If PlusNet belongs to BT - where is their landline switchover?

[#1]

I've just had a chat with a friend in Ipswich who like me is still on copper (and in his 70s) - but still on BT.

In his case the engineers are coming in 2 weeks to fit his new router, and existing phones can be used:

Hello Jonathan,
Great news, we're moving you to our Digital Voice home phone service.
What happens next

Your switch over should take place on 21 Nov 2025. We'll confirm once this has happened.
What is Digital Voice?

Digital Voice is our new home phone service that uses your broadband to make and receive calls. It's a big upgrade to keep everyone connected now and in the future. You'll keep your current phone number, and your contract and broadband plan won't change. The main difference is you'll need to dial the area code for all calls. 

In my case it's more "Up your Delors"

Vague hints that if I transfer to EE (and lose free PlusNet email) I might be able to keep my number as a VOIP

No guarantees about existing equipment - and no help.

"DO IT YOUSELF"

People of my age will remember Barry Bucknell the BBC TV personality:

"Bucknell often demonstrated techniques to 'modernise' older properties, most typically using cheap materials including hardboard and plywood to cover up architectural detail such as period doors and fireplaces, which at that time were considered unfashionable. This earned Bucknell the moniker 'Bodger' Bucknell. By the 1990s, some critics^[who?] argued that he was largely responsible for millions of home owners altering their properties to a style that, in turn, is now considered dated again."  (Wikipedia)

[#2]

In a nutshell, @ColdharbourDave EE and Plusnet are separate business units within the BT Group - EE being the 'all-in-one' (BB  and phone) providing arm, Plusnet providing broadband only. Which means, if you are a Plusnet customer, you need to arrange your own VoIP service. 

There is plenty of help and guidance on the forum.

[#3]

@ColdharbourDave 

You need to cancel the number port to A&A asap!!!!!

As stated, until you are on an internet only connection (SOGEA or Full Fibre) you cannot port your number - it controls your internet service.

A business decision was made within the BT group to make PlusNet a basic internet provider only with no bells and whistles. Therefore they are not offering a Digital Voice service so support staff cannot help.

Your basic choice is to move to an ISP who offers both or set up an independant VOIP account (once you've moved to SOGEA of Full fibre). You have 30 days to do so.

Brian

[#4]

@bmc I don't think @ColdharbourDave has arranged anything - it is his friend who is being transferred to the BT 'Digital Voice' - non-standard - service. 

[#5]

You may, or may not, be interested in replies to this general question I have, out of curiosity, just posted on another thread: https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/A-question-wrt-ONT-PON/m-p/2027106

Not that any replies will help you solve your practical issues, I'm afraid. 

[#6]

How about "porting" to Hyperoptic then?

They seem to offer "keep your own old number VOIP" and cheap full fibre.

Plus their CEO people seem to be Serbian and American.

A bit of a loop-back there - when I joined Force 9 in 1994 it was a dial-up service run by a Computer equipment hypermarket in the Chesterfield area. A bit like a northern version of Freeserve. The charge for a year's dial-up was £84 - a bargain at the time. This setup was bought by Insight Enterprises of USA who constantly tried to sell us laser business copiers and such-like. . 

I see from Wikipedia that PlusNet/Force9 started ADSL the same day as BT. 

But they are not now offering proper customer care to vulnerable customers like BT are they?

As @bmc says "A business decision was made within the BT group to make PlusNet a basic internet provider only with no bells and whistles. Therefore they are not offering a Digital Voice service so support staff cannot help."

Disgraceful. Why would one want to port to EE is that is their attitude?

How about porting to BT and getting the correct customer service long term elderly customers (of 31 years standing)  are entitled to?

[#7]

I'll leave this to others to answer, @ColdharbourDave  - I moved from PN a few years ago, for different reasons, to a company who actually know how to look after customers.

[#8]

@ColdharbourDave 

You can port the number to anyone you want - ONCE your internet connection is either SOGEA or Full Fibre.

Depending on your contract you can move anytime you want but may be subject to early termination charges. PN will move you to EE FOC if arranged through them.

If you use PN email then you'll lose the address unless it's already been migrated to Greenby.

Is full fibre available to you and by whom - OpenReach or an AltNet?

Brian

[#9]

@ColdharbourDave 

Just to clarify -

If you move to an ISP who offers both internet and VOIP then the number port happens as part of the transfer to the new ISP and there would be litttle downtime.

Brian

[#10 · Accepted solution]

@ColdharbourDave 

I suspect that your friend is paying more for his BT service than you?

If you keep your current Plusnet service things will happen before the old PSTN service is switched off. First your email service will be transferred to Greenby, so will not be lost if you leave Plusnet. You will then have the following options before January 2027.

1. Give up your landline phone and stay with Plusnet.

2. Transfer both your phone and Internet to EE. If you are still under contract to Plusnet this will not trigger any termination charges provided that it is arranged through Plusnet. You can keep your existing phone number.

3. If you are at the end of your contract you can transfer to one of the many other ISPs who offer an Internet and phone service. Again you can keep your existing phone number.

[#11]

@ColdharbourDave 

Just to add to @Baldrick1 post you can move ISP anytime you want - if you are happy to accept the ETC's.

Brian

[#12]

I see the information about keeping your current phone number in the Plusnet user account centre is still wrong, this was highlighted to be fixed several months ago & nothing has been done to correct this misinformation. 

[#13]

No surprise, @PowerLee .

[#14]

@ColdharbourDave 

What I'm uncertain about is what happens when you are on a copper broadband service with Plusnet.

There will come a date (which I suspect is on an exchange by exchange basis) when Plusnet (via Openreach) are not prepared to offer you a landline service.

This may also be triggered by the end of your contract minimum term.

If you are able to have a full fibre service (and would like it) start thinking about what you want to do at the end of your Plusnet contract.

BT will probably be considerably more expensive than your current Plusnet contract for a landline and call package. However with BT it's all one service provider and should "just work". There are other options as others have suggested. 

[#15]

---

@markhawkin wrote:

@ColdharbourDave 

What I'm uncertain about is what happens when you are on a copper broadband service with Plusnet.

There will come a date (which I suspect is on an exchange by exchange basis) when Plusnet (via Openreach) are not prepared to offer you a landline service.. 

---

Whether or not Full Fibre is available is irrelevant. By January 2027 it’s the PSTN phone service that’s being discontinued, not the use of the copper connection to your property.

Whilst there has been no official Plusnet notification, logically at some point the offer to renew phone plus broadband packages will be withdrawn and only a broadband service available.

Presumably, those with a phone and broadband service will be made an offer to transfer to EE. One must assume that if the offer to  move to EE involves an increased price for the remaining part of the contract, then affected customers will be contractually able to move to another ISP without incurring ETCs.