topic Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options? in Home Phone

ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:16:10 GMT

I look after my father-in-law’s internet for him (93, housebound). He currently has a PlusNet ADSL connection with a home phone. He wants to keep the home phone, and it is particularly important to him to retain his existing number.

I would prefer to keep him on PlusNet in a "better the devil you know" sort of way - however, with PlusNet discontinuing home phones within 12 months or so, we need a solution.

Ideally, I would like to migrate him to a third-party VoIP provider now. Then, stay with PlusNet for the broadband. Is this an option? I've read that because he is on ADSL, there is a risk of the number port to external VoIP putting a cease on the line and disconnecting broadband.

Any other solutions?

if we are forced to go with the EE Transfer, then:
1 - Is keeping the current phone number solid and reliable?
2 - Is it possible after the migration to move voice to a third party, then transfer broadband back to plus-net after the shortest possible EE contract?

Please help. He gets quite upset at these sorts of changes.
Ant.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

bmc — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:20:04 GMT

@tonycollinet

Can you post a screen image of the results from the following (hiding any personal details). Include the narrative below the results window.

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

If ADSL is the only option then it's probably your father will need to move to BT (not EE). Very few providers offer the ADSL digital alternative (SOADSL). PN do not offer SOADSL.

Famous last words I know but there shouldn't be any problem in keeping the phone number. You should be able to score a battery backup unit for him to keep the phone working for an hour or so during power cuts.

Brian

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:59:00 GMT

Pretty certain at least FTTC is available. We haven't changed him over due to the aforementioned resistance to change.

I'll check the link.

EDIT : Here it is:

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

mystreet1 — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:59:35 GMT

If Fttc is available it may be better to get that installed as a new line first. Prove that it is working, then port the number to VOIP which will cancel the adsl line. Least downtime on the landline number. It what some else did on here but cannot remember who.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:09:29 GMT

Looks like it is only Sogea (I've always used that interchangeably with FTTC. I realise they are different products)

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

jab1 — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:14:25 GMT

SoGEA is FTTC without the phone component - as @mystreet1 says, the only way round your situation is to get a SoGEA connection and then cancel the ADSL, which should release the phone number for transfer to VoIP.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:18:43 GMT

I believe cancelling the ADSL will cause the phone number to be lost.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

jab1 — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:21:21 GMT

@tonycollinet I understand, but could be wrong, that it should still be available for transfer for 30 days.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

HPsauce — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 20:29:07 GMT

@mystreet1 said "If Fttc is available it may be better to get that installed as a new line first. Prove that it is working, then port the number to VOIP which will cancel the adsl line. Least downtime on the landline number. It what some else did on here but cannot remember who."

That was me, maybe others. I was out of contract on my landline (with BT) and ADSL (with PN) so not an exact parallel as I had no cancellation charges to pay. Had to pay the standard installation fee (£50?) for a new SOGEA line. Didn't use PN email anyway and this meant a new account and username.

My drop wire had spare pairs so an easy job for the engineer and my new SOGEA line was installed in a better location - I pre-drilled a cable hole to ensure it was tidy and exactly where I wanted it. Once running I cancelled the old ADSL then slightly later transferred my landline number to A&A which cancelled the POTS line.

So I'd say you need to know what you're doing to get it done smoothly. I set up my VOIP kit ahead of time with an additional local number so that I knew it worked and how to set up quickly after the transfer.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:54:17 GMT

So I've been looking at EE prices for VOIP and they are very high compared with alternatives.

Then I looked at Andrew & Aarnold as a potential destination for both internet and phone. Their internet costs are high, but their very low charges for phone offset that so they are a little cheaper than EE. Plus they have an amazing reputation for customer support and making sure things work.

Given the choice between EE and A&A at a similar price there is no contest.

Going to put this to one side now and pick it up at the beginning of may, 6 weeks before FIL's contract with plus net ends.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

Townman — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:59:14 GMT

To minimise risk and complications, you might want to consider the following strategy.

Get a VoIP account established with your preferred supplier with a temporary number
Set up and test the VoIP handset / ATA or whatever
Arrange the SWITCH to SoGEA
On CONFIRMED completion port the existing phone number to the VoIP account

This avoids …

A new account with the potential loss of email and referrals
Disruption of a new circuit installation
Loss of phone service if there are complications setting up the VoIP service / equipment

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

bmc — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:47:03 GMT

@tonycollinet

Thanks for the information.

The availability of SOGEA (FTTC) changes everything. Your FIL has options. The fact his current contract ends in July (if I can count) also helps.

He has two choices - stay with PN and transfer the phone to a VOIP provider or move to an ISP who offers both.

