@Dan_the_Van wrote:
I asked Google Gemini AI
Out of interest, I just asked an online AI the following question -
What is Plusnet's official position on how existing customers that only have ADSL broadband available to them, plan to continue having access to a home phone after 2025, when it is known that the network provider Openreach will be retiring PSTN landline phone services after December 2025, and that Plusnet don't provide ADSL services without a working telephone number associated with the copper wire landline that also provides the DSL broadband.
It answered -
Plusnet’s current stance is that it will cease offering home phone services entirely once the PSTN switch-off occurs, as its ADSL broadband packages are intrinsically tied to an active PSTN phone number for both service delivery and account management. Openreach, the network provider, will stop supporting analogue landlines by December 2025 (with potential delays to January 2027), replacing them with digital infrastructure where available (e.g., FTTC or FTTP). However, in areas limited to ADSL—where no fibre options exist—Plusnet has not committed to a clear solution that preserves both broadband access and a functional phone number post-PSTN retirement.
Historically, Plusnet’s ADSL service requires a working copper line with an associated phone number, even if the customer does not use the voice service. This number is critical for provisioning and maintaining the DSL connection. With the PSTN shutdown, the analogue voice capability of these lines will end, and Plusnet has confirmed it will not replace this with a VoIP or "Digital Voice" alternative, unlike BT or EE, which integrate such services into their offerings. Plusnet’s shift to a broadband-only provider model means it intends to decouple phone services from its portfolio, but for ADSL customers, this creates a problem: without the PSTN phone number, the existing service model collapses unless a replacement mechanism is introduced.
Plusnet’s official guidance, as per its website and community forums, suggests that after 2025, ADSL customers will either:
1. **Lose their phone number and service entirely** if no alternative broadband product (like Openreach’s Single Order Transition Access Product [SOTAP]) is adopted by Plusnet, or
2. **Transition to a broadband-only ADSL replacement** if Plusnet opts to support SOTAP or a similar product, which delivers DSL over copper without a PSTN voice component. However, Plusnet has not explicitly confirmed it will offer SOTAP, and even if it does, this would not include a phone service or preserve the existing number unless customers take additional steps.
For customers needing to retain home phone access, Plusnet advises exploring external options:
- **Third-party VoIP providers**: Customers could port their existing Plusnet-assigned phone number (before it’s lost) to a VoIP service like Vonage, Sipgate, or Andrews & Arnold. This requires separate hardware (e.g., an ATA) and a stable internet connection, but Plusnet does not facilitate this process or guarantee compatibility with its ADSL service.
- **Mobile alternatives**: Using mobile phones with Wi-Fi calling or apps, though this depends on local coverage and may not suit all users, especially in rural ADSL-only areas.
The technical challenge of insufficient bandwidth and QoS issues for VoIP over ADSL—remains a hurdle. ADSL speeds (typically 8-17 Mbps down, 0.5-1 Mbps up) can theoretically support VoIP (e.g., 100 Kbps per call), but Plusnet’s routers lack advanced QoS to prioritize voice traffic amidst other internet use. Low upload speeds, latency, and jitter can degrade call quality, particularly during peak usage, and Plusnet offers no solution to mitigate this, leaving customers to source third-party routers or expertise independently.
If Plusnet does not adopt SOTAP or a similar ADSL-only product, ADSL customers in non-fibre areas could lose both broadband and their phone number entirely unless they switch providers. Openreach’s SOTAP could allow broadband to continue without a PSTN line, but Plusnet’s silence on this option suggests it may not prioritize supporting legacy ADSL post-2025. Alternatively, customers could migrate to BT, which offers Digital Voice over FTTC or FTTP (where available) and may preserve their number, though this isn’t an option for ADSL-only zones.
In essence, Plusnet’s position is that it will not provide a direct replacement for the disappearing PSTN phone number or a VoIP service for ADSL customers. It expects them to either accept a broadband-only future (if feasible) or independently secure a VoIP solution despite the technical challenges of ADSL bandwidth. This reflects Plusnet’s pivot away from bundled services but leaves ADSL customers without a seamless path to retain both broadband and a phone number after 2025, effectively offloading the problem onto users or other providers.
