topic Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre in Everything else

Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

Stephenhowes — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 19:49:41 GMT

I'm getting an upgrade to full fibre with Plusnet later this month and since Plusnet don't provide a VOIP service (puzzling) I am looking to go to another provider (probably A&A) for VOIP.. I thought that the smart thing to do would be to setup VOIP now and to do the number port early but apparently if I do then my existing BB service will be ceased and the order for the new full fibre will be cancelled!!!..... This is a crazy situation if this is correct.

So, can anyone explain please in a step by step way what is the most effective/safest way to do the FTTP upgrade and number port without undue disruption to the landline service. (Or at least minimal)

The only thing I can think of is to see if the new VOIP provider can do the number port on the same day as the planned FTTP install but there is an element of risk if the FTTP upgrade gets delayed at the last minute.

Surely there must be sensible process for doing this.....I've worked in IT for 40 years so can hopefully work my way through this but your average customer doesn't stand a chance and will leave Plusnet for someone who can provide a full seamless service, in which case I wonder what the future is for Plusnet.

Thanks

Steve

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:42:17 GMT

According to Ofcom's general conditions relating to number portability, ALL providers are required to quarantine a ceased Landline number for AT LEAST 31 days before returning it to the original owner of the number range.

Consequently, on the day the the full fibre is made operational, the landline will be ceased, and you then have 31 days to arrange with a willing VOIP SP to port your landline number to their VOIP network, and from then on you OWN that number, and can port it again to any other VOIP provided you wish, subject to contract.

However, do I think that PN has succient recognition of this requirement to assiste people like you and me - no I don't. Such a number port would take 4-6 working (with eg A&A) or more, so assuming that the FF upgrade completes in less than that time, the number port to VOIP can proceed minimising the down time, but it may be wiser to wait until it is recorded as at least operational.

Good luck. Hope you don't have to retain a Static IP number as well.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

dvorak — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:56:06 GMT

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Full Fibre to Everything Else

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

bmc — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:19:29 GMT

@Stephenhowes

As far as I know, the best way is to set up your VOIP account in advance and then port the number out as soon as you have FTTP up and running. There will be a few days downtime.

Make sure you have your phones sorted for VOIP - but an ATA if required in advance.

Brian

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

Stephenhowes — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:14:26 GMT

Agree, this is less than an ideal situation...I've been a happy PN customer for many years and have referred a number of people but I think we have been very let down here. I'm the go-to person for a number of people in the village when it comes to IT and many locals are doing the FF switch now and if they still want a land line I will sadly be suggesting they go elsewhere.

I'd forgotten about my static IP ... blast!

Thanks

Steve

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

Stephenhowes — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:18:06 GMT

Thanks Brian,

I've dusted down an old Cicso ATA which I'll use... I've signed up with A&A and am currently testing with a number which I'll ditch when I do the port.... (New ATA's at a decent pricepoint seem to be hard to come by at the moment.)

PN have really shot themselves in the foot here IMO

Thanks

Steve

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

bmc — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:23:09 GMT

@Stephenhowes

Your Static IP should not change and there should be little downtime on the your Internet connection.

If you leave PN then you lose any referrels and your e-mail.

Down time on the phone is your only option unless you want to move to an ISP that does both.

Brian

Edit : You at least would have a phone line once you get your FTTP up and running - just no incoming calls.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

MisterW — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:15:54 GMT

However, do I think that PN has succient recognition of this requirement to assiste people like you and me - no I don't.

PN are not actually involved in number porting. They ( together with Bt retail & EE ) operate under the BT group CUPID ( Communications provider ID ) so all porting is handled by the BT number porting team. I'm reliably informed that they do understand and comply with Ofcoms latest requirements to port for up to 31 days after ceasing. This is confirmed by a number of posts on here of successful ports. AFAICS the only problems we've seen have been some voip suppliers not attempting ports when they see the number as not active.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

greygit1 — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 21:32:18 GMT

There's a cats (possibly named after networking tech rather than felines?) team in Plusnet who (apparently) are the only team who can directly interface/communicate with BT.

Sounds like there's a lot of changes behind the scenes?

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:25:07 GMT

Well, the problem with PN is that their Sales/Upgrade staff, for the most part, don't seem to have that knowledge. If you ask them, as I did only on Monday of this week: Can you please confirm (should anything go wrong), that my landline number will be quarantined for at least 31 days after my Full Filbre upgrade is operationa, so that I can arrange to have my number ported (to A&A), I, at least, got told they didn't know anything about any of that. That's part of the problem, so people are left to 'hope for the best'.

Sure, once I insisted I asked this question of PN technical team, I got the confirmation about the quarantine I needed, along with some useful suggestions about how long the window might actually be in practise.

