Porting PSTN analogue phone numbers to digital (for VoIP) without changing their service.

[#1]

My question relates to ADSL & FTTC broadband customers who wish to switch to a digital phone, without having to change their service.

As part of the plan to cease PSTN services by the end of 2025, Openreach (and possibly BT also) will have to designate a new unique identifier to properties whose service is currently identified by the analogue phone number.

Once this is done, customers should be able to either cancel the analogue phone service, or move the number to the cloud for use with VoIP service, WITHOUT having to terminate their existing broadband service.

Many customers may be happy with their ADSL & FTTC broadband service, as I am, and should not be forced onto FTTP in order to get a digital phone line. I went to a lot of effort running a the ADSL (unfiltered) line from my NTE5 master socket to another room, where I had power for the router, as my property, like many built before the internet, has no power by the master socket in the hallway. These properties make choosing FTTP more challenging, as the modem requires power, and running a fibre cable to the nearest power socket may not be practical.

Does anyone know about timeframe for transition from the analogue phone number identification to digital only?

What are Plusnet plans for customers who want to migrate their analogue number to another VoIP provider, rather than having it bundled in with their Plusnet broadband service?

As I currently have a VoIP provider, I would like to move my analogue number to them without having to go down the SOGEA route, as this requires activating another copper pair, and broadband service, before cancelling the existing service, just in order to free up the analogue number.

Many thanks

[#2]

@bgiles 

I can only speak for the here and now, not what PlusNet may do in the future.

For FTTC PN require you to have a phone and internet service combined. When PSTN is finally shown the door your FTTC will continue to use the copper line from the cabinet to your house to supply phone (VOIP) and internet. Presumably PN will have to do something about the phone service before this happens.

At present PN systems use the phone number for ADSL & VDSL services - it is the account identifier on their system. You'll not be allowed to move it without cancelling your PN account (at present - who knows in the future).

Brian

[#3]

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@bgiles wrote:

Does anyone know about timeframe for transition from the analogue phone number identification to digital only?

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There will be no big bang with every-one being swapped on a specefic date. It will happen eexchange by exchange over many years. VoIP as you know works perfectly well on a copper connection. The move to 'digital phones' is totally separate to the roll out of FTTP. 

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@bgiles wrote:

What are Plusnet plans for customers who want to migrate their analogue number to another VoIP provider, rather than having it bundled in with their Plusnet broadband service?

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Plusnet do not share their unannounced future plans on this forum. So the official response at the moment will be: "we have no information to share"

[#4]

Thank you both for your valuable input.

Whilst I didn't anticipate a 'big bang' with regards to lines being moved to digital identification, I would imaging that this will be under the control of Openreach, and maybe one exchange at a time.

My hope is that, even if unannounced, we'll see this change on our account in some form, and maybe at that point, offered to opportunity to switch to digital phone, or even port the number over to another provider, leaving just the broadband service with Plusnet, be it ADSL or FTTC.

I also completely understand that a move to FTTP will force this scenario, and should include the option to retain the number for use as digital only.

Whilst no announcement has been made by Plusnet as yet, am I permitted to leave this topic open to allow others to contribute any new news?

Regards