Moving homephone to a VOIP service

[#1]

What is the 'correct' way of moving my homephone number to a VOIP service.

I have been contacted to tell me that FTTP is available but I can't use my homephone with that. I don't want to lose the number so an option would be to move it to a VOIP provider.

Can this be done without interfering with my current FTTC broadband connection?

Once the phone is sorted out I can go ahead an upgrade the FTTC to FTTP.

Maybe I have this all wrong, is there a better way to achieve the same thing?

[#2]

@Mac_Owens 

If you want PlusNet FTTP then you can't "port" your number to a VOIP service. This terminates your account (and service) and would cancel any FTTP order in the pipeline.

Only way to keep your number is to move to an ISP that does internet and phone. BT do and you can move free of any termination charges (I believe) if you phone PlusNet first and say you want to go to BT to keep your number.

Moving ISP will terminate any PlusNet email addresses you use.

Brian

[#3]

Thats a bummer!

Do you happen to know, if I move everyting to BT, can I then move my homephone to VOIP?

[#4]

@Mac_Owens 

You'd need to ask BT about that.

To move you phone the PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 to ask them to waive any charges. If they agree they then transfer you to BT to place the order.

Depending on how long you have left on your contract you could wait until nearer the time and see if any other ISP catches your eye.

Brian

[#5]

Sorry to harp on about this but just to be clear (forgetting about FTTP for now) if I want to move my telephone number to a VOIP provider I can't do that, it will cease my complete package?

[#6]

Yes. Porting the landline number to VOIP ceases the landline. Any broadband that relies on the landline (FTTC or ADSL) will automatically be ceased and the associated PlusNet account closed.

[#7]

@Mac_Owens 

PlusNet have not handled the introduction of FTTP well (in my opinion). Once the corporate decision was taken not to offer a phone service with FTTP I suspect their systems can't handle keeping the account open for a couple of days to allow "porting" a number to a VOIP provider. The information provided around the day it was launched was woefully inadequate in relation to phone lines / numbers.

I assume PN email addresses are not a concern as you've not mentioned them.

For FTTP itself, how badly do you want / need it now. If you can wait until nearer the end of your contract it gives you more options as to which ISP to choose without major early exit fees.

If you can do without Internet for a few days you'll have even further choice. Say your contract ends on the 10th of the month. 30 days before hand give notice of termination. Then arrange to "port" your number to a VOIP service on the 8th. Finally order FTTP for an install on the 11th or 12th (perhaps even a new account with PN if they're doing new customers by then).

Brian

[#8]

That sounds like the voice of reason, Thanks

No interest in their email, I vaguely remember their email disaster 20 odd years ago and fortunately signed up for good hotmail/gmail accounts back then, it was Force9 back then.

I'm planning on doing as you say although I'm struggling to find a reason to stick with PN, they seem to have been outstanding in how badly the whole FTTP implementation has been rolled out, not least by the shady comment last week that "not only has your neighbourhood been chosen to get it way before everyone else, we even have an exclusive offer just for you" when it has been available for over 18 months.  I assume that some politics with BT has been at play but still.

[#9]

@Mac_Owens 

PlusNet FTTP only became available on the 25th May this year to existing customers.

When you say you're planning on doing what's been suggested can you specify. If it involves trying to "port" your number a couple of days before the account ceases and then get FTTP as a new customer I would mention it on here so you can get a staff member to monitor things - there are no guarentees in this game.

Brian

[#10]

I accept that Plusnet FTTP has only become available but that is not an infrastructure restriction, it is supplied via Openreach and it has been available since at least December 2020.

My plan is to migrate my landline to VOIP - and I'm also going to get a new broadband only FTTP from an as yet to be decided ISP (who uses Openreach).

I have a mobile internet solution as a backup if there are any gaps in the service.

Thanks for your help

[#11]

@Mac_Owens 

Sounds like a plan. Hope it all goes well when the time comes.

Brian

[#12]

As far as i know there are quite a few strict offcom rules and protections  regarding the "landline number"  porting/retaining etc

[#13]

Thank you for that, a simple search found the Ofcom rules you are talking about.

I'm not sure what happens if I have a broadband/phone service with either one or two companies and I decide to move my phone (number) away, the line has to have a number - can you have a line without a number, so I imagine the company providing the line can insist you buy a new number.

The world we live in now, you don't know when you can't do something, is it because someone says you can't do it or you just can't do it!

[#14]

@Mac_Owens, when you port your number away the line would be ceased, which would also cease any services running on it (ie broadband).

There is a process to do this called "export and renumber", but I've only ever heard of 1 ISP to will do this for you, and to do that you have to have your line and broadband with them, and then be moving to their VOIP.