As for other issues, such as Static IP, look in this thread for my very recent experience. 🙂

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:42:46 GMT

Your Static IP should not change and there should be little downtime on the your Internet connection.

Well, I wish I could be sure this is the case. I do not deny that others have had this experience, and this is becuase the static IP address is assosciated with the user account (allocated to that user), and the router using e.g. a Radius server, is allocated that address when it makes it's DHCP request.

Or so I had been told. But when I phoned the FF upgrade team on Tuesday, after much 'investigation' on their part, they told me that: a) I had a 'old' account (yes, I've been on PN since April 2013, is that my fault?)

b) the FF is a 'differernt infrastructure' and can't work with my account. Why?

c) they would need to set up a 'new' account, and I would lose my current static IP address, and get a totally new one.

I am currently awaiting a reply to a complaint ticket asking PN why this is the case, and why they haven't planned to make arrangements to ensure that users do not lose their Static IP addresses, just becuase of a change in the physical infrastructure.

If what I was told was, yet again, ill-informed guidance from the upgrade/sales team, I should be glad to hear so, but so far I have not been informed otherwise.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

MisterW — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:45:50 GMT

@crowroad Im not sure I would have expected the Sales people to have a full knowledge of the porting process BUT I would have hoped they would point you to the Technical people to clarify. From what you say the technical people did provide the clarification.

As for other issues, such as Static IP, look in this thread for my very recent experience.

Sorry, what were the static IP issues ?

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

RobPN — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:14:11 GMT

@crowroad wrote:

Your Static IP should not change and there should be little downtime on the your Internet connection.

Well, I wish I could be sure this is the case. ...

<snip>

... (yes, I've been on PN since April 2013, is that my fault?)

b) the FF is a 'differernt infrastructure' and can't work with my account. Why?

<snip>

I am currently awaiting a reply to a complaint ticket asking PN why this is the case, and why they haven't planned to make arrangements to ensure that users do not lose their Static IP addresses, just becuase of a change in the physical infrastructure.

If what I was told was, yet again, ill-informed guidance from the upgrade/sales team, I should be glad to hear so, but so far I have not been informed otherwise.

@crowroad

I've been with PN since 2002 with the same account, and had (and still have) the same static IP address since Day 1.

During that time I've changed through various flavours of ADSL, then the PN FTTP trial, and finally the retail FTTP product.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

RealAleMadrid — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:06:56 GMT

@crowroad You said ...." If what I was told was, yet again, ill-informed guidance from the upgrade/sales team,"

You've hit the nail on the head there, as @RobPN has said his even older account has been through many changes without losing the static IP address.

So I believe .... "the FF is a 'different infrastructure' and can't work with my account." is not true.

Let's hope that whoever replies to your ticket has got a clue and sorts your queries out.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:11:59 GMT

I've been with PN since 2002 with the same account, and had (and still have) the same static IP address since Day 1.

During that time I've changed through various flavours of ADSL, then the PN FTTP trial, and finally the retail FTTP product.

Glad to hear it. However, coming up against Sales/Upgrade team members who hve not been briefed on possible questions that users might ask during the Full Fibre ugrade leaves customers bewildered as to who is telling the correct story? On person says one thing, another says the complete opposite. As a customer I need to know it would not all end up a disaster of one kind of another.

I didn't make it up, it'll all be on PN's recording of the discussion with me.if they ever get off reading social media, and respond to my complaint.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:21:24 GMT

Im not sure I would have expected the Sales people to have a full knowledge of the porting process

Perhaps you would. Perhaps you have more faith in the process. Perhaps you have better luck than others.

I would like to expect that the Sales/Upgrade team have been briefed on the answers to typical customers might have when going through this process. But so far, all it's done is to prevent me from upgrading, (because of the uncertainty), thereby potentially causing me to pay far more for my current VDSL BB than even FF 900+VOIP after my contact expires in early October.

The process ought to be a smoother than it is. That's my experience (and PN recorded too). Other's Mileage May Differ, as they say.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

crowroad — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:27:53 GMT

So I believe .... "the FF is a 'different infrastructure' and can't work with my account." is not true.

So I tried to explain to the Tech Support person who said she "thought" that was true. On both occassions I had to request the correct information from Tech Support, and even then, in the last case, I unfortunately got someone who didn't really know, but was only giving an incorrect opinion.

Since PN are, like BT, only "selling" SoGEA, you might hope that they were briefing their staff accoridngly and thoroughly before they started the process.

Re: Advice for best way to do a seamless VOIP port when moving to full fibre

caravanj — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 20:34:56 GMT

@Stephenhowes

We've been with Plusnet for over nine years & we've always recommended them, but just as you've outlined we're switching to BT full fibre purely because we can get broadband & digital voice with BT & no messing about have to involve a 3rd party VOIP provider such as A & A which is a recipe for conflict if a fault occurs.