topic Re: Port Landline in Home Phone

Port Landline

matthewleggott — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 05:36:59 GMT

Currently have a FTTC connection with landline.

I understand that if I ugrade to FTTP I would loose that number, has anyone completed sucessfully and managed to port their number to a VOIP provider as well as upgrade without an issues?

Is there a process to follow that makes this smooth?

Re: Port Landline

jab1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 05:41:56 GMT

@matthewleggott See the numeous topics on this subject on the 'Home Phone' board.

Re: Port Landline

bmc — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:34:52 GMT

@matthewleggott

Apart from the numerous threads already mentioned the basics are as follows.

When you move to FTTP you're landline is "ceased" - you then have 30 days to port.

Some VOIP providers cannot (or have not been able to in the past) handle a ceased line.

It is best to do it ASAP in case of problems.

VOIP doesn't work during power cuts so some form of backup power is required unless you have good mobile coverage.

A&A are one provider who can handle ceased lines. Also, if you can use your mobile for outgoing calls they are very cheap.

If nothing else look at their FAQ pages on VOIP.

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

Brian

Re: Port Landline

pjmarsh — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:44:27 GMT

I'm taking a slightly different path for my parents at the moment. The most important thing for them is their landline. For them I've ordered FTTP on a new account, which was installed this morning. This afternoons task is to request the port of the number to A&A which will cease their landline and ADSL.

That would have the effect though of losing Plusnet email and such like, and means they have both coper and fibre running overhead to the house, but for them that is a non-issue.

The advantage for them though is very little downtime on their landline. Most of the downtime will be from me going round (a little less than a mile from my house), to swap the phones from their master socket to the ATA.

Re: Port Landline

bmc — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:06:23 GMT

@matthewleggott

I had forgotten about the downtime with porting numbers. Thanks to @pjmarsh for reminding me.

You cannot start the port until your FTTP is up and running. To do so before might, just might, end up with your PN account being closed and the FTTP install cancelled.

Brian

Re: Port Landline

Baldrick1 — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:15:03 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Full Fibre to Home Phone

Re: Port Landline

richard_25 — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:39:14 GMT

I did the switch to VOIP with a firm called FREEOLA, they did the number transfer as well.

Re: Port Landline

matthewleggott — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 13:53:47 GMT

Thanks for the replies.

I plan to move to A&A as I already have a line with them so makes it easier.

Interesting to note regarding making sure the FTTP is live first but also about creating a second account and doing it that way, loathed to do that as my current account is 20+ years old and got a few discounts with it.

Key thing is about the timing and can deal with a bit of downtime, but interesting points to note especially when it comes to a friends account when that one is migrated.

Re: Port Landline

mystreet1 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:20:15 GMT

It will be a phone call to CS to explain your plan and to make sure that your discount are carried over.

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:39:19 GMT

Ofcom should really get involved IMO, we have some very stressed out parents who don’t want to be without their phone line. There should be a away to port to VOIP without cancelling the contract and this should have been made a matter of regulation so that old people can transition into the new model seamlessly. Continuity of their email is also important although plusnet will let you keep email if you migrate to another provider, there should be some rules here, duty of care etc.

In this instance as PN do not have VOIP why would PN not be responsible for porting to AA, providing a grandstream handytone or similar, prior to the cutover to fiber. Openreach should be on the hook not to cancel the service but to swap in a temporary number to ensure continuity. Could even have been a white labelled voip service from AA to PN.

Situation seems ridiculous, stressed old people relying on technical relatives, they are lucky if they have them, there must be many who do not, which makes me think without legislation we’re going to need to support our communities.

Re: Port Landline

jab1 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:33:38 GMT

@fordprefect42 wrote:
Continuity of their email is also important although plusnet will let you keep email if you migrate to another provider,

No they don't.

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:46:51 GMT

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/email-address/#:~:text=Ofcom%20doesn't%20regulate%20email,your%20old%20provider%20gave%20you.

Yes they do and it says it is free, seems to be regulated in the sense this helps customers to change providers, but not in the sense that email itself it regulated. Edit or maybe not regulated I see Virgin doesn’t do it.

Re: Port Landline

jab1 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:45:06 GMT

That data is incorrect - from 20-something of June last year, closure of a broadband account meant loss of all facilities.

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:48:43 GMT

Hmm thats a pain although that ofcom page is from November last year?

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:55:05 GMT

Back to the problem, are we now going to need community support for elderly plusnet customers so that they don’t get fleeced with price hikes eg. By directing them to BT VOIP services. Simplest route seems to be wait for service to be cut and fiber to be active then port them to AA and then go round and install a granstream adapter for them, helping them through the process?

Re: Port Landline

MisterW — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:05:24 GMT

although that ofcom page is from November last year?

I'm afraid that's typical of Ofcom!. They've no idea what's really happening...

Simplest route seems to be wait for service to be cut and fiber to be active then port them to AA and then go round and install a granstream adapter for them, helping them through the process?

That's about the gist of it if you don't want to move ISPs.

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:15:18 GMT

Well I guess everything else on this island is now a mess why not this eh

Off to see how sticky their email address/usage really is…

Re: Port Landline

jab1 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 10:22:00 GMT

@MisterW wrote:

I'm afraid that's typical of Ofcom!. They've no idea what's really happening...

I also query the 'Virgin' information a friend of mine with an NTL email can still use it.

Re: Port Landline

bmc — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 11:31:13 GMT

@fordprefect42

PN did allow you to keep an e-mail account for a while but that was withdrawn last year.

Account closure means loss of e-mail, discounts, web space and any other legacy add on a customer may have.

If staying with PN then the only way to get VOIP while keeping their number is to accept some downtime.

If you go with A&A you can set the account up in advance with a temporay which both gives a phone service and allows you to ensure phone equipment works. Note that they are not the cheapest for calls out - mobiles should be used if possible.

Brian

Re: Port Landline

fordprefect42 — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:53:08 GMT

Without looking at the official rate card we seem to pay AA around 90p per hour to landlines and about 2.5X this rate to UK mobiles, we just have to remember to use WhatsApp for mobiles! Even paying for £1.50+calls per month we are saving money relative to line rental, we find it easier to just forget about it, it works.

That said - who would we recommend other than AA? They are extremely professional and reliable IMO.

I don’t think I need to test it as did that in the past, but as you say a free local number would give them an outbound line at least… maybe we could program it to suppress outgoing caller id so nobody updates their address books

Edit: I thought to say, we have a grandstream handytone ATA that makes our old DECT setup work perfectly. We have two Grandstream desktop phones (not unlike a standard CISCO office phone with speakerphone + aux Bluetooth headsets connected ) that are in home offices and connect directly to VOIP. And we use. softPhone (sp?) on iOS.