topic Re: Cancelling BT Landline in Broadband

Cancelling BT Landline

Knrill — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:43:36 GMT

We have a BT landline account and a Plusnet Broadband account, both accounts are indifferent names. If we cancel the BT landline account does the Plusnet Broadband still function? We no longer require the landline.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

corringham — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

Both ADSL and FTTC broadband require a landline, whether or not a PSTN phone service is present.

If you wish to keep Plusnet broadband, you could change your contract to SOGEA which is a FTTC service without phone. That would terminate your BT phone contract and keep your Plusnet broadband.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Knrill — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:59:39 GMT

Thanks Corringham, I knew that was the case but it's more about how I go about it. Do I cancel my BT landline and then renew my broadband package with Plusnet or do I renew my Plusnet package and they cancel the BT landline? As the accounts are indifferent names I am not sure how the logistics work and I don't want to be without internet connection for any period of time.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

corringham — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:01:26 GMT

Contact Plusnet, and they will take over your landline and cancel your BT contract for you. There shouldn't be any broadband downtime at all (although sometimes things do go wrong).

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

outcast — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:18:58 GMT

@Knrill wrote:

If we cancel the BT landline account does the Plusnet Broadband still function?

NO !

If Full Fibre FTTP is available to you, then the ideal solution would be to upgrade to that (automatically cancelling your BT contract)

If your Plusnet broadband is currently VDSL FTTC then do as @corringham said.

HOWEVER, if you are still on ADSL then you have a problem, because theoretically you *should* be able to ask for your ADSL service to be changed to SOADSL (i.e. remove the voice and cancel the BT contract). Unfortunately Plusnet don't provide SOADSL so you'd have to move to an ISP that does (such as those listed here)

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

MisterW — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:07:53 GMT

deleted as covered by others above

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Knrill — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:08:24 GMT

OK, Thanks for your help. I wasn't sure if the Broadband provider would have the legal right to take over the line that was in someone elses name. I'll give them a call.

Thanks again for your help.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

outcast — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:23:49 GMT

Ideally the surnames should be the same, to avoid any issues.

There shouldn't be a problem as the address and physical line details will be identical.

The recent change to "one touch switching", has removed the "anti-slamming" safeguards, making your situation easier

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Knrill — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:18:14 GMT

Thanks Outcast, unfortunately we are out in the sticks and still have overhead copper wires. (no notifications of that changing in the near future!) As mentioned to Corringham, it's the logistics of whether to renew the Plusnet first or whether to cancel BT first and if Plusnet have the legal right to cancel a landline if the account is in another's name. Best thing I can do is to contact Plusnet and see what is possible.

Thanks for you help.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

outcast — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:26:25 GMT

@Knrill wrote:

... unfortunately we are out in the sticks and still have overhead copper wires.

Yes, I'm in the same situation !

@Knrill you haven't clarified whether you're on FTTC or ADSL ?

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Baldrick1 — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:30:29 GMT

@Knrill

The key point is that if you cancel the BT phone service first that this will automatically trigger the cancellation of your Plusnet broadband connection.

I would expect that if you move to Plusnet SOGEA you will receive a ‘sorry you are leaving’ email from BT.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

corringham — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:49:58 GMT

you haven't clarified whether you're on FTTC or ADSL ?

This is actually quite important - as you say you are out in the sticks it is possible you are on ADSL as it works over longer distances from the exchange than FTTC works from the cabinet.

ADSL can only work with a landline, and Plusnet don't offer ADSL without a phone service (SOADSL) and can't provide new or changed contracts with a phone service.

Also, soon (by end 2025) BT will be removing its PSTN phone service, so your land line will go away. When that happens if you are on ADSL you will lose Plusnet broadband too. If you are on FTTC you should be able to move to SOGEA with Plusnet.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Baldrick1 — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:59:25 GMT

Surely when @Knrill rings Plusnet this question will be answered? Either Plusnet can supply a connection or the answer will be sorry, no go.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

corringham — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:09:45 GMT

@Baldrick1, yes you are correct - hopefully. However, I can envisage various cracks that a change from BT phone + Plusnet ADSL could fall through. I suspect staff are maybe not familiar with the issues involved, and I fear the systems may not be either.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

outcast — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:24:48 GMT

@Baldrick1 wrote:

Surely when @Knrill rings Plusnet this question will be answered?

There are a couple of topics about this, and it would appear that Plusnet phone support are unaware of the SOADSL dilemma.

I also doubt whether Plusnet support would voluntarily tell an ADSL only customer, that in a few months (because of the PSTN switch off) they will lose their phone, broadband, email, website, referrals, etc - unless prompted by an informed customer asking very specific questions.

Plusnet support have already told ADSL customers that they need to move to BT or EE to keep their landline phones, but when this has been followed up, the customer was told by BT and EE that SOADSL is not available. As a side point, it is doubtful whether moving an ADSL phone number to BT/EE "Digital Voice" would actually work because of the low broadband data rates.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

bmc — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:23:25 GMT

@Knrill

As stated you need to move your PN account to SOGEA first before anything happens to the landline.

The landline should be cancelled by the move, but in the unlikely event it isn't you would simply contact BT to do the necessary.

If you are still in contract with BT then there probably will be early termination charges to consider.

Brian

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Baldrick1 — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:43:50 GMT

@outcast

Are you not confusing the issue?

My reading is that @Knrill currently has a Plusnet broadband service tacked on to a BT phone service.

The question is how do you drop the phone service and retain the broadband service?rt

Isn’t the simple answer to ring Plusnet and ask if they can transfer the service to a direct connection without the BT element, be it ADSL or FTTC?

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

outcast — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:49:47 GMT

@Baldrick1 wrote:

... ask if they can transfer the service to a direct connection without the BT element, be it ADSL or FTTC?

Yes, but my point is that customers and Plusnet staff are unaware that ordering SOADSL will take down BOTH broadband and phone.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

Knrill — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:34:48 GMT

You are correct Baldrick1.

I phoned Plusnet and they confirmed they can cancel (I think they used the term "take over") the BT line. I have upgraded my broadband to SOGEA, and hopefully all will be sorted by Friday 14th. The whole process took about 20 mins and was relatively painless. As we are out in the sticks, the approx line speeds quoted are not brilliant but no worse than my current speeds. He did try to convince me that fibre upgrades were coming to my area but I won't hold my breath until that happens. lol. A new router is on its way so hopefully by the weekend I will know how well the transition has gone and if my connection is no worse than at present.

Thanks to all who have contributed to my query. I couldn't see how to post a general thanks to my original thread.

Re: Cancelling BT Landline

MisterW — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:38:59 GMT

I think they used the term "take over"

They actually place a "take over and cease" order with Openreach.