Porting Landline number after FTTP install

[#1]

Hi,

We've just upgraded to FTTP which was installed and set-up by Openreach yesterday (27/08/24) and working fine.

I know Plusnet don't do VOIP/Digital Voice so I want to port over the old Landline number to a VOIP provider (Andrews and Arnold).

I have previously set up an A&A account with seperate VOIP service/number. Now when requesting to port our old landline number via A&A I'm getting emails from Plusnet saying I'm requesting to leave the Fibre service! I do not want to leave Plusnet I just want to port the number over!

Can anyone assist, I have tried ringing but didn't get far. A&A have been helpful but say I need to speak to Plusnet to make sure they understand I just want the Landline number ported.

Thanks in advance.

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to My Account / Billing

[#3]

We're you previously on FTTC? This is still reference as Fibre. Is this still working? Also, no phone number is provided with FTTP line, so hopefully they are talking about the FTTC line.

[#4]

@Spudgun 

Couple of thoughts.

It might just be the PN system hadn't caught up with the Full fibre upgrade so thought the line was still in use.

Secondly, by any chance did you start the port prior to FTTP going live?

I'm afraid you'll probably have to call Support again unless a staff member picks up on here quickly.

Brian

[#5]

Hi Mystreet1,

Thanks for the reply.

We were previoulsy on old ADSL/copper.

This was taken down under the install to Full Fibre/FTTP yesterday.

I know Plusnet do not provide VOIP/Digital Voice and I think they want you to swap to BT or EE if you want to keep an existing landline number as VOIP.

I've been with Plusnet from near the start and don't really want to swap, I just want to port our old Landline number to Andrews and Arnold.

Trouble is when requesting to port the old landline number via A&A Plusnet send 'Sorry you are leaving' emails thinking I want to leave altogether which I don't.

I hope that helps.

Kind regards.

[#6]

@Spudgun since your upgrade to FTTP only completed yesterday, I suspect your landline phone hasn't been ceased yet. So your Plusnet account still has the landline associated with it. You SHOULD be ok to port , but I'd be inclined to hold off until the cease completes.

[#7]

Hi Brian,

I suspect you are right, I did try the port very early this morning but I never completed the request via A&A as the 'Sorry your leaving' email from Plusnet popped up so got worried.

Literally 4 minutes after the 'leaving' email I got an email confirmation from Plusnet my Fibre had all been installed and ready to go so possibly was probably 4 minutes too early!

I did try the port again a few hours ago on A&A suggestions but still get the same 'Sorry your leaving' email from Plusnet albeit now it says I'm on the Full Fibre contract and the pentalies for leaving that.

Unfortunately Phone support was not brilliant as it seems being such an old customer they have trouble even recognising me!

It would be great if a Staff Member on here could help, all I want is to check to make sure I don't get my Fibre switched and just allow my old Landline number to be ported.

Thanks for your Post!

[#8]

Hi MisterW,

Thanks for that.

Is there anyway of checking or knowing when the cease completes and it will be OK to Port?

Could be it's just standard practice to send a 'Sorry you're leaving' email no matter what you do and I'm paranoid!

It's only because of the forum that I knew about A&A so grateful for that!

Kind regards,

Colin

[#9]

@Spudgun TBH I'm surprised you got a 'sorry you are leaving' message at all, as you say you didn't complete the port request. I don't think your PN account has fully completed the transition to FTTP yet.

When an account is migrated to FTTP, the Plusnet system creates two orders on Openreach, one to install FTTP and a 2nd one to cease the landline. The 2nd order is 'held' until the FTTP order is completed on the Openreach system. It is then 'released' to complete the following day. This is so that if anything gets delayed on the FTTP install, the existing services don't get cancelled.

As to checking when the line is ceased , I'm not sure but I'd try dialling 17070. If the line is still active it should report 'this circuit is defined as' your number. Once its ceased it should not report that.

[#10]

Also, don't forget that you have 30 days to port a ceased line, and A&A are very good at dealing with ceased lines.

[#11]

Thanks again MisterW.

When requesting a Landine port via A&A the new 'One Touch Switching' seems to ping the old provider and then you have to confirm you agreed to the terms the old provider sends via email on the switch.

I didn't agree to it as Plusnet sent a 'Sorry you're leaving' email to say they were switching the whole lot!

