topic Re: Porting Landline Number in Home Phone

Porting Landline Number

Schiehallion — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:35:21 GMT

Hi,

Have just renewed my Plusnet contract from FTTC with phone to FTTC without phone (I believe this is known as SoGEA.

My changeover date was today and my phone line ceased working around 6pm tonight. I am going to port my landline number to Andrews and Arnold. I have found a page on A&A's website page to request the port.

My question: is it safe to request the port immediately, or is it best to wait a couple of days (to prevent my broadband line getting ceased when the port request goes through)?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Re: Porting Landline Number

jab1 — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:38:18 GMT

Once you are on SOGEA, you can port immediately, you have 30 days from today to do this.

Re: Porting Landline Number

bmc — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:51:10 GMT

@Schiehallion

Once you move to SOGEA your landline is "ceased"

As stated you have 30 days from the date of SOGEA to do the port. It's always better to do it ASAP in case of problems.

A&A are one of those companies who can handle the port of a ceased line. Their system may say no to start with but they then phone to get a manual port done.

Brian

Re: Porting Landline Number

Schiehallion — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 22:10:49 GMT

@jab1, @bmc

Thank you both for your help. Will fill out A&A's online form tomorrow morning.

Thanks

Re: Porting Landline Number

Schiehallion — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 22:25:50 GMT

Just thought I'd post a positive conclusion.

My service changed from Plusnet "Fibre" to SOGEA on 25th October. My landline service ceased on this date.

On 26th October, I filled out an online request on Andrews & Arnold's website, to port my existing phone number over to them. I had to chose the option to port a CEASED number.

Everything went through without the slightest hitch. My number was activated, on VOIP, on 1st November.

Re: Porting Landline Number

MisterW — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 07:23:15 GMT

I had to chose the option to port a CEASED number.

Interesting to note that there's now an option to infrom that the number is ceased.

Re: Porting Landline Number

bmc — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 12:28:34 GMT

@Schiehallion

Good to hear everything went smoothly.

Thanks for sharing the information about choosing a ceased line. We can add that to the advice given to people in the future.

Brian

Re: Porting Landline Number

Schiehallion — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 22:00:36 GMT

@bmc @MisterW

Very impressed with A&A. Have used them twice now (1st time for getting my dad's number transferred to a VOIP service).

Online ordering is straight forward. Assuming you know to pick the "Ceased" option.

Re: Porting Landline Number

MrSoapsud — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:34:04 GMT

Hi,

How much does the A&A landline replacement service cost? I've found some charges but I'm not sure which package to look for?

Thanks

Martin

Re: Porting Landline Number

MisterW — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:45:25 GMT

It costs £12 to port the number in then £1.20/month rental. Calls to UK landlines are 1.25p/min (min charge 2p), mobiles 3.3p/min ( min charge 2p )

NB all prices are exVAT.

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

You will also need either a VOIP phone or ATA (if you wish to connect existing phones)

Re: Porting Landline Number

MrSoapsud — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:48:37 GMT

Hi,

OK - looks like I found the right bit. It just seemed that the ongoing costs were a lot less than I anticipated - I guess I thought it would be along the lines of another BT-style line rental cost. Now we just need to work out whether it's worth keeping all the junk calls we get on the landline number we've had for nearly 30 years in order to get the odd real call!

Thanks

Martin

Re: Porting Landline Number

MisterW — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:02:02 GMT

It just seemed that the ongoing costs were a lot less than I anticipated - I guess I thought it would be along the lines of another BT-style line rental cost.

No, voip is (can be) considerably cheaper. The big boys like BT/Sky etc still try and charge similar prices for their 'Digital voice' to the old line rental and call charges. Third party voip suppliers are MUCH cheaper.

Of course , with third party suppliers you must alllow for the initial cost of voip equipment, but if you don't make many outgoing calls then the likes of A & A will be cheaper over say a year, even allowing for any initial cost

Re: Porting Landline Number

bmc — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:58:26 GMT

@MrSoapsud

With A&A you'd pay a lot for out going calls as they don't appear to have any call packages.

They are cheap if you just want to keep a number live for the odd call (as you say).

Brian

Re: Porting Landline Number

Schiehallion — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 20:50:52 GMT

@MrSoapsud

Hi, I've transferred my phone number and my dad's phone number to A&A's VOIP service.

Costs are a one off £12 to port the BT (or Plusnet) landline number. £1.44 a month rental charge. Call to UK landlines vary between 1ppm and 1.5ppm depending on the time and day. Calls to UK mobiles are always 4ppm.

Calls from 1 A&A number to another A&A number are free, as long as neither party has changed the call routing.

All above prices include VAT.

You will probably need to purchase an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adaptor). I use the Grandstream HT801 and power it from the USB socket on my Hub 2. I haven't changed any settings on my hub 2.

I certainly recommend moving your landline number to a VOIP service (and I would recommend A&A having dealt with them for my number and my dad's number).

I have a bt call guardian phone connected to my ATA, and it blocks out any junk calls. I also prefer to give out my landline number, so I don't get bothered on my mobile when I'm out.

Myself and my dad both use the Grandstream HT801, and they have both been reliable so far. Takes a bit of getting your head round for the initial set up, but there are help files on the A&A website and this forum is a great source for help too.

As I said further up, I use the Plusnet Hub 2 router. I believe the older Hub 1 isn't suitable for VOIP.

Re: Porting Landline Number

MrSoapsud — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

Hi @Schiehallion ,

So I don't need to buy a new phone - just buy one of those and use my existing ones. That's good to know - thanks. We have a Hub 2 already so that helps.

Cheers

Martin

Re: Porting Landline Number

MisterW — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:06:56 GMT

I believe the older Hub 1 isn't suitable for VOIP.

@Schiehallion is correct, the Hub 1 is not recommended for VOIP. It has a flaw in its SIP ALG which cannot be disabled. The ALG can be disabled on the Hub 2 and its normally recommended to disable it.

Re: Porting Landline Number

HPsauce — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:11:29 GMT

@MisterW I've not heard that about SIP ALG before and I've been using A&A VOIP for over a year without problems.

Initially I was using my old Hub 1 but switched to Hub 2 many months ago.

Out of interest I just had a rummage around in my Hub 2 settings and found that SIP ALG was OFF anyway. It must have been delivered like that as I definitely didn't change it. I wonder whether that has always been the factory default?

Re: Porting Landline Number

MisterW — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:32:43 GMT

@HPsauce The flaw was discovered on the BT HH5A and since the Hub 1 is basically the same , it exists on that as well

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2015/03/best-to-avoid-doing-ip-pbx-style-voip-on-bts-home-hub-routers.html

I presonally experienced it when staying with a relative a few years ago. I had taken my office voip phone with me and within 30 mins of connecting via their Hub 1 , I was getting spurious 'ghost' SIP calls. In my case, I replaced their Hub 1 with a Zyxel 3925 I happened to have, disabled SIP alg and no more ghost calls

I believe the default has always been OFF. Most router SIP ALG implementations are 'broken' and TBH they cause more trouble than they're worth. Most SIP servers are 'NAT aware' and so using a SIP ALG isnt necessary.