Split phone number (move to VoIP) from broadband

[#1]

Next I need to tackle the broadband change, which I'll attempt today. I'm inclined to start a new account/package for FTTP, and then port her existing LL number to A&A once that's up and running. Of course, she'll gave a bit of phone downtime, but hopefully this is a once and final change.

@aks100 if you don't mind the short period when you are paying for both services, then that is the 'least risk' and downtime scenario. I did this for a family member recently. You order FTTP as a new account , making sure that you select 'keep existing services' (as the system will spot the fact that the address already has them), then when FTTP is installed you simply request the number port. The number is still active at this point so there no possibility of the port initially failing, and having to be done manually. The number port will automatically cancel the old Plusnet phone and broadband account.

There need not be any downtime at all. With the N300 you can install it now, since it can handle a landline as well. If you setup the A & A account in advance, then you can also configure the N300 for this. So when the port completes, incoming calls instantly get changed from the landline to the voip account but are still received by the N300, no downtime!. There is probably one change you need to make and that is to set the default line (fixed or voip) for outgoing calls on the N300

NB one other thing, if YOU have a PN account, make sure you specify it as the referrer on the new account ( you'll get £1.25/m credit )

[#2]

@Anonymous 

Within minutes I had my Gigaset VoIP DECT base configured, and it was obvious from the Gigaset status, and from the A&A equivalent of the "Member Centre" status, that my VoIP connection and equipment was registered and working (without having a phone number assigned).

I did that with a family member recently. They already had an N300 with landline and another voip account. Creating the  A & A account and configuring it on the N300 showed initially registered. However , some time later it failed registration and it did not register again until the port completed. Seems there was a short window where the A & A system didn't recognise there was no number associated with the account, once it did, it wouldn't register until a number was associated.

[#3]

@aks100 

If you do go down the FTTP route I would look to be there on the day just in case any decisions need to be made on location of the ONT etc.

If you are there then you can set up the VOIP equipment so it's ready and then port the phone number immediately FTTP is working.

Brian

[#4]

@MisterW , for the two weeks that I was waiting for my landline port, I was upgrading modem, router, access points, UPS, VoIP setup, vlans, house cabling, IPv6, /30 WAN IP routing, a Minecraft server, a Proxmox server, and tidying up 20+ years of incremental network bodges,  so I must have been checking my no-number VoIP connection probably every day and I never saw the N300 VoIP registration fail.  Maybe I was just lucky ?

[#5]

@Anonymous 

Maybe I was just lucky ?

Strange , maybe!. I was handling this for my B-i-L , I'd initally added the new A & A account to his N300 via remote access and it registered and I logged into his A & A account and checked. Also double-checked by adding his account to my N300, also showing registered. Then disabled the account on my N300 leaving his active. Unfortunatey he was due to be away from home a few days prior and on the day of the port. So the day before the port I enabled the account on my N300 to check everything was ok, and it wouldnt register. Slight panic, but then again nothing I could do!. So on the day of port when he was notified of port completion by A & A, tried again on my N300 and it registered. Then fully tested by calling his number and letting it go to voicemail.

When thinking about it afterwards, it made sense, since if it allowed registration without a number, what would it do if you tried to make a call ? Would it fail and with what error, it certainly hasn't got any CLI to present with the call.

[#6]

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@aks100 wrote:

... and everything works fine - including adding existing Panasonic DECT phones to the N300A base. So far, so good.

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@aks100 

Although the Panasonic handsets have registered with the N300A you will likely find they will not work with all its features, e.g. dialling plans.  YMMV.

[#7]

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@MisterW wrote:

... if it allowed registration without a number, what would it do if you tried to make a call ?

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I tried that, and obviously there was no dial tone, so subsequent button presses did nothing.

[#8]

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@MisterW wrote:

When thinking about it afterwards, it made sense, since if it allowed registration without a number, what would it do if you tried to make a call ? Would it fail and with what error, it certainly hasn't got any CLI to present with the call.

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It's possible to register accounts from the Finarea / Betamax / Dellmont stable of VoIP plans which don't give you a number and still make calls, but obviously no number = no CLI presented.

However they give you the option to register any number you can prove you 'own' (by a simple ring-back and OTP number entry to confirm), although you can still make outbound calls without that step. 

Edit:  link added

[#9]

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@aks100 wrote:

... and everything works fine - including adding existing Panasonic DECT phones to the N300A base. So far, so good.

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@aks100  have you tried copying your contacts list between handsets using the N300  ?

[#10]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@MisterW wrote:

... if it allowed registration without a number, what would it do if you tried to make a call ?

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I tried that, and obviously there was no dial tone, so subsequent button presses did nothing.

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Different device, but DrayTek VoIP routers have a 'check-box option' which allows you to make outgoing calls from an unregistered (so no dial tone) SIP account.

That's very useful for accounts which only allow registration from a single device at a time; obviously the account credentials must be correctly set up for the call to succeed.

[#11]

It's possible to register accounts from the Finarea / Betamax / Dellmont stable of VoIP plans which don't give you a number and still make calls, but obviously no number = no CLI presented.

However they give you the option to register any number you can prove you 'own' (by a simple ring-back and OTP number entry to confirm), although you can still make outbound calls without that step. 

@RobPN yes, I've got a Localphone account with similar functionality. However, A & A as a UK registered CP is subject to Ofcom GC's and therefore (I believe?) is obliged to supply a valid CLI on all calls

[#12]

Thanks Rob, I had read that the device specific 'features' would not work, so it's a basic GAP DECT connection. That's fine. as they are just handsets for 'convenience' answering around the house (and the extra ringing out loud 🤣).

All outgoing calls and voicemail etc, will be directly with the new Gigaset handset.

The whole setup appears to work well, although only used for a few mins to test the setup.

I will plug it also in to mu landline later, and will do that at the MIL ahead of switchover, as well as be there on installation day - that will be a necessity 😀!

[#13]

Thank you, I will definitely have to be there!

With the ONT position, her current copper line is fed from a pole across the street, and enters the front of the house, appearing in the middle of the house where she has a master socket for the router and phone handset. The house is old, with floorboards downstairs, the line probably runs under them.

Do you know my options for the ONT in this scenario?

Or I could keep it simple and move to broadband only hopefully switch to SoGEA and extract the LL number, however, A&A raised some concern here and strongly suggested I switch to full fibre.

[#14]

@aks100 

The ONT needs to be near a power socket, The router is connected by an ethernet cable so can go wherever you're happy running cable.

There is leeway in where the ONT goes but you only find out for certain on the day. A good installer will work with you. The starting point is the wire from the pole. If it attaches to the front of the house then you've a good chance of getting the ONT anywhere on the front internal wall. It would probably need a new hole drilled through. A box is also installed on the outside.

Brian

[#15]

The BT broadband availability checker is partially very unuseful if trying to investigate a proprty you may be interested in purchasing. Especially when you know the landline number and the property is not liable to get FTTP anytime soon.

Example...

Any phone number commecing with any digit is flagged as invalid. (Leding zero example, but leaving off the leading zero has exactly the same result). Completing the phone number doesn't change the result.