topic Re: Losing landline question in Home Phone

Losing landline question

Surfer — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:26:26 GMT

We can opt for the fibre package without landline so a considerable saving for us. However we are vulnerable and at present we have an extension phone in each room in case of an emergency. We do not carry our mobiles around with us when at home. How could we get around this issue?

Also two days ago we lost our broadband completely for a few hours and could not connect. Is there anyway around this in case of an emergency? We are in a rural area so need to travel about 1/2 mile for good mobile phone reception.

Re: Losing landline question

bmc — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:02:27 GMT

@Surfer

Are you registered with PlusNet as "vunerable"?

What is the mobile signal like?

Any chance of FTTP in the near future? What does the following say?

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

If you can post a screen image of the results (including the narrative below the results window that wouldbe a help). Remember to hide personal details.

Brian

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:36:05 GMT

No idea if we have registered with Plusnet as vulnerable and unsure how to check.

Although unsure about the gobley [-Censored-] below the link states;

FTTP is not available. The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme. As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply. SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange. For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage. For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage. Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service. In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

We already have fibre to the box down the road and have had fibre for quite awhile. Still unsure about the phones around the home if we ditch the landline?

Re: Losing landline question

bmc — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:43:53 GMT

@Surfer

I just noticed you have poor mobile coverage.

There is little saving in losing the landline - the main cost is the line itself which needs to be maintained for internet. Any saving will be in the change of contract relecting your new service.

Without a phone line you would need to move to a VOIP service for a phone service. As you've already noticed, if the internet goes down then VOIP wouldn't work. There is also power cuts to contend with.

At the moment you may have to stick with the landline. You could phone the PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 and see what they say.

Brian

Edit : Just seen your latest post.

Login into your Members page and check your status. If no sign of being registered there is a link under Manage my Account (I think). Or ask COTs to check.

Internal extensions can be made to work (I think) with a bit of effort but not entirely sure as the copper line would still be active.

FTTP is better for VOIP as it's more reslient and copes with power cuts better (FTTC depends on the battery in the Cabinet).

Note that in a victory for the marketing people over common sense Fibre refers to FTTC (fibre optic to the cabinet then copper to your house) while FTTP is Full Fibre with a fibre coptic cable all the way to your house.

Re: Losing landline question

MisterW — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:59:16 GMT

Internal extensions can be made to work (I think) with a bit of effort but not entirely sure as the copper line would still be active.

They can, its called voice re-injection , this link https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_How_to:_Voice_reinjection explains it

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:13:33 GMT

Does Plus.net offer VOIP and if so at what cost?

Re: Losing landline question

jab1 — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:15:47 GMT

No they don't - you need to find your own VoIP provider.

Re: Losing landline question

bmc — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:33:13 GMT

@MisterW

Thanks. I knew it was possible with Full Fibre where you basically disconnect the old incoming cable from the Master Socket and then plug a phone lead from the ATA.

@Surfer

You could put your Post Code into the following and see if OR have any plans for your property regarding Full Fibre. I wouldn't hold out much hope though.

www.openreach.co.uk

PN will happily transfer you FOC to BT / EE for a combined FTTC / VOIP service but I gather they are not the cheapest. As for independent VOIP providers I normally suggest A&A but it helps if you have good mobile coeverage. They don't offer Call Plans. They do have good FAQ's on VOIP.

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

Brian

Re: Losing landline question

Townman — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:58:25 GMT

@Surfer wrote:

However we are vulnerable and at present we have an extension phone in each room in case of an emergency. We do not carry our mobiles around with us when at home. How could we get around this issue?

Also two days ago we lost our broadband completely for a few hours and could not connect. Is there anyway around this in case of an emergency? We are in a rural area so need to travel about 1/2 mile for good mobile phone reception.

If you get any mobile signal - even just enough to send a text message ... is not the easiest answer here for those emergency situations, to just slip your phones in to a pocket?

