About to move to FTTP

[#1]

Having just recently had FTTP made available, I am currently swithering about which provider to stay/go with for my broadband and phone connection.

There is much for me to consider, being in a remote location that suffers from relatively frequent and prolonged power interruptions. I currently have a copper connection for broadband and the same for the telephone. During a power cut, I rely on the copper line for emergency calls. I make little use of a mobile phone and most of my contacts have the landline number on record. Ideally, I would stay with Plusnet for FTTP and VOIP (with the same telephone number) but Plusnet do not offer VOIP!

I have yet to make up my mind about which way to go but I have to say that Plusnet have been most helpful in providing relevant information and have been very easy to contact by telephone.

In my experience, compared to other service providers, Plusnet Customer Service is far superior, and recognition of this is my purpose in posting this.

I do not spend much time on forums, so please do not expect me to reply to any comments.

[#2]

Hey there @bobmaccor thank you for getting in touch with us and for your lovely comments! 

Although Plusnet doesn’t have a VoIP service, our sister companies EE and BT do provide broadband with a digital voice product as well. Furthermore, as you mentioned your area is being affected by frequent power outages, you may want to consider to purchase a power back-up unit, further information can also be found on the below links:

EE - https://store.ee.co.uk/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--smart-hub--115476-H...

BT - https://www.businessdirect.bt.com/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--openreac...

The only thing I need to draw your attention on, is that these units will only support Hubs on the BT and/or EE network.

Please let me know if there's anything else I may be able to assist with today
 

[#3]

@bobmaccor 

If you move to BT / EE through PN they will transfer free of any early termination charges. If nearing the end of your contract have a look at other ISP's line Zen Internet. They have a good reputation.

Note that leaving PN will cost you any PN email addresses you may have.

As mentioned. you also need to look at power back up units. Both the ONT and Router would need power.

Brian

[#4]

Hello Tina11192 and thanks for the reply.

I have just emailed support@plus.net wth a further query and so there is probably little point in repeating it here. However, as you mention the EE backup units, please note that these will allegedly only last for one hour and would not therefore of much use in an extended power cut (scheduled power cuts here have a duration of eight hours). You also state that these UPS units only support Hubs on the BT and/or EE network.

I note that the South African company of "LALELA" supposedly sell a unit that can support hubs for up to eight hours in the event of "load shedding". Would it not be appropriate for EE/BT/Plusnet to offer a similar unit within the UK? In the absence of such, can you provide more detail of the EE/BT hubs and which adaptors might be available for them for use with alternative UPSs?

Regards. bobmaccor

[#5]

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@bobmaccor wrote:

I have just emailed support@plus.net wth a further query and so there is probably little point in repeating it here.

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@bobmaccor 

In case you're wondering why you haven't received a reply, PN support don't use email. 

[#6]

Thank you for your reply @bobmaccor I am trained on all Plusnet only I'm afraid, so my knowledge is slim when it come to EE or BT, I would contact either of them directly as they would have more in depth knowledge and by doing so, you'd get the most accurate information, I left their contact details below for you: 

BT: 03301234150

EE: 03301231105

[#7]

My FIL was with BT and had a UPS for the router only. Whilst that is ok for FTTC, it will not work on FTTP as the ONT needs power as well.
Look on a shopping site for UPS. Also I sure that somewhere on here there was a post about this very matter and what UPS to purchase for both the router and ONT. They are not cheap

Edit found it

https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Battery-Backup-ONT-and-Router/m-p/1973...

[#8]

@bobmaccor 

You can use any power backup you like so long as the power output is correct and you have the correct connectors.

What type of phone do you have - analogue or Dect? Do you use house extensions?

Finally, does your mobile provider support WiFi calling?

Brian

[#9]

mystreet1:

Thanks mystreet1 - have followed the link.

bmc:

Agreed - getting the power output and connector information is the difficulty so far.

My current thinking, for a variety of reasons, is to stay with PN for FTTP broadband and keep the "PN copper telephone" until it is eventually phased out but I am awaiting confirmation from PN that they can do this. The PN website states that upgrading to FTTP means losing the "copper telephone" although my understanding from telephone conversations with PN is that both FTTP Broadband and retention of the "copper telephone" can be achieved with PN.

[#10]

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@bobmaccor wrote: although my understanding from telephone conversations with PN is that both FTTP Broadband and retention of the "copper telephone" can be achieved with PN.

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Totally wrong understanding - if you move to FTTP - with anyone - your 'copper' phone service is disconnected, as  FTTP is delivered over a different technology, and cable.

[#11]

Thanks John.

Needless to say, that makes a tremendous difference to my thinking. Back to the "drawing board".

[#12]

@bobmaccor 

If your mobile provider supports mobile calling and you sort power backup out then have a look at A&A for VOIP (staying with PN for Full Fibre).

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

I believe it is £15 for the number port and then £1.44 a month. However they're not so good on outgoing calls - they don't have any calling plans. Plus you need to sort your phone out - you may need an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter - which requires power).

Brian

[#13]

Thanks Brian.

I am beginning to think that a migration to EE within my existing PN contract, inclusive of VOIP with my current telephone number, is the easiest (although not cheapest) option. I will have to switch my mobile (which I currently hardly ever use) to EE as the "power loss emergency number backup". EE provides the best mobile coverage in the area as well so it makes a kind of sense.

[#14]

@bobmaccor 

There isn't a good answer to your problem.

Unless you badly need the increased speed and (generally) improved reliability for FTTP I would stick with your current broadband.

To keep the copper landline, you could (potentially) get an additional FTTP service while retaining the Plusnet broadband and phone. In practice (while under contract) there probably isn't a great deal of difference between the cost of a phone line only (which you can't now buy) and your current broadband.

Overall, however, it would be perhaps £25/month (the cost of an Openreach based FTTP service) more expensive.

[#15]

Hi Mark.

Where I am located I currently get about 6MBs download and about 0.5MBs upload, so a move to FTTP would be an enormous benefit. The copper network gets trashed in 2027 anyway and so keeping the "copper telephone" for emergency purposes, although desireable in the short term, is inevitably not a long term option. Although I have been a long term customer of PN and have little to complain about their past service, I think that I will probably have to make the switch to EE. If PN were to offer VOIP in the near future then there might be some benefit of staying with the existing "copper contract" until that time but there has been no mention by PN of such a thing happening.