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Extra phone line installation required

rachel6
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎19-05-2021

Extra phone line installation required

I'm needing another phone line installed to accomodate a BT Business number which we're transfering from another property. How do I go about this?

I want to keep my other phone line with Plusnet.

10 REPLIES 10
jab1
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Extra phone line installation required

@rachel6 Welcome to the forums. As it is a BT Business line, you need to talk to BT.

John
Townman
Superuser
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Re: Extra phone line installation required

@rachel6 

A warm welcome to the forums.

The answer to your question depends on the detail.  You mention moving a BT Business number without reference to a broadband service.

  1. Plusnet does not and never has sold telephone only services (in times past they have left some users on phone only service if they had migrated away only their internet service)
  2. If there is an internet service to be taken over, there is some possibility that Plusnet Business might be able to assist, but what you are asking for is not entirely straight forward you would be requesting...
    1. The take over of an existing service at the old property (amongst other things that will allow Plusnet to acquire the existing telephone number)
    2. Transfer of the service to a new property (that will entail a new line and a new number)
    3. Re-routing of (porting) the number to the new line - IF that is at all possible - it might well be the same STD prefix as you home number, but that does not mean that the business number can be moved to a new line in your (home?) property, be that requested of BT or Plusnet

In other words, moving your existing number to your desired property might not be doable by anyone, not even BT.

If there is no (or no continued need for the) Business internet (note Plusnet T&Cs forbid conducting business activity over a Plusnet broadband residential service) and your requirement is purely to keep the BT Phone number, then porting that number to a VoIP provider and acquiring a SIP phone set might be a more viable solution for you.  VoIP calls can be picked up anywhere, so if the number cannot be routed to your location on a landline, then VoIP is the only pragmatic way for you to retain the business number.

There are a number of VoIP providers, including BT - see Voipfone - Transferring (Porting) Your Telephone Number to Voipfone for an overview of porting a number to VoIP.  In referencing this material I am not recommending this supplier, I am simply using their guide to inform you of the process.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

rachel6
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎19-05-2021

Re: Extra phone line installation required

Thank you for your help.

The BT business number is purely just telephone, no broadband included. We're also moving out of the exchange area so I think VoIP maybe the only way to keep the number including the area code.

I'm not too familiar with VoIP - would we be able to use our Plusnet broadband on our residential line, and just get a VoIP phone with the VoIP provider?

Many thanks.

MisterW
Superuser
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Extra phone line installation required

I'm not too familiar with VoIP - would we be able to use our Plusnet broadband on our residential line, and just get a VoIP phone with the VoIP provider?

In principle, yes. You really need a reasonably fast, reliable broadband connection though. Do you have a Fibre connection or is it just normal ADSl broadband ?

We're also moving out of the exchange area so I think VoIP maybe the only way to keep the number including the area code.

It is. Beware though, In order to port a number to voip, the number must be active, so whatever you do don't cancel the Business line. When the port to voip completes, it automatically ceases (cancels) the line. 

In terms of voip providers, have a look at sipgate ( https://www.sipgatebasic.co.uk/ ) you can use it payg or have a monthly call package. They charge a one-off £30 to port a number.

In terms of voip hardware , look at the Siemens gigaset range https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/store/voip-phones/gigaset-voip-phones/ . You can actually use the same base station and DECT handsets to handle both your landline and voip accounts.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

rachel6
Newbie
Posts: 3
Registered: ‎19-05-2021

Re: Extra phone line installation required

Thank you, that’s very helpful 👍🏻
bmc
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Re: Extra phone line installation required

@rachel6 

I believe you can buy routers that have a phone port for VOIP but otherwise I think you get a box you plug in using Ethernet.

 

The following link shows some of what can be done with VOIP. Vonage is a VOIP provider and B4RN is an ISP providing gigabyte speeds in it's local area. Ignore any references to B4RN  or their router - this is just to show what can be done.

https://b4rn.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Vonage-phone-line-help-file-v11-2020.pdf

 

Brian

corringham
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Re: Extra phone line installation required

If you are keeping your business number just for incoming calls, I'd suggest sipgate. You can transfer a number to them for a one-off £30, and then you can receive calls for ever more for  free. Outgoing calls are charged at a pretty acceptable rate, but I don't use that line for making calls.

I'd suggest trying a sipgate account (you get a number in a code area of your choice for a one-off £10 I think).  Once you have that working and you are happy with it you can transfer in your BT number for £30.  Transferring the number will terminate your BT line. I did this with my Plusnet number a while back, and I've had no problems with it (and it works over my 4G broadband just fine, but will work over FTTC or ADSL).

MisterW
Superuser
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Extra phone line installation required

you get a number in a code area of your choice for a one-off £10 I think

its actually free

Their call rates to landlines are pretty good but for calls to mobiles i use localphone, they are 1.8p/min as opposed to 9p for sipgate. Localphone will allow you to register your number to use as outgoing cli

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

corringham
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Registered: ‎25-09-2015

Re: Extra phone line installation required

I do remember having to pay £10 for something - maybe it is call credit or somesuch. Much cheaper than £20pm for a land line anyway!

RobPN
Seasoned Hero
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Registered: ‎17-05-2013

Re: Extra phone line installation required


@bmc wrote:

 

The following link shows some of what can be done with VOIP. Vonage is a VOIP provider ...


Unless things have changed I'll personally continue to avoid Vonage because they tie you down to using their equipment, which also doesn't have any facilities to use additional third-party VoIP accounts.

Also, IMO, their rates aren't particularly competitive either.

 

 


@MisterW wrote:

 

... for calls to mobiles i use localphone, they are 1.8p/min as opposed to 9p for sipgate. Localphone will allow you to register your number to use as outgoing cli


 

Even cheaper for calling UK mobiles is DiscountVoip who only charge 0.3p per minute (0.36p if you pay VAT) - yes, that's a third of a penny!

DiscountVoip Calling Rates

They also allow you (FoC) to register multiple numbers (ones which you can verify as being yours by receiving a call on them) for CLI purposes, so you can chop and change your CLI if necessary.

 

Edit:  There are no setup fees for normal calls made directly from your phone to another phone, so you can ignore their misleading statement saying "Please note that you will be charged a set up fee of 5 pence on phone-to-phone calls".  That only applies to calls between two numbers which you setup from a browser.