Setting a specific date for new contract to start

[#1]

Hi,

My contract is due up in late August and I am looking to change to the non-landline version of my product now rather than waiting till then. Is there any way in the online account area to specifiy a date for the new contract to start rather than immediately? I want to specify a date so I can then know when to apply for my VOIP service as I don't want to lose my number (I read somewhere on here that is a 30 day grace period for the number? Is that definite? In case there's an issue) or have any days without internet. I know I can phone PN but I prefer to do things online if I can.

Regarding the VOIP etc, can someone confirm I just need to:

Set a date for the new broadband to take effect.

Set the VOIP to take effect around then.

There's nothing else I need to do right?

TIA

[#2]

Huh..there's no post edit button! How weird..unless I'm missing something? Edit: Oh, got it...you can edit a reply but not the intial thread starter post

Anyway, I have been reading around the forum and it seems that porting my existing telephone number over to a VOIP service (A&A in this case) could take up to a month to complete? So I'm going to lose phone service for up to a month regardless of when I do it. Am I right with this, yes? It's not a huge deal as I don't often get phone calls and I have a mobile.

[#3]

@nursemorph273 I haven't ported my number, but from what I have seen around here, worse case is it may take up to a week - at the worst, but A&A, being experts at this will possibly be quicker.

[#4]

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@nursemorph273 wrote:

Huh..there's no post edit button! How weird..unless I'm missing something? Edit: Oh, got it...you can edit a reply but not the intial thread starter post

You can re-edit your posts/replies for the first 20 minutes, after that the ability to re-edit gets disabled.

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@nursemorph273 wrote:

... it seems that porting my existing telephone number over to a VOIP service (A&A in this case) could take up to a month to complete ?

When I ported my landline number to A&A, it only took them six calendar days to process, starting from ordering VoIP on the day after my broadband was confirmed that it had been converted from FTTC to SoGEA.  Unexpectedly my landline phone continued to work for a while after the broadband had switched, so I had hardly any usable phone number downtime.

.

[#5]

Thanks for the replies both of you.

So the simplest way of doing this would be to change my internet to the non-phone line contract and then, when it's started, order the VOIP package? As long as I don't lose my number (I don't hav the patience to spend ages changing my number everywhere), I can deal with a lack of phone for a bit

[#6]

In a word - yes. You have thirty days to transfer your number without losing it, from the day your SoGEA service starts.

[#7]

@nursemorph273 

You have a wide choice of VOIP providers to choose from. One thing to watch out for is that some can't handle porting a ceased number. Once the automatic systems say no that's it as far as they are concerned.

Some however are happy to go the extra mile in getting their support to phone and arrange a manual port. A&A are one such provider. With them you can also set your account up in advance to confirm your phone works with whatever ditigal setup you have.

I don't know the cost but you get a new number to work with - which gives you a landline during the port during the port of your main number. Once that's done and working you cancel the second number.

Brian

[#8]

Just an update:

I changed my contract to the landline-less version on the 5th and was informed it would change over on the 10th, which it did (came as a shock at 1am when my internet suddenly stopped working for a few minutes!). On the 8th, I applied to A&A for their VOIP to port my current number and was told it would be the 16th, today.

My number was ported over today and, far as I am aware, it is all working fine (I say assume as the handset and base I bought will not work with the VOIP so can't say for sure). Incidentally, my landline continued to work until today (my Mum rang me just before lunch on it).

So, yeah, the whole process is painless and hassle-free...hopefully you don't have the issues I have had with actually using whatever VOIP service you choose. Thanks again to all for the advice

[#9]

Further update: I contacted A&A about the issue with registering the phone to the service and they pointed me to the SIP password not having been set (I had set it but it didn't take for some reason)....generated a new SIP password and everything is up and running. So would recommend A&A just based on their support service

[#10]

@nursemorph273 

Good to hear everything went smoothly (apart from the p/w). Sounds like excellent support from A&A.

Given you don't receive many calls I believe the option where you set the phone to go straight to voice mail and A&A then email you with the details and a transcript might be worth considering. Would bypass the need for any power back up for the phone in case of power cuts.

Brian

[#11]

Thank you for the suggestion...I didn't even know it was an option. To be fair, we very rarely get power cuts...maybe 2 or 3 a year and, in 18 years living here, I can only ever recall 2 that went longer than 2 hours. And I have my mobile if needed. I will definitely keep it in mind for future if I find it's necessary. Thanks again

[#12]

@nursemorph273 you can also set your A & A account to call your mobile number if the call cant be connected to your voip phone. The only thing to note, is that you would be charged for the call to your mobile at A & A rates of 4p/minute.