Move router to use Voip before switchover

[#1]

My router is hard to get at in the loft and only WIfI normally used! I have only just found out that Plusnet isn't providing Voip. I have 3 old phones connected around the house none near the router! Do I need to change provider and if so does anyone know a deal that will extend the Openreach wiring through a ceiling and a wall?

I need to keep at least 1 preferably 2 landlines working as one user in the house finds using a smart phone difficut.. Am I right that I need fully Dect phones and instead of plugging into the wall as now; I have to obtain an ATA. Will this have to be near the router?

Wuz

[#2]

@Wuz Your router will have to be repositioned, It will need to be within 1m of a double power socket, and, unless your loft is fully boarded and easily accessible, on the ground floor. Where does your current phone line enter the property? You can use another VoIP provider - Andrews&Arnold are very  well thought of on these forums.

I will leave the VoIP provision side of your query to other more knowledgable contributors.

[#3]

@Wuz 

You have some time to play with to figure out what to do.

You can change ISP to one who does both phone and internet but the phone service would almost certainly be digital (VOIP).

Alternatively you can move your phone service to an independant VOIP provider while retaining PN for internet.

Either way the router in the loft is going to be a problem.

You could ask BT to move the Master Socket (assuming it's in the loft) but I believe this would cost about £160. Also house extensions won't work so some form of DECT phone would be required.

Don't suppose there's any chance of FTTP coming your way soon? Do you use PN e-mail?

Brian

[#4]

Thanks Jab1

The wire comes from the BT pole about 30 metres to the the apex of the bungalows roof. It then runs about 2 metres within the mostly boardedloft. It is near a hatch but needs to be on the ground floor.

As the Fibre Cabinet is about 1.5 miles away so speed is only about 19mb.

I will see what Openreach would charge to move it.

Regards

Wuz

[#5]

@Wuz In that case, I would hope the installer would run the Full Fibre cable from the pole exactly as your phone cable does now , and then down to ground level and through the wall . Do you have a suitable mains power socket on that, or adjacent, wall? There should be no charge for this, as your current master socket is redundant.

Scrap the above - I misread above. If you are not getting Full Fibre , but are only concerned about the impending PSTN switch-off, @bmc 's reply is correct.

[#6]

Hi Brian,

No chance of FTTP in the village but I have will plan on only one VOIP phone as the current setup just about copes with 3 computers, a smart TV and Xbox all running!

Wuz

[#7]

Hi jab1,

Would it be worth having fibre to the road pole as it goes in copper, mostly underground I beleive for about up to about 2 miles. Not sure of the route it takes nor how much is underground.

Wuz

[#8]

@Wuz I assume you are on an FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) service at the moment? In which case, no change is required - or possible.

[#9]

Hi jab1,

Thanks for the correction. Don't know how to edit delete my reply!

Wuz

[#10 · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

I have found out there is a meeting next month in a nearby town so I will attend that.

It's only about 20 years since some of the underground aluminium cable corroded away and was replaced by copper!

Thanks to all, I will need to go to sleep soon

Wuz

[#11]

@Wuz 

For information you can edit a reply for up to 15 minutes after it's posted.

Have a look at www.openreach.com and see if they have anything planned for your location.

If FTTP isn't coming and there are no other plans then you're stuck with what you have. You will need to get the master socket moved to make it accessable for VOIP. An additonal (not cheap) option is to get a second line installed at the same time for a second internet account. This would be internet only.

I suggest this given your current speeds and device usage plus your need for some sort of phone service.

Finally VOIP doesn't work during power cuts. What's you mobile signal like?

Brian

[#12]

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@jab1 wrote:

@Wuz Your router will have to be repositioned, 

---

Why?

I know that some ISPs provide a hub with a built in ATA but their use is not mandatory. Third party ATAs are stand alone and can be connected using a WiFi bridge such as a simple extender with an Ethernet output. Some ISPs, such a BT/EE will also give a free issue remote wireless ATA on request. These look like a power brick fitted with a phone socket. They are connected wirelessly to the hub via WPS but interestingly continue working with the hub wireless switched off.

[#13]

I went down the second line route for various reasons, including an inconvenient (but not in the loft!) master socket location, then terminated the "old" line. Overall the cheapest and safest option. The sequence was roughly:

1. Order new SOGEA/FTTC line from Plusnet (£50 installation charge, new free HubTwo router)

2. Openreach turn up, run new cable down house from existing overhead at the eaves, using spare cores in the drop wire. fed cable through pre-drilled hole made by me and fitted new master socket exactly where I wanted it.

3. SOGEA went live, I started using it for broadband. Three times faster than my old ADSL line at roughly the same price.

4. Acquired Digital phone equipment and connected base unit to Hub2 via Ethernet. Created an account with A&A and set up a new (local to me) number. Tested and proved working.

5. Cancelled my old PlusNet ADSL contract a few days later. As my POTS phone line was with BT that continued to work.

6. Asked A&A to transfer my POTS phone number to them. Took a few days, worked fine, automatically terminated BT contract.

7.Configured my (new) VOIP phones for my landline numbers via A&A.

8. Received refunds from both PlusNet and BT re the old contracts. Saving about £20 per month that I used to pay BT for line rental.

If you do something similar but have a combined phone/broadband contract on the current (loft) line you may need to do the cancellation/transfer slightly differently to retrain the old number, if you need to.

On the face of it that's cheaper than asking for the master socket to be moved, but you may have in-contract penalties. I was "out of contract" all round so no penalties and actually was refunded prepayments back to the real termination dates, i.e. effectively no notice required.

[#14]

The simplest way is just to remove the extension wiring from the master socket I presume the router is connected to, reterminate the ends and plug into the ATA or roter if you choose anothe supplier with digital voice.

[#15]

With respect to multiple handsets, rejigging the extension wiring is the cheapest solution but not everyone is happy playing with wiring. The simplest solution is to buy a DECT phone or the digital equivalent, with multiple handsets.