Questions about eventually upgrading to FTTP and porting phone number to VOIP

[#1]

@Annie I'd agree with @MisterW that connecting your DECT GAP-compatible Panasonic handsets directly to your Gigaset base is a sensible way forward.

I did that when I was in "transition" between POTS and VOIP and they worked fine (though mine were BT handsets), thugh eventually I did scrap my old DECT handsets and move to (used bought on eBay) Gigaset ones.

The only slightly tricky part was working out exactly what processes to go through to de-register from the old base station and re-register to the N300 - button sequences, PINs etc.

[#2]

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@Annie wrote:

I was hoping to make use of my landline Panasonic phones with an adapter and have been looking at the Grandstream HT-801 VOIP Adapter. Would this be suitable with A&A? I see that Voipfone use it. Also, does it work on Ipv6? I never even knew I was going to encounter equipment questions too lol.

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Yes, I got a HT802 and got it running on A&A.  It was a bit of a journey as (at least for the one I got) there was a lot of setting up of the phone side before moving to setting up the VOIP - which is fine using the A&A instructions.  Somewhere on the internet I found the whole setup for 'mimicing UK sounds', sorry can't find it just now

Also A&A will supply the ATA preconfigured for a fee.

I have now gone for fixed desk phones - Yealink T41S off eBay, again with good instructions from A&A

[#3]

Thank you everyone once again for your input.

@mwwagain - I found a set of instructions at https://support.aa.net.uk/VoIP_Phones_-_Grandstream_HT8xx with a link to the internet archive for UK settings http://web.archive.org/web/20221002044654/https://www.ukvoipforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1061 which looks somewhat overwhelming. Then there's mention of Firewalls and security which completely loses me.

I think I might contact A&A and ask if they can set it up for me. My Panasonic landline phones are the KX-TGJ323 Trio. They announce the caller but I imagine that I would lose that facility on VOIP. Is it possible to keep using the answerphone in the base station if I set up with the HT801?

[#4]

@Annie 

Then there's mention of Firewalls and security which completely loses me.

Just ignore that, you can't set firewall rules on the Plusnet Hub anyway.

Just make sure you set the 'NAT traversal - keep alive' and you should be fine.

They announce the caller but I imagine that I would lose that facility on VOIP.

Why do you imagine that, voip still presents caller id and so the handsets should still do that.

Is it possible to keep using the answerphone in the base station if I set up with the HT801?

Yes, but to do that, you need to ensure that the A & A answerphone doesnt kick in before the base station. 

[#5]

@MisterW That's good to know, thanks.

[#6]

@Annie 

As a slightly contrary voice, in your position I would (and did) wait for "Full Fibre" to be available before changing my phone to VoIP.

If you can get another renewal with a copper landline it gives a while for Openreach to complete their full fibre roll out.

At a guess, if City Fibre found your area viable to fibre, Openreach will be wanting to do it in the next year or so.

With a Plusnet fibre upgrade, onec completed, you have a fairly short period to recover the phone number.

I had my phone number move to the VoIP supplier scheduled for the next working day after migration (which was a bit tight but I wanted to minimise outage).

It all went well.

[#7]

@markmark 

Thank you for your input. I have sent off an email to Andrews & Arnold with some VOIP questions. Not sure if it's possible to try out their service before arranging to port the number.

I don't mind getting on with moving over to VOIP if I decide to stay with Plusnet but, to my absolute horror I have just seen my Direct Debit go out and, for the first time in 25 years I have been overcharged. My contract expires on 16th November and yet the discounts have stopped early. I'm waiting on the phone to Plusnet as I type.

I'm interested to know how people have found moving over to FTTP with Plusnet as I have seen some pretty bad reviews on Trustpilot and I'm concerned about tying into a new contract if things have gone downhill? It saddens me because I've always found them very good until now.

[#8]

@Annie I wouldn't trust 'Trustpilot' reviews if i was you.

[#9]

@Annie 

While it would cost, you can set up an account with A&A using a generic number. This would allow you to ensure all your phones work with VOIP and also give you an active line while your main number is ported. As before you don't start the number port until you're certain the landline has "ceased".

Once the number has been ported you simply cancel the generic number.

Brian

[#10]

@bmc Thank you Brian. I will order a Grandstream HT801 and try out the A&A service with a generic number as suggested. I take it that it's easy to cancel the number when I've finished with it. Do you know whether I port my ususal landline number into the same A&A account when the time comes or create a new account?

[#11]

You can have multiple numbers on one A&A account.
I have had a "test" number for a while so that I could set up a Grandstream HT801 to try out.
Last week I ported a ceased BT number to A&A, order was placed on Sunday and completed on Thursday.

[#12]

You add the number to your account

[#13]

@Annie 

You are billed in advance, so your bill could have an element of out of contract price I guess.

If you recontract before your contract ends it will all (eventually) be sorted out.

My experience is that billing isn't the finest aspect of the Plusnet service.

I had a SIP service with a "spare" number running for a while before porting my number.

As far as Plusnet's full fibre service is concerned, I'm about 18 months in and I would say it has been excellent.

[#14]

Thank you for the replies. Plusnet acknowledged they made a mistake with my billing and are refunding me.

I contacted Grandstream about the HT801 and they suggested I use a SIP phone for better call quality. I understand that digital phones are meant to have HD calling but I dislike my Gigaset phones' menu systems etc. My question is to anyone using an ATA, was the sound quality much poorer once your analogue phones were using the ATA than when previously connected to the PSTN? If it was about the same, then I'm happy with that.

[#15]

I am using the  HT801 and the sound quality is the same as when my analogue phone was plugged directly into the BT socket.