Thanks for that insight on the ordering system, that sort of makes a bit more sense.

In theroy then when porting, if the number has been ceased, you shouldn't in theory get a 'Sorry you are leaving' email as Plusnet have dropped it, other than it needs to held in limbo for 30 days before being reassigned or ditched completely according to OFCOM? I assume there should be some sort of different email? You know what assuming does though haha!

Thanks for the 17070 tip, unfortunately the old copper line was removed on install so can't dial anything on that line. I've tried ringing the number thinking there might be some sort of disconnected tone or message but it's just dead.

I'll try again tomorrow but won't hold my breathe!

If some staff can help in the meantime that would be great, I just want to make sure that my Fibre is not switched only my old landline number is ceased and available for porting.

Thanks again MisterW!

[#12]

Hi Mystreet1

Yes I've been impressed with A&A, I had a long conversation with a sales guy today and they seem to be like Plusnet used to be before they got bought out by BT...i.e. customer satisfaction driven. Ringing Plusnet earlier was not so fruitful!

I was trying get the port done ASAP as my elderly mother uses the landline to speak to an ill elderly relative and changing numbers is not going to be easy for them and Mobiles are bit of a dead loss around here with poor signal.

I got a new VOIP number via A&A which was dead easy it's just this porting an old number which is a pain....or rather making sure they don't switch everything elsewhere because the Landline number is associated with the account!

Thanks again.

[#13]

@Spudgun 

Does your mobile provider support WiFi calling? If it does you're home and dry with Full Fibre.

Brian

[#14 · Accepted solution]

Hi BMC,

If only life was so simple regarding Wifi calling 🤣

Thanks for the suggestion.

Anyway just to update looks like I got this finally sorted and A&A have come back with a confirmed 'accepted port' date for 5th Sept.

Thanks to all and hopefully can add some info gained regarding Porting Landlines from Plusnet with the help from people on here, Plusnet Support and Andrews and Arnold Sales. This is in addition to the excellent guides that are available when searching on the forum although things keep changing such as the recently introduced to the industry 'One touch' porting system supposedly to make things easier and quicker but still has some teething problems.

So a few points or issues I found:

1) If you get the 'Sorry you're leaving Plusnet' email do not ring the number they put on the email regarding 'if something isn't right and you want to speak to someone'.

Unbelieveably and after doing some retrospective checks, the number on the email is not a Plusnet number, it's a BT/EE number and the guy I spoke didn't even recognise my Plusnet Account Number and I suspect now was trying to access my defunct several years old BT account! I did even ask 'you are Plusnet aren't you' after seemingly getting nowhere and they said they were BT/EE but deal with Plusnet...but they clearly don't!

It explains why I couldn't get past the security questions because I suspect they were looking at the wrong account.
Ring the Support number on the Plusnet website, far more joy!

2) In theory you can Port your old Landline number the following day from the install but it's probably best to wait a couple of days after the Fibre is installed just to make sure the Landline number has been dropped (i.e. couple of days following the 'Now up and running installation of Fibre' confirmation email from Plusnet or the contract start date on your account). Apparently Plusnet associate Fibre orders and accounts with the Landline number so if you ask to port before they may assume you are switching your whole account. This is the initial issue I had by requesting a port too early!

According to Plusnet Support the Landline number should be dropped the same time as the install is classed as completed but as MisterW points out above it looks like there are 2 orders, one to install the Fibre and the other to 'drop' the associated Landline number so both need to be classed as completed.

3) Probably not essential but for peace of mind it's probably best to ring Plusnet Support (when ringing I used the Ongoing Order option) and confirm you are going to port the old Landline number only and you do not wish to leave the Fibre service. That way if they do accidentally drop you off the new Fibre thinking you are leaving you have a recorded message in the system as proof you didn't want to leave. Reconnections of the ONT can take as little as 20 minutes if they do mess up.

4) If you get a 'Sorry you're leaving Plusnet' email then this can be ignored especially if you have followed the above. Plusnet Support said this an automated email and can happen sometimes, A&A sales confirmed they heard the same and they also said Sky are bad for doing it too. It shouldn't be sent but is automated.

I never got any message when porting a couple of days later, I only got them on the following day from the Fibre install.

Anyway sorted now, again thanks all!

Cheers,

Colin