A few FTTP questions

[#1]

The place I am moving into (my sisters, where I grew up when I were younger) can get faster internet. She can't get cable from Branson Media as it is not down her street but it seems she has had FTTP installed now as I noticed a load of new boxes appear outside the house on the pavement recently, I posted that on another thread with some photos.

(I am a bit excited and this is all new to me, so forgive me if I am asking silly questions and I come across as a bit fick).

I checked on the PlusNet web site and it seems to confirm this, from memory (or what's left of it now) it did say I can get full fibre. Nice!

On another thread someone did mention that it would losing the landline number which rules it out. Can't change the landline number as we have had it years. So I don't want to do anything with will either change the landline or risk losing the landline if I, or someone else makes a mistake.

So the reason for this post is, I was thinking (it doesn't happen very often so forgive me) the safest scenarios may be be the following and are they possible?

Can you get FTTP without a landline, an internet search seems to suggest you can but is this something PlusNet and BT offer?

If so then great, I'd go for that. Get FTTP without a landline and once that is running cancel our current fibre off the current landline so have FTTP for internet and just a landline only which will keep the current number?

For some unknown reason I have a gut feeling that would be too sensible and straightforward for this wonderful country so I suspect you need a landline to order FTTP on?

So I am going on the assumption I would have to get a second landline installed (lets call that landline 2 and then our current landline as landline 1) FTTP on that? Cancel our current fibre from landline 1.

Landline 2 has a new number with FTTP.

Landline 1 has no internet down it now as no longer needed as I have cancelled it.

We still have our current number working on landline 1 which is now just voice only.

The new landline 2 has the new number and FTTP on it.

So a bit costly as we are paying for two landlines, but it shouldn't be too bad as landline 1 has no internet and voice only .. landline 2 has voice and the new FTTP connection.

Current landline number is not lost as I have only removed broadband from landline 1 not cancelled the line completly.

Landline 2 now is now an additional landline (not really needed but if I have to do it I will consider it) and has the Internet connection.

[#2]

You don't half like to complicate things!

FTTP does not need a landline.

You as a new customer could order it at your sisters place. Your sister keeps her FTTC until the contract runs out - how long has she left?

Do what you want later.

That said, what speeds is the FTTC getting? It might be enough for three of you.

[#3]

@Alex 

You don't need a landline to have FTTP, so no need for a second landline.

So, presuming you're going to swallow the 24 month FTTP contract which you've mentioned elsewhere is game changer, you could do what some others are doing, i.e. get FTTP installed under a separate new account, then when it's up and running, port your sisters landline number to a VoIP company, e.g. Sipgate is one of the popular recommendations.  Porting the number to Sipgate would cost £30 but then there's no ongoing monthly charges for hosting the number.  You don't necessarily need to use Sipgate for outgoing calls, you can use other cheaper companies providing you use VoIP equipment which can handle multiple SIP registrations, e.g. Gigaset N300 DECT is popular and very simple to set up.

On the off-chance you're in receipt of certain (means tested?) benefits you'd qualify for the BT Home Essentials social tariff (which would also give you another phone number) although the highest tariff @£20 per month is limited to 80/20 Mbps plus unlimited calls to UK mobile and landline numbers.

HTH

EDIT:  @Mustrum types faster than me!

[#4]

Thanks all for the replies.

That's the answer I wanted to hear, so I can do what I wanted 😀

Just the 2 year contract I don't like, but I guess I will have to live with that.

She was moaning that the internet wasn't that great yesterday when I was using it, and it improved when I stopped but I don't know whether that was me or just one of those things such as congestion et al.

I am using data teathering on my mobile at the moment. I will do a few more tests and seriously consider it.

Again - thanks everyone.

[#5]

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@Alex wrote:

Just the 2 year contract I don't like, but I guess I will have to live with that.

Other providers are available that use Openreach and do not have 2 year minimum contracts. For example Aquiss offer 12 months FTTP contracts and don't assume the Plusnet/EE/BT are necessarily the cheapest suppliers, shop around. Some suppliers like Sky offer 18 month contracts.

[#6]

@Alex You seem to be asking similar questions as in other threads. I replied to one of them stating that Plusnet do not supply phone line only so if you cancel the FTTC on your sister's Plusnet line you will lose the Broadband and the phone line so risk losing the phone number. You need to transfer the phone line to another supplier who supply phone only services, I suggested Pulse8 as a good option.

[#7]

Sorry, but I only recall answering my specific question on this thread.

The phone line is provided by BT and broadband is PlusNet. Given they are different accounts provided by different companies it is not possible to just cancel the broadband off the phone line then and keep the phone line active, obviously if the phone account is in good order and the BT bill is paid, I wouldn't have thought there would be a problem just removing the broadband from a line.

But this is the UK and I suppose the UK, so simplicity and logic don't really go hand and hand I suppose.

Sorry for all the questions and repeating myself I just want to get this right as it is confusing me. I don't want to rush into something and get it wrong.

[#8]

@Alex  I may have missed that it is a BT phone line, in which case you should be able to just cancel the Broadband and not affect the Phone line, probably worth checking with Plusnet. When they started upgrades to FTTP (which shouldn't apply in your case) they somehow cancelled the Broadband and the phone line even when it wasn't a Plusnet phone line.

[#9]

Thanks, no problem I probably didn't make that clear.

My plan is to get FTTP up and running, and once we are happy with that just cancel broadband off the existing ye olde landline. Keep that as the landline only. I hope that is possible but nothing would suprise me in this country. Nothing ever goes smoothly unless it involves introducing a new tax or increasing an existing one. Sorry I will shut up there.

Back on topic .. I may have three internet connections for a while. My mobile unlimited 5G data now, current PlusNet connection and the FTTP one. Nice!

I guess I will have to set up a new PlusNet FTTP account, and once that is all running fine just cancel the old one.

[#10]

That should work @Alex , but you'll still have the unnecessary expense of paying line rental to BT.  I think that's why RealAleMadrid was suggesting in another thread you use Pulse8 for that, to save some money.

However, if you port your number to Sipgate you won't need to pay line rental, and as mentioned earlier, there are some very cheap third party VoIP plans out there which you can use for outgoing calls, and no contracts to tie you in with most of them.

[#11]

Thanks, my requirements are quite simple really:

• Can't risk losing the landline number. So anything which would either make me lose the number or pose a risk of it happening should I or someone else make a mistake is out of the window. I go on the assumption I'd be lucky if that didn't happen.
• Fastest internet possible 😊
• Cheap as possible, ideally without a 2 year contract but sadly people in charge of BT and PlusNet obviously failed their Business Studies courses and don't understand it puts people off. It is good for the company, but not for the consumer.

[#12]

Bad form replying to myself, but BT Reacharound have just lifted the new cover up and are doing something to it.
Just looking out the window at what they are doing as I type this 🤔