles

and that's why Plusnet decided not to offer VoIP!

Theres a large percentage of the population who don't and never will use a landline, there's then a group who currently use one but can do without it.

So the cost to setup the infrastructure and support for VoIP isn't economic for Plusnet. The small percentage of  Customers who really need a landline can be offered a move to BT or EE

[#13]

Thank you for that explanation.

Katie

[#14]

@Katie222 

As stated, a good number of people have abandoned landlines and use mobiles only. If you consider this to be a viable option then you should start "moving" your contacts now by asking then to use your mobile only. Hopefully, by the time the PSTN switchoff occurs the vast majority of your calls are on mobile.

It then becomes straight forward to ditch your copper services by going to a SOGEA line. As far as I'm aware this results in only a short period of downtime as your connection is switched. No new equipment is required.

For information VOIP doesn't work during power cuts unless you have back up power for the router and the phone (if required). In a prolonged power cut the Cabinet could go off as well depending on it's backup power which cuts your internet.

Brian