Keep my phone number

[#1]

I'm looking to upgrade to full fibre, plusnets offering is without a phone so I'll need to port my existing landline phone number to a VoIP provider.
My question is when to port the number? I assume this can't be done before the broadband is switch over but after the switch the phone number may be lost.

[#2]

Hello Nigel,

Long time no-see!

This is not the best of spaces with Plusnet.  You can do one of the following...

• UPGRADE your account to FTTP and lose your phone number
• Create a new account for FTTP and then terminate the existing service by migrating the number to VoIP ... and then lose the existing account and everything associated with it

You cannot UPGRADE an existing account and RETAIN the phone number.

It is not a great way forward, but in so many discussions on this subject the position has been that having surveyed the customer base the MAJORITY of users have neither need nor care about their landline service / number.  Clearly none of the users on the forum were surveyed.

Ofcom had stipulated that CPs MUST facilitate graceful move away options for landline numbers as the industry moves to FTTP with VoIP and many ISPs dropping voice services from their portfolio.  I find that odd given how not so very long ago, being a 3-play or 4-play provider was the in-thing.  The target for this was December 2022, which has passed with a new target of April 2023 being set.

[#3]

Hi Kevin, thanks for the reply.

I've phone support with this question and their answer was:
I need to wait till the switch to FTTP, my landline account will then close and the number will be placed in a holding list. The VoIP provider can then port the number from there.

That's the theory but there's no guarantee all will go smoothly in practice and I may lose the number.
It's the end of the month before it all happens, I'll report back how it went then.

[#4]

@npr 

Have you got it in writing from PN that your number will go into a holding list?

Perhaps a staffie would like to come along and confirm this is new. The advice given previously was gathered from many posts ever since the introduction of PN FTTP.

Brian

[#5]

•  need to wait till the switch to FTTP, my landline account will then close and the number will be placed in a holding list. The VoIP provider can then port the number from there.

AFAIK  the number will go into quarantine. Unless something has changed recently, a port request to voip will fail because the number isnt active.

[#6]

Thinking back the actual wording may not have been holding list, could have been holding pool or just holding.

I'll be phoning my VoIP support later, I'll report back if they have anything constructive to say.

[#7]

AIUI the number is returned to the Range holder (BT?) and quarantined for 6 months before being available for re-allocation. However there IS a period (not sure how long) where the previous provider can request the number be reallocated to them. I think its designed for the situation where a new occupant of the premises (business or residential) can be allocated the previous number. I suspect the system was designed when BT were the only provider and doesnt allow for the current situation where the new occupant is unlikely to use the same provider.

[#8]

Interesting on FTTP that you loose your landline number i have very old tariff with PlusNet only have broadband telphone   line is with BT would i stil loose my number 

[#9]

@fletpablo 

Good question - I cannot recall if that variation has been answered.  I will ask in the SU space - it would be good to get a comprehensive FAQ written to cover all of the combinations.

[#10]

I've asked the question of my VoIP provider and the answer is not good.

1) A VoIP port will trigger a cease of associated services on the line, this will mean the loss of the broadband line with plusnet.
I assume this would also trigger a early termination fee by Plusnet.

2) If the number gets ceased we wont be able to port it.

So the ball is back with Plusnet! Can someone at Plusnet please take ownership if this issue and find a way for their customers to keep the phone number (port to VoIP) when upgrading to full fibre.

I suggest keeping the phone line active for a couple of weeks after the upgrade to full fibre would resolve this issue.

[#11]

This is exactly what Ofcom are seeking to enact, but the obligation date keeps slipping.  It is current set for April 2023.

[#12]

It now looks like what I was initially told by Plusnet support was a load of rubbish and if I had followed that advice I would have definitely lost the number.

If I need to wait until April for Ofcom to sort thing out I may as well wait for my contract to end.

[#13]

---

@fletpablo wrote:

Interesting on FTTP that you loose your landline number i have very old tariff with PlusNet only have broadband telphone   line is with BT would i stil loose my number 

---

If you were to upgrade the current account, it would invoke a cease on the BT PSTN service.

In principal you could sign up a new FTTP account with Plusnet but on closure of the current broadband provision you would loose any 'over the top' services from the older account e.g. email / webspace etc.

[#14]

This thread seems to be a variance of the thread FTTP and Residential number porting which went to 23 pages.

I cancelled my upgrade to FTTP as I did not want to lose my landline number and will wait until PN get their act together, hopefully before the third of April.

The main reason was not knowing how many companies I have registered with that have the landline number as a contact reference. Recently I needed to log on to a site to check the balances of various savings accounts and it used my landline as part of it's verification system.

The late update for Telecommunications adjudicator update for November 2022 has the latest details about potential number porting.

[#15]

In what way was there a variation?

For existing Plusnet users who are not part of the (somewhat mature) FTTP trial, there is no way of switching to FTTP on the SAME ACCOUT without the loss of the telephone number.

That other topic does discuss other scenarios, such as the FTTP trialists and those migrating into Plusnet, for whom there are some options.