If you were to have a fall, the phone would be on your person, ready for you to alert someone (if only by text) of your need for help. No need to worry about being able to crawl to that fixed phone, needing to be confident that just when you need help the most, you have power and there is no issue with the broadband connection.

If your need for emergency call out is substantial, then consider a smart watch linked to your mobile phone ... so long as the watch can connect to the mobile phone, you can send emergency calls from the watch.

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:02:30 GMT

We have now moved over to broadband only on 13th Nov, but our landline is still active. Is this correct? Our next billing date is 19th Nov. Thanks

Re: Losing landline question

MisterW — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:31:07 GMT

but our landline is still active

@Surfer depends what you mean by active ?

It may well still have a dialtone as it won't be physically disconnected. However it should not still have your number and be able to make or receive calls. Try dialling the test number 17070 , it should report a different (temporary) number

Re: Losing landline question

jab1 — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:31:51 GMT

I bet you can't make or receive calls on it though.

You beat me to it, @MisterW

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:40:25 GMT

That is the issue. I can still make and receive calls to the number although the number was supposed to be ported over to a VOIP provider?

Re: Losing landline question

MisterW — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:12:09 GMT

@Surfer

I can still make and receive calls to the number although the number was supposed to be ported over to a VOIP provider?

We have now moved over to broadband only on 13th Nov

That doesnt add up!. You shouldn't start the port until the change to broadband only has completed, and since ports normally take at least 5 days I don't see how it could have happened yet.

Has your voip provider told you that the port is complete ?

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:28:19 GMT

Looking at my Plusnet account I am on the broadband only plan. The port of the number was supposed to happen today so maybe I am jumping the gun a bit. More than 5 working days have passed since I initiated the port to VOIP and I thought it would happen during the night?

Re: Losing landline question

MisterW — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:50:41 GMT

Looking at my Plusnet account I am on the broadband only plan. The port of the number was supposed to happen today so maybe I am jumping the gun a bit.

I suspect that Openreach haven't got around to ceasing the line yet.

Ports to voip don't necessarily happen overnight.

Which voip provider are you using ?

Re: Losing landline question

Surfer — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:09:32 GMT

I am with https://www.voipfone.co.uk/

Re: Losing landline question

MisterW — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:15:06 GMT

If you started the port before the switch to broadband only, then its possible that the change of status of the phone line has upset the port.

I suggest you contact voipfone and check the status of the port.

Re: Losing landline question

Schiehallion — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:44:28 GMT

@MisterW wrote:

Internal extensions can be made to work (I think) with a bit of effort but not entirely sure as the copper line would still be active.

They can, its called voice re-injection , this link https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_How_to:_Voice_reinjection explains it

@bmc @MisterW

I've done this in my house and also in my dad's house. It's quite straight forward. I've not modified the Master Socket. In both cases I've:

Disconnected the telephone extension wiring from the Openreach Master Socket.
Then connected this wiring to a new Secondary (or Slave) phone socket mounted adjacent to the master socket.
Finally I've connected a cable from the ATA to a convenient existing Secondary phone socket. A cable off any old phone, should work (as long as it's a BT plug to an RJ11 plug).

It's important to disconnect the extension wiring from the Openreach Master socket (and DON'T plug the ATA into the Master Socket). As you don't want power coming out the Master socket and damaging your ATA. Or, power from your ATA damaging the Openreach network, which they will charge you for.

Re: Losing landline question

HPsauce — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 10:30:37 GMT

@Schiehallion said "A cable off any old phone, should work (as long as it's a BT plug to an RJ11 plug)"

And if for some reason it doesn't work, look carefully at the RJ11 plug and compare to another. SOME phone handsets with removable leads used a different pair to MOST phones and their RJ11s were wired up differently. It's a case of inner vs outer pair I think, though I can't recall which way round is most common. IIRC modem cables were often different and it's very easy to mix them up with phone handset ones.

The BT end is always the same, 2 and 5 are the main ones with 3 used for the "bell" signal, not usually required with most modern phones. And if is an old spare ADSL filter between the phone cable and socket recreates it.