topic Re: any way out? in Home Phone

any way out?

ukguy1 — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 15:26:27 GMT

We have had 13mb fibre for years and a number the family need. Full fibre available for 5 years but only just becoming available/affordable.

I was paying out of contract price but after a big increase in March I recontracted to get it half the price.

The Plusnet offer full fibre 38mb for the same price! But no landline.

1 - I can't renumber the current service and transfer our old number to sipgate VOIP as they won't allow it

2 - I can't upgrade to Full fibre and get 38mb (what we pay for for once!) as we lose the phone number

3 - When PN offer Full fibre to new customers I'm told we can't sign up to a "new" service as they'll remove the old overhead cable and terminate the landline even though it's on a different contract (PN wil then charge termination charges)

I feel we are trapped with 13mb and 0.5mb uploads, just when we can start getting higher speeds PN will not allow us to keep the number or even transfer it.

This all seems very unfair after we've been a customer for 20 years and paid the same price as others getting much higher speeds. Yet again we are left trapped. It would be so easy to renumber our line, then let us move the old number to sipgate then upgrade to full fibre.

Re: any way out?

Gandalf — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 15:30:05 GMT

I’m not in the office now, but if you call 0800 013 2632 we should be able to sign you up to BT for both FTTP and a digital voice service, keeping your landline number. We’d then waive any termination fees for cancelling.

Re: any way out?

bmc — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:35:54 GMT

@ukguy1

The key question is do you need your current phone number.

Brian

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 13:07:04 GMT

Yes we do need the landline number

Can’t move to BT as we rely on the static ip we’ve had for 15 years

The 0.5 upload is causing many issues with doorbell cams etc

Hence why we are trapped

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 13:09:27 GMT

The simple solution would be the ability to renumber the line on the same day as we move the old number to sipgate

Then upgrade the renumbered line to full fibre

But it seems this is not possible.

Re: any way out?

flanzm — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 14:33:42 GMT

If you renumbered the line the old number goes back into the pool, and then it doesn't belong to you. Sipgate can only claim a number that is active and you own.

I wonder if you could get PlusNet to provision a second line for you with say ADSL on it. Then get the second line upgraded to FTTP and all working. Finally port the first line number you want to Sipgate, which will cease the service. You could ask PlusNet if they would waive the cancellation charges as part of this.

Long process, but it might work ?

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 21:18:19 GMT

@flanzm that would be a possible way of doing it if openreach would install another line.
This would prevent the issue discussed on another thread where openreach replace the copper cable with a fibre cable (even if the line is contracted with another account or company)

I guess having a second live installed is a way of avoiding this as they would then only replace one line! It’s an idea!

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 21:24:59 GMT

I guess the only thing preventing the second lobe idea is the contract on each line. I renewed my contract just as full fibre was announced! (After 3 years of waiting and paying twice as much)

A second line with adsl then upgrade is kinda like waiting till plusnet offer full fibre as new installs. But then I’d have two contracts.
Still stuck then…. Dam, I shouldn’t have recontracted but I was reassured that I’d be able to upgrade to full fibre.
I was never told about losing the phone number, plusnet have caught me out big time there and I’m stuck.

Re: any way out?

Baldrick1 — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 11:32:25 GMT

@ukguy1

After you get the FTTP up and running you can port your phone number to VoIP, which will automatically close the FTTC account. Seeing that you have to wait until FTTP becomes available to new customers, any cancellation charges by then might not be too onerous. Of course Plusnet may also come up with a better solution by then. Only time will tell.

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 22:36:14 GMT

@Baldrick1
Yeah that’s what I hoped may be possible, However, in the other thread in the broadband forum they say that openreach remove the overhead copper cable when installing full fibre, even if the copper cable is with another provider or contract.
Removal of the cable terminates the adsl line before the number is ported.
I guess the trick is if plusnet allow me to port the number to sipgate, terminate the adsl without contract charges then have a new full fibre install. after all if the new instal is with plusnet they are keeping a 15-20yr customer.

Re: any way out?

Baldrick1 — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 06:54:40 GMT

@ukguy1

There's nothing to prevent you having two separate connections to a property. I can understand that if a copper connection is being replaced with fibre then the sensible thing to do is use the redundant copper to pull through the new fibre.

However if the order is to fit a second separate fibre connection to the property this option is not available to Openreach and they would have to do it the hard way. Alternatively I have read that that there are combined copper and fibre cables that could possibly be used.

It might all be academic anyway as we don't know how this will be organised once Plusnet start fully offering FTTP.

Re: any way out?

ukguy1 — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 13:06:39 GMT

Thanks
Also this property is easy access, the copper line comes up the drive and straight down to the back door on a farmhouse.
I’m trapped in a new contract for now so it’s kind of wait and see like you say. 👍