Will plusnet provide a voip landline service?

[#1]

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@Townman wrote:

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Apparently there has been a "soft" introduction of SOGEA for EXISTING users renewing OVER THE TELEPHONE.

SOGEA is broadband only (no voice service) over full (ADSL) or part (FTTC) copper circuits.

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But does that mean we can now transfer our number to a SIP provider without loss of phone line?

[#2]

Number portability through quarantine and return to range holder is a very distinct consideration. AIUI under Ofcom rules from April 2023 CPs are supposed to facilitate number portability for 31 days after the service is ceased.

[#3]

Like (peterhr, post a couple of weeks ago) my 67Mb FTTC plus phone (with all-inclusive calls) contract is due to end in a few months time. Mine started at £25 pcm, currently £30 which at the time was a price match to ‘Now Broadband’. Mine also will be £54+ after contract and I too really can't be arsed to renegotiate with retentions. I wanted to stay with Plusnet for continuity and the few quid a month I get from referrals and to be fair I’ve had no real issues with Plusnet in over 20 years – until now!

Being a bit old school I want to have a landline AND keep my existing number for various valid reasons. A number of my neighbours already have FTTP, at least one has SKY with a landline (VOIP I assume), my location is such that I could have FTTP up to 900Mb.

Since Plusnet contracts, for me at least, have for a long time been 2 years I’m wondering if they will offer me a 2 year renewal when my current one ends given that that will take me very close to PSTN switch off. Assuming my local (PSTN) exchange hasn’t been switched off before then. I doubt that PSTN will ALL be switched off at the same time on the same date! It’s looking likely I’ll have to move to Sky or similar given BT’s pricing!!

Another point of interest is the ‘forest’ of wires coming from local poles getting to be very unsightly (to me anyway), due to the fact that FTTP customers still have copper to the premises despite the fact that they are redundant!. In at least one case Openreach told my neighbour that they weren’t allowed to remove the old wire – if true why so? Don’t they know how much scrap copper is fetching! The stupidity of that is my neighbour has two identical brackets on his eaves spaced about a foot apart each with a cable going to the same pole !!!!

There’s a lot of comment and speculation that Plusnet will become a cheap and cheerful broadband only supplier appendage to BT. Maybe, no doubt the men in suits or should I say the bean counters at BT will have done their sums comparing those they can persuade to move to BT with it’s expensive packages compared with those they will lose to Sky etc. then again maybe one day soon Plusnet customers will suddenly find they’ve become BT customers overnight without the option, at least until their current contracts end.

 It could very well all end up as a case of Plusnet 1996 – 2023 R.I.P.

[#4]

@Batfrog 

Are you confusing the switch off of the PSTN, (Public Switched Telephone Network), with the roll-out of FTTP?

They are completely different things. Those people/areas that have not been upgraded to FTTP will still be able to have a telephone service via VOIP, (as you say), on their FTTC connection.

"Don’t they know how much scrap copper is fetching!"

I don't know if it is still the case, but I think that the "dropwire", the term for the cable between pole and house, was actually made of Copper Coated Steel - because"pure" copper would stretch under its own weight and sag.

[#5]

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@Mr_Paul wrote:

They are completely different things. Those people/areas that have not been upgraded to FTTP will still be able to have a telephone service via VOIP, (as you say), on their FTTC connection.

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Yes, you can have VoIP over FTTC (or ADSL) as well as FTTP, but not with Plusnet.

[#6]

@corringham 

"but not with Plusnet"

At the moment.

That is does not mean that the option won't become available from PN closer to PSTN switch off though, does it?  🤔

I don't know how much technical work would be involved for PN to add this service and therefore how much lead time would be required for a decision?

For example, AIUI, the Plusnet Hub2's telephone socket is completely inactive? Whereas BT's similar SmartHub2 does have the feature, so the code is available and could be make an update to the PN router's firmware.

[#7]

No, I’m not confusing PSTN & FTTP. I am aware they are quite separate even down to the cable they are supplied through, which is kind of the point. Plusnet aren’t [currently] offering VOIP which is a bit odd as I’ve read that the Plusnet 2 router is a re-badged BT Smart Hub 2 router which does have VOIP built in.

Stop-sell of copper-based products is allegedly ending in September but as I understand it Plusnet have stopped already ? not totally sure about that, it may only be true where FTTP is available. However, if I put my next door neighbour’s address in to Plusnet to see what’s available only FTTP is offered. I know their current ISP is the Post Office and it’s same pole as mine. The point being no landline is offered. Of course Plusnet may well continue to supply my landline until my exchange ends PSTN.

I take your point about copper coated steel but that still doesn’t explain why it’s being left in place when it’s redundant. Ny comment was sarcasm really.

I’m trying to read up on the subject so as to have decided what to do before my current contract expires as I’ve no intention of paying £54 for something I’m currently paying £30 for! The best current option would seem to be Plusnet FTTP and a separate VOIP supplier.

[#8]

which is a bit odd as I’ve read that the Plusnet 2 router is a re-badged BT Smart Hub 2 router which does have VOIP built in.

Changing the router firmware is the trivial bit!.  It's the infrastructure and development to provide the voip service and training people to support it that is the major cost.

[#9]

I vaguely recall a suggestion that the all important chip is missing too!

[#10]

I agree they 'might' offer VOIP at a later date but what about contracts ending soon like mine. Most new contracts are for 2 years so  I'd be locked in to a new provider and Plusnet would lose another customer. If the customer base falls too low BT could decide Hmm' ...................

[#11]

You could well be correct but my gusee it's just firmware. A bit like my Ford car, a number of features wer turned off in the firmware but not anymore !!!!

[#12]

@Batfrog 

Copper is being removed where's it economical to do so.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/06/openreach-to-extract-200-tonnes-of-uk-copper-cable-in-...

Brian

[#13]

In other words, the copper recovery is unlikely to be over visible. It will largely be the e-side trunk cables.

[#14]

@Batfrog 

"If the customer base falls too low BT could decide Hmm' ..................."

Yes, but would the question be whether Plusnet should start offering VOIP to avoid losing any more customers, or whether to close Plusnet completely?

Hmm....  🤔

[#15]

A very good article. Non the less I would have thought it was more economic to remove the old cable while the man was up the pole rather than a return visit.

I would also have thought that it would be good customer relations to remove it and re-use the bracket on the house instead of drilling more holes just to accommodate a redundant cable!