Upgrading To Full Fibre, Want To Keep Landline Number

[#1]

I currently have Plusnet FTTC with a landline call plan. I want to upgrade to Full Fibre 500, and then port my existing landline number to a VOIP provider. Putting aside the mindblowing reality that Plusnet STILL haven't made any official provision for this, going through the order process displays several warnings about losing the home phone line. Other posts on here seem to indicate that Plusnet may put the number on hold for a few days so that it can be ported, but others have indicated that this hasn't happened.

I've also seen others suggest ordering the Full Fibre package separately rather than upgrading, but my address is recognised by the website as already being served by Plusnet. I really don't want to lose my existing number, so am I supposed to just embark on this endeavour in blind faith?

[#2]

@Parallax 

PN are required to keep your number in quarentine for 30 days to allow a port.

What to do is, in advance, choose your VOIP provider and if allowed set up an account prior to the FTTP install. Then port the number ASAP after your FTTP is up and running. You'll have some down time on the number.

Depending on the VOIP provider the port may fail as they tend to use automated systems which don't work with quarentined (ceased) numbers. If this happens you provider's Support need to contact BT Support (as the number range holder) and arrange a manual port.

While there are many providers to chose from A&A seen to offer good deals and have ported PN numbers in the past (that's how I know about the automated system failures). https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

Brian

[#3]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to Everything Else

[#4]

Thank you - I just wish there were some form of official acknowledgement that this will take place from Plusnet, instead of lectures about not "needing" a landline.

[#5]

@Parallax:  I've also seen others suggest ordering the Full Fibre package separately rather than upgrading, but my address is recognised by the website as already being served by Plusnet. I really don't want to lose my existing number, so am I supposed to just embark on this endeavour in blind faith?

I can sympathise with that, I want the exactly the same but sadly There are no guarantees from anybody that this can be done!

To be honest I’ve had it with Plusnet, closing one service after another, how long before they close altogether moving their customer base to BT?

Like many others I recently received an email from Plusnet saying they had screwed up ‘PCI CS information’ and I could leave mid contract without penalty – so I have.

In previous years I’ve called customer services to complain that after many years (over 20 to date) they are offering a renewal more expensive than for a new customer. They have usually caved in and given me some sort of price match.

(Of course I know there’s no such thing as customer loyalty !)

This time was no exception but since my local exchange is a ‘Priority Fibre Exchange’ I suspect that it will be long before Dec 2025 that I would lose my landline, a point that customer services didn’t argue with. I would then have to go through the risky business of porting my number and probably be without it for a couple of weeks – even assuming it worked?

Since I can’t get a definitive answer to how long I can keep my landline I have moved despite Plusnet extoling the virtues of BT Digital Voice and suddenly offering me a £75 gift voucher!

In any event Vodafone (via Uswitch) are offering 100mbs FTTP with NO other costs and only £8 for anytime landline and mobile calls a service Plusnet can’t supply and BT can’t get near on price so……………….

[#6]

BT are apparently planning to shift some of their customer base to EE, which they also own, so Plusnet customers getting shunted straight over to them wouldn't surprise me. In any case, I'll report back here on how my number porting adventure goes in a few weeks and become another one of the many operating on blind faith that I'm not going to lose my number.