I personally see no reason to set up a new PN account though if you're happy with A&A for VOIP setting up an account in advance (as suggested) to ensure it works and the phones are ready is not a bad idea. There is some downtime between SOGEA going active and the number port occuring so he would still have an active phone. Note - you CANNOT initiate the number port until SOGEA is confirmed as up and running.

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

You would also need to get an Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA) for the phone as the phone port on the PN router is inactive.

If looking for an easier transition going to an ISP who does both is the option. They usually supply the ATA or provide a router that has one built in. I believe Zen Internet offers a good option - not the cheapest but they have a well regarded router with a built in ATA. It can even handle DECT phones with a built in Base Station.

Either way VOIP doesn't work in power cuts.

Brian

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

tonycollinet — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:01:10 GMT

@bmc wrote:

...
I personally see no reason to set up a new PN account though if you're happy with A&A for VOIP setting up an account in advance (as suggested) to ensure it works and the phones are ready is not a bad idea. There is some downtime between SOGEA going active and the number port occuring so he would still have an active phone. Note - you CANNOT initiate the number port until SOGEA is confirmed as up and running.

Isn't there a risk of the old phone number going AWOL though, if the copper line is turned off as part of the SOGEA change? As I understand it you can't have a landline together with SOGEA.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

markhawkin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:01:36 GMT

I suspect a "minimum change" solution is needed.

It's a bit tricky this and, to a degree, depends on the user's ability to take change and also whether a mobile is a usable backup.

Best value is probably to go down the third party VoIP route however a supplier with a "landline" option makes it all one supplier.

I might, however, think about Vodafone in this case.

I believe they provide a phoneline with broadband and it comes out of their router. I don't know what their call charges are like.

If there are extensions then internal phone wiring will need to be changed to keep them in action.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

Townman — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 07:35:21 GMT

The issues with the phone number going AWOL in a switch to SoGEA is somewhat historical. The safest route might be to go to a provider who offers both Broadband and VoIP (or digital voice) as a single package. No one now offers “landline” as is at present other than BT in exceptional circumstances.

EE’s package is digital voice, a proprietary BT service, an existing phone can be plugged into the back of the router.

Zen’s package is excellent but at a price, their router is impressive, an existing phone can be plugged into the back of the router, or DECT handsets can be paired with the in-built DECT base station. I’ve paired handsets from two systems into one of their routers creating a 6 handset PABX. The call management functions are comprehensive.

Vodaphone’s product is well priced but there are reports of challenging customer service. They were my first choice for replacing Plusnet’s business service, they took the order then cancelled it and then refused to provide service with no explanation. Then business then went to Zen who did an excellent job switching from FTTC to FTTP.

There was no down time on either broadband or telephone.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

bmc — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:24:06 GMT

@tonycollinet

There are no guarentees in life. Although unusual there have been reports of numbers being lost but you just have to twist and hope it works.

Changing ISP to one who does both (like Zen Internet) is potentially the safer (and easiest) option. You just have to decide what to do and do it.

Wait until the final month of the contract and then make the move.

Brian

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

PhilipHeyes — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:04:05 GMT

My folks are both in their 90s.

Last year they moved from Plusnet FTTC + analogue landline
to EE with a new FTTP connection and telephone via the EE Hub

The long held landline number was ported to EE on the day, Virtually zero outage.

Folks at this age do prefer a solution that is understandable and has proper telephone support.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

jgb — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:36:23 GMT

I moved from Plusnet FTTC + phone to Zen FTTP + Digital Voice (their version of landline via the fibre link), about 18 months ago. As with @PhilipHeyes experience above the FTTP was up and running immediately and the phone was transferred across and working just over an hour later. I wanted a simple solution and that move was painless.

Zen have no price increases during the contracted period (usually 18 months), and no massive out of contract price jumps (you just move to the then current monthly rate and can take out another contract hopefully negotiating a discount as I did). The Zen Digital Voice currently costs £7.50 /month including 1000 minutes (possibly not as cheap as other providers such as Andrews and Arnold, but you only have to plug your existing phone into the Zen supplied Fritzbox router using the short adaptor cable suppiied, so no additional expense and hassle there, (no configuration necessary). Zen have a lot of short videos available on line to show various aspects work including most used settings in the Fritzbox interface.

My connection with Zen is via the CityFibre network and their prices for that are considerably less than where they have to use Openreach They also use other AltNets where available. If you check availablity on the Zen website they will quote based on the network they will use on that address.

Happy hunting.

Re: ADSL + Home Phone. Want to stay with plus net. What are options?

PowerLee — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:57:42 GMT

I transferred over from Plusnet FTTC with phone to Zen FTTP with digital voice via CityFibre yesterday.

Took a couple of hours for the install of the cable through the front garden & to fit the ONT, once everything was fitted the internet was up & running within 5 minutes.

My phone number transferred over during the night & just required my phone plugging in to the Zen supplied router.