Why do I feel like I'm being blackmailed into jumping ship early??

[#1]

I am on a contract with broadband and phone until November this year, and I do realise that after this time I can only have a broadband only deal with plusnet.  

I still haven't completely made up my mind  about where to have VOIP services from  so any recommendations from anyone whos already with a provider will be gratefully accepted.  I'm 70 plus and I have got used to having phones up and downstairs, its a safety issue really, if I forget to carry the mobile or charge it when I decide to fall over at least I can crawl to the nearest phone.  I assume I'll have to pay up for an UPS for the router.  We live in a volatile mobile reception area,  in fact my closest neighbours dont get a mobile signal at all so all rely on the landline for safety.

The only options I'm being given are within 30 days to allow them to transfer me to EE (which I'm not keen on - awful customer services) or sign up now for a broadband only deal (which is £5 dearer than I'm paying for phone + bb now). 

Given my existing contract runs until November I wasn't expecting to have to make any decisions 5 months into contract. 

[#2]

BT/EE/Plusnet are all the same firm.

If you are looking for an VoIP provider have a look at : https://www.aa.net.uk/
We have 3x VoIP lines with Sipgate they are excellent but now would likely cost more than A&A.

Do be aware that a VoIP phone is not like BT phone from Argos, out the box you have to understand it and configure it for use with the VoIP Provider.    This is why for some perhaps many people a Telco / ISP's  Internet + Digital Voice is the choice they take so as to avoid complexity and to have telephone support.

[#3]

@Spik3y 

My understanding is there are routers, supplied by some ISPs (Zen?), that act as DECT base stations. This ought to allow having several DECT phones around the house. I have seen posters on here explaining this. In my case I simply let the landline phone go and rely entirely on my mobile.

I have in the past seen comments about keeping home phones because "the mobile signal is poor where I live". I don't entirely understand this nowadays as Wi-Fi calling is commonly available via mobiles and using this with a single mobile is hardly any different to using a single VoIP home phone after the landline switch off. This is what I now do.

[#4]

Feeling “blackmailed” is nothing more than your emotional response to a business seeking to manage an inevitable event in a timely manner.  PTSN switches off early next year.  Only a foolish supplier would leave migrating all users until the “last minute”.  If they did and there were delays, folks like yourself would complain that they should have planned better.

If you want to retain your land line number you have three choices (no one is forcing you to keep the number…)

1. Stay with Plusnet for broadband and make your own arrangements for VoIP
2. Switch to EE who can supply both broadband and digital voice as a single package
3. Switch to another supplier of bundled broadband and VoIP such as Zen

Different suppliers will provide different means of connecting “landline” handsets.  With Plusnet you’ll need an ATA, EE you can plug an existing phone into the back of the router, in the case of Zen if you have DECT phones they can use the router as a base station.  I connected 6 handsets from different packages into one Zen router.

You are not being blackmailed, you are being given timely options for change if YOU chose to keep your landline number.

[#5]

@Spik3y 

Unfortunately, BT family brand preferences at not considered by BT group. The well publicised fact is that the old PSTN service is in the process of being permanently shut down. As I understand it, Plusnet are in the process of transferring all customers who wish to retain a phone service to EE for the remainder of existing contracts, with no changes to the current cost or contract end date. When the current contract ends you are obviously clear to either stay with EE or move on.

I would advise you to immediately register with Plusnet as a vulnerable person. Assuming that you choose to be moved to EE rather than move to another ISP that offers a combine broadband and phone service and then argue whether you should pay cancellation charges, you can tell EE that as a vulnerable customer you should be provided with a free UPS. 

[#6]

Personally, given your requirements I would go down the EE route. It's "easy" and should "just work".

The remaining problem will be making your extensions work. This will require someone to sort out the cabling in your home.

The EE product comes with one cordless handset wich (together with a phone plugged in to the router) might be sufficient for your needs and you could give up on the extensions.

I believe there are also cordless adaptors for extensions but I've no personal experience with these. 

Make sure you get a battery backup unit.

[#7]

@Spik3y 

Quick question. Given your age have you registered with PN as a vulnerable user?

If your phones use extensions then there's another problem - they don't work with VOIP where the landline is still in use for broadband. DECT phones are fine.

Brian

[#8]

@bmc  You say regarding extensions ... "they don't work with VOIP where the landline is still in use for broadband."

That is not strictly the case, phone only extensions (i.e not used for the broadband router connection) could be disconnected at the master socket and with appropriate wiring connected to the phone socket of whatever is providing the VOIP service. A bit unusual but possible.

[#9]

The OP mentions having concerns about falls and needing to crawl to telephone.

From two falls my mother-in-law experienced, sometimes crawling is not an option.

It might be worth considering an emergency pendant.

[#10]

@Townman 

I dont think its just an emotional response.  If I'm not moving to EE I should just be able to continue my contract until November and then sign up for the next year with bb only.     The landline phone will still be operational until then (they are not pulling the plug until Feb 2027).  If I have to sign another contract now I lose the phone now, and its more expensive.  I'd rather keep it until the end of contract which is what they agreed to when I renewed in November.

[#11]

@Baldrick1 

I'm already registered as vulnerable I think but I will double check that its current.

The big issue for me with EE is the call centres.  When you get older it does get more difficult to hear on the phone, and your concentration is not as good, despite having otherwise good hearing.   Throw into the mix someone whos first language is not English, with a strong accent, who isn't grasping what I'm saying eithier and it turns the whole experience into a nightmare.  I sometimes have to ring off and start again with a different member of staff.  Thus far I haven't had this problem with plusnet.

I know they should be providing UPS for vulnerable customers, but actually getting provided free it is a different matter.  I believe EE's ups is somewhere in the region of £150 and only give 1hour in ideal conditions.  If you get caught in a queue that could eat up very quickly so rather pointless.  They do a phone (£80?) with up to 8 hours which is a bit better but I think its a standalone phone, so the dect phones probably dont work plugged in alongside. A power bank seems a better option at that point as its cheaper and can be used for other items. 

[#12]

@Spik3y 

 "The landline phone will still be operational until then (they are not pulling the plug until Feb 2027)."

"they" - Openreach - may not be physically pulling the plug on the PSTN service until "Feb 2027" (are you sure? I doubt there will be one national grand slam) but phone service providers - such as Plusnet - will surely be making their own decisions over the continuance of their services, given the background?

As for backup in a power cut, I wonder if a simple 4G Feature Phone with Wi-Fi calling could provide another, possibly cheaper approach?

[#13]

@markhawkin 

The transfer to EE is supposed to be easy and seamless, but there are plenty of reports from people who have had engineers out on multiple occasions and the phones are still not working properly.

[#14]

@bmc 

Yes I think I am registered, but am going to check to make sure.  We live out in the sticks, the only neighbour (FIL) is 90.   Our mobile signal is iffy in bad weather conditions (huge pines swaying and blocking signals seems to be the thing) which is why I've always maintained the landline as back up.

At present I have a 3 set of dect phones.  I'm guessing as they are getting older (in phone years) that I will probably need a new set.  I have a plug in phone which we use when powers down.

[#15]

@PhilipHeyes 

Unfortunately they use the mobile signal too.