FTTP Phone questions

[#1]

I recently had FTTP installed and am now looking to ditch my landline, which is currently with Plusnet.

I am looking to port my landline away to a number management service (I don't really use my home phone anymore, but don't want to lose the number), which in turn will point to a new VOIP service I have set up with SIPgate. This process all seems relatively straight forward.

However I do have a few questions:
The ONT box is connected to a new master socket which I was told I would need to move my existing analogue phone to. I still haven't done this and my phone is still working. Do I need to move my existing phone to this new socket, if not what is it for? Will I need to use this socket at all if I go down the SIP phone or VOiP route?

Does anyone else use SIPgate basic and can anyone recommend a compatible cordless SIP handset that doesn't cost the earth?

Are there alternatives with the Plusnet FTTP service and ONT box which means I can use VOiP without using a third party service?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate any support with this.

[#2]

If you're looking to port your number make sure the process is driven by your VOIP provider. However, also post on here so a FTTP trained staff member can keep an eye on things.

Your phone line has no connection with the ONT and should work as normal so long as you're paying for a line.

I know little about VOIP other than a video I saw on Vonage but I believe a "box" is supplied which you plug into your router and then the phone goes into this box.

Brian

[#3]

For VOIP, just ignore the ONT and the link from it to your landline (that link is for a BT Consumer service called FVA "Fibre Voice Access" which some FTTP users use for voice calls as they have no copper line)

You need a VOIP base station which will link to your router by ethernet cable. A good priced VOIP base station is the "Gigaset N300 IP DECT/VoIP Base Station" for which you can buy additional DECT handsets or just pair your existing handsets to (in most cases).

Look at the reviews first but it should do everything you need.

I use SIPGATE Basic and find it reasonable (but I use their supplied phone number and never ported a number in). I use the Obi200 as my VOIP base station but it isn't well supported and normally out of stock everywhere (so I wouldn't recommend it).

[#4]

@Sienco

Further to what @bmc said above, I appreciate Vonage was not actually being recommended, but my advice would be to steer clear of them.  Not only are their prices not the lowest, but more importantly (unless things have changed) they tie you down to using their supplied equipment by way of not releasing to you your SIP details which you would need to setup the Vonage account on third-party kit.   Why would you need to do that you may ask?  Well simply that you may wish to use services from other providers (advisable) and therefore need to use equipment which enables the use of multiple VoIP accounts. (The Vonage kit is also tied to Vonage)

One nice easy way of using multiple VoIP accounts which would satisfy your requirement for cordless handsets would be to use the Gigaset range of IP basestations which pair with DECT handsets, e.g. N300IP or N300AIP  (the A is for the version with 3 built-in answer machines).

To save typing I've copied below some text from a post I made in another thread (if the links don't work follow the links in the original post).  There are also cheaper prices I can recommend since that post.

Quote:

2. Ditching the copper

If you want to keep your existing landline number you could port it to somewhere like Voipfone which would incur a one-off fee of £20 then £2 per month (both plus VAT).  If you don't like their call charges, you could use any other cheaper service such as FreeVoipdeal (just one of many clones in the Betamax/Dellmont group, e.g. prices on FreeVoipDeal are 1p/min to UK mobiles ), to make your outgoing calls and just use your ported landline number to receive incoming.  It's simple to configure your FreeVoipDeal account so that your landline number is presented for outgoing calls so if callers wish to call back they can do so.

If you don't wish to keep your existing number (and thereby save a bit more cash), then you can get one free from the likes of Sipgate with no on-going charges (unless you wish to make outgoing calls via Sipgate). Then just do as described above, and set your Sipgate number as your outgoing CLI on the FreeVoipDeal account.

There are no call set-up fees on most VoIP services, and you get Caller Display included, as well as possibly other free features.

If you want to be able to use multiple VoIP accounts in this way then you'll need to purchase suitable equipment, e.g. a DrayTek VoIP router or a Gigaset N300IP(A), I use both and they are both reliable and fairly versatile.

/quote

Edit:  During the time it took me to type and find the post linked to above, @SpendLessTime beat me to it in recommending the Gigaset N300IP !

