BT Basic

[#1]

You could always use a softphone to login to your VoIP account. If you have a Smartphone or tablet then look at Zoiper. I find that works pretty well...

[#2]

@MisterW

Not heard of that, would that mean I would not have had to buy an ATA phone adaptor? 

[#3]

If you're going to use voip seriously (as you are) then you really need a fixed phone such as an ATA or voip phone.

A softphone can be useful for occasional use, say for instance you're away from home but have wifi facilities, you can connect your smartphone to your voip account and make/receive calls as though they came from your voip number. In my case I have 2 voip (free-i don't have an incoming number on them) accounts with the same provider. My voip DECT phone is permanently logged in to one account at home and is used for outgoing calls(it presents the CLID of my PSTN landline). When I'm away on business say, I can connect my smartphone to my other voip account and call home for free since it's a voip->voip call.

I can also use my smartphone to connect into the office pbx(via vpn) and make/receive calls as though I was in the office.

BTW to use voip on a smartphone you really need a wifi connection. Although it will work using GSM(with most mobile providers) the latency on GSM gives a pretty rubbish voice quality (might be ok on a good 4g connection?)

Oh, and I mispelt Zoiper in the previous post..

[#4]

Ah right, thanks for heads up. 

Once I have it all 'up and running' as they say that might be worth looking into as self and Mrs both have smartphones. Who doesn't days. 

[#5]

---

@Minivanman wrote:
PS. Just to clarify Gandalf as I'm half suspecting I may have got hold of the wrong end of the wooden spoon. My broadband charge was X amount, my new fibre charge is going to be Y amount extra. So is the extra that £2.50, or is it £2.50 on top off that new fibre charge for cancelling my phone?

Hope that's not as clear as mud.

---

As per the initial trial page before you submit the ticket to us, the cost for Unlimited Fibre is £14.99 + a surcharge of £2.50 if you choose to move your phone service from us. Unlimited Fibre Extra is £19.99 + the £2.50.

I hope this helps clarify things.

Anoush

EDIT: It's not too late for you to cancel the port if you're not happy with the surcharge.

[#6]

According to the WBC price list, the BTWholesale FTTP data only 40/2 cost is £22 per month (ex. VAT). So it would appear that even with the extra £2.50, Plusnet will be making a loss.

[#7]

@Gandalf

Puzzled about this, can you clarify please.

As we know I am being billed £51.24 for ending my phone contract and yet according an email received from your head of customer operations a couple of days ago (13th July) it reads as there is no early termination charge?

Also known is that my broadband has gone over to FTTP and it's only my phone that is being ported for VoIP and the contract for that alone is being ended with plusnet.

When your phone service moves.

"There's no early termination charge for your service. Additional charges may apply if we receive notice that your broadband service is also transferring"

I am not able to reply to the email as it's from a 'no reply'.

Thanks

PS. Still miffed about that £2.50 as well, but there go.  

[#8]

That's because a new contract was incorrectly applied when your account was changed to Fibre. To fix that I had to remove the contract, but I can't retrospectively reapply your previous contract. I manually worked out the ETCs for that.

[#9]

Well I guess I'm going to have to cough up that amount up (do I have a choice) although it does leave a bad taste in the mouth at the way plusnet manage to claw back monies and increase my bill into the bargain. Ah well.

A total review of my account will be on the cards from early next year I'm now thinking when my contract ends.

Bottoms up  

[#10]

Where else will you get FTTP for £17.49 per month?

[#11]

I'm hoping for something less, no point in paying the same to another provider. 

Optimistic maybe, but unless we try we'll never know. 

[#12]

How can you expect any company to provide a service to you at an on-going loss?

[#13]

I don't, and they would not be in business if they did, but it's an open market out there and any customer who accepts the status quo for what it is (and many do) are fools to themselves and an unfair profit generator for the provider. Just look around at how wide the variations are, how high the profits, how companies conspire and how cartels emerge. 

Add to that the majority if not all providers seek to lock us in to a combined broadband and phone line rental 'golden egg layer'. Not true? Try and find one that does not - I'm still looking.  

Anti profit no - I once ran my own albeit small overseas company, but anti golden handcuffs alongside market manipulation then most definitely yes.

'Plusnet profits have soared 35 per cent as the Sheffield-based firm capitalises on the nation’s love for Yorkshire. The internet service provider reported record profit after tax of £43.4m for the year ended March 31, up from £29.2m in the year previous'.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/business/plusnet-downloads-record-43m-profit-1-8166171

I enjoy this forum and appreciate the help we get here from plusnet admins and mods but, it's the soft side presentation of a company that like so that many has commercial bite as it's raison d'être - and why not. 

Why not indeed.

[#14]

I don't have line rental with Plusnet and have to pay £2.50 per month extra for my broadband

[#15]

Well neither do I now, but try and get a package - sorry, 'bundle' (seems to be the buzz word now) without one and if you cannot, try and ditch it without being penalised with that £2.50. Why broadband sans phone line cannot be easily obtained is a concern for many.

Happy enough to pay the original broadband price, happy enough to pay extra again for having FTTP, - but not happy about having that £2.50 stuck on top. A double price increase on one transaction? I don't think so. 

Time for it to be addressed methinks.