When to start VOIP port?

[#1]

Hi all

I'm switching to another 'altnet' network for boradband and phone. Currently both are over the Openreach FTTC network. 

With regards to the telephone side of things, when should I order/start the process of transferring the voice side of things to my VOIP provider? The fiber is being installed on Tuesday and by PlusNet BB will go off a few days later.

Thank you   

[#2]

@Pete_uk 

Wait until the AltNet is installed and running.

When you start the port it will cancel your phone line. I assume you've looked at possible early termination charges and are aware you lose PN email (if you use it).

Brian

[#3]

thanks for the info.

I have transitioned all my email over to a gmail account.

Thanks

[#4]

If the order is one touch switching and the phone is with the Internet alt-net then let the process work and do nothing.

One top tip, leave a working phone connected to the line until the port completes. That will stop one reason for the port failing.

If the VoIP is a different supplier, then you could schedule the port for one or two working days after the new connectivity install and it should be safe to do it. 

[#5]

@Pete_uk, you stated that the altnet is being installed on Tuesday and PN Broadband switched off a few days later.
Did you contact PN to cease the service yourself?
If you did, you will have to wait until the cease is confirmed. Once you know that the PN service is ceased. You will have 30 days to port the number to a VOIP provider, but make sure they know it is a cease number.

[#6]

What is the plan if the Altnet does not perform or complete the installation on the expect date,
and say the winter weather caused a couple of weeks of slippage ?

We kept the PN internet & BT phone service operational for at least a month after having FTTP installed,
as they were not a bundle, PN internet could be cancelled first and then the BT phone number was ported to VOIP provider Sipgate, at which point BT closed the telephone account and sent the final bill.

Some weeks with dual ISP services is a lot easier to deal with than ending up with no internet for an open ended period.

[#7]

@Pete_uk I followed a similar low-risk strategy to @PhilipHeyes though I was actually switching from POTS/ADSL to SOGEA/VOIP.

I had the new SOGEA line installed (no FTTP here for a while), set up my VOIP account with a new number and suitable hardware and waited a few days to check it was all good; then I cancelled the ADSL contract. After another few days wait I transferred the POTS number (which was with BT) to my VOIP provider; it took a couple of days and terminated my BT landline contract.

Due to my convenient contract/supplier situation my only excess charges (apart from overlapping rentals) were a single installation charge for the new SOGEA line which IIRC was £50.

[#8]

My journey: Seven days plus a bit.

When my PN fibre went live, my PN phone was cut off (in my case the engineer was forced to use the copper line to “cut and draw” the fibre in). I waited a couple of days (just in case) and the day after the new fibre service was confirmed byPlusNet, the phone number was already giving “network unavailable” tones, and “network error” from mobiles.

I placed an order with Andrews & Arnold the next day, got an order confirmation the same day, and the next day after that, A&A gave me a port in date for seven days hence, which immediately worked.

So seven days for me from the point of order, or nine given that I didn’t want to rush in with placing a port-in order until I was sure the landline number was going nowhere. (Which wasn’t that obvious as my copper line had been chopped two days earlier to my placing the order to port.)