[#5]

Thanks for the advice and suggestions. Is the FVA service comparable to VoIP? Are there any benefits to having one over the other?

Also, if I just got a sip desk phone, does this simply plug into an Ethernet port on the network and save the need for VoIP hubs?

[#6]

FVA is a BT service, it is VOIP but PlusNet do not supply it on the FTTP trial. I use Sipgate Basic but have not ported a number to them. I would also recommend the Gigaset IP phones, I have several handsets on a DP450 base station which was sold by Tesco years ago when they had a VOIP telephone service.

[#7]

@Sienco

1. Only BT Consumer offer FVA and then only on certain exchanges. So a rare beast.
2. It is not any cheaper than having an copper phone line and FTTP on fibre ( 50p a month less or so).
3. It has no special advantages over VOIP, indeed it is more expensive to use as the rates charged are the standard BT call rates.
4. Yes you can get a VOIP/SIP phone and it doesn't require a base station but they tend to cost £150 and more. And most plug into the router (but be aware that some are designed for offices so may not work that way).
5. With a DECT base station, you can link multiple DECT handsets if required to the same station.

[#8]

Actually I being a bit unfair to FVA, it does have 1 advantage

1. The phone line will work from the ONT's battery backup in a power cut but that works for about an hour or two when new (and mine lasts 20 minutes now after 4 years)

But as I and others have said, it is only when you buy FTTP from BT Consumer and only to selected customers too. And if your phone handset needs power, you will need to supply that yourself anyway from another source.

[#9]

Thanks everyone. Some really useful information and explanations.

I'll go and look at the handsets suggested, and have contacted Sipgate to find out about the process of porting my number to them, and what the associated cost will be.

I noticed a number of Cisqo SIP VoIP phones on eBay starting from £20 (for example the Cisco IP 7960G) is there any reason this wouldn't work on a home network, if so is there something I need to be looking for in a SIP phone to ensure it's compatible?

[#10]

Be careful with desktop IP phones. Most will use PoE ( power over Ethernet ) and so you will need an adapter to provide power to the phone and connect to your router. 

[#11]

Thanks. PoE isn’t an issue as I have a mini PoE switch I can use to power a phone. More concerned that certain phones like the Cisco one above may require specific infrastructure to work, and not 100% sure which ones would work straight on a home network without a dedicated VoIP server etc.

That said, I looked at the hub and cordless handset from Gigaset and these do seem to be reasonably priced. I’m trying to avoid the need for yet another hub though and wondered if anyone had found a decent priced VoIP router that could replace the Plusnet Hub? I saw a very cheap Zyxel one, but haven’t been impressed with their server equipment in the past.

[#12]

The gigaset .kit works pretty well, I've used one at home for a couple of years now. You're right to be concerned about the Cisco IP phone configuration without a server. I use Polycom IP phones for the office PBX, they can be configured either by file from a tftp server or from the built in web GUI.

[#13]

---

I noticed a number of Cisqo SIP VoIP phones on eBay starting from £20 (for example the Cisco IP 7960G) is there any reason this wouldn't work on a home network, if so is there something I need to be looking for in a SIP phone to ensure it's compatible?

---

The Cisco has been EOL'ed in 2010 so zero support https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/collaboration-endpoints/unified-ip-phone-7940g/end...

And Amazon america reviews state

did not work on POE unless you use their hub, I had to buy the power supply for it. But it was a new from factory phone

I personally would go with a Gigaset device and get full support and manufacturers guarantee

[#14]

@Sienco

If you decide to follow the recommendations for the Gigaset N300IP you can sometimes pick them up at very reasonable prices on eBay.  Just before I typed this I checked and saw the following, both are 'Buy it now' offers;

£35 free postage

£40 free postage

I've bought several of these and had no problems with any of them, in fact I should dig out one which is redundant and sell it myself, but can't quite remember where I left it, or did I lend it to someone. 

[#15]

Hi there. If you do decide to go ahead with porting your telephone number to a VOIP provider, drop us a message over here so I can keep an eye on your account to make sure your FTTP service remains unaffected.