Going to Fibre - the knock-on effects

[#1]

@penneck Said "I have spoken on the phone to two Plusnet people and they both said that if I wanted to keep the landline, I would have to move to EE." To reword a famous quote, well they would say that, wouldn't they!

Basically that's not true, but it's the answer if you are in, and want to stay in, the BT "family". UW are NOT in that! 😡

You "should" be able to change your PN broadband independently of your UW phone service and retain that for now, but as noted above BT processes might "scupper" that if you're not careful.

If I were you I'd order a separate full fibre line and swallow the installation charge, then sort the rest out later. But to state the obvious, I'm not you. 😎

[#2]

@penneck said "I also contacted (something like) VoiPhone, and they seemed rather expensive."

If you're looking at moving your UW number (after cutoff) to VOIP you will probably need some equipment (called an ATA) to connect existing handsets to the router, maybe about £50. The choice of VOIP provider will depend on whether you make many outgoing calls. For those of us who don't (mobile phones do that job) A&A are very cheap - I pay less than £2 per month for each of the numbers I have.

The A&A web site says "Peak time UK landline calls from 1.5p/min & UK mobile from 4p/min.". The last call we made, to a mobile, cost just 4p.

[#3]

@penneck 

I used both Win7 and Linux with the Hub2 (now have a FritzBox) so no problem with your operating system.

There's been a lot of speculation as to your exact situation and therefore the options open to you. Can I suggest (again) phoning the PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 to ask / confirm

1) what product you are on

2) are you out of contract

3) is full fibre available to you

4) does cancelling your old account cancel the phone line (it shouldn't)

5) Although your mail has been migrated I gather you have to make changes to your outgoing SMTP server if you leave - ask them to confirm.

There was one more question I forgot to suggest

6) how long do you have before you must move?

The last is perhaps the most important as it tells you how long you have to make a decision on what to do. If it gets anywhere close to July then UU might have introduced their VOIP offering.

Once you have definitive answers we can then suggest options based on fact.

Brian

[#4]

I'll answer question 1) for you, @bmc - ADSL.

[#5]

Sorry for the late reply - got tied up in looking after grandchildren and a dog while my son and his partner were in hospital while she had a baby. Baby didn't co-operate because at the last moment she turned out so was breach-presenting (ie facing the wrong way) so mother had to have the operation. Then not long after being taken home (and I mean minutes) baby stopped breathing so 999 - ride in ambulance back to hospital - several days back in the ward with parents, so I've only just got rid of the kids and dog. 

Anyway to answer bmc's question, Open Reach get here on 22nd April

[#6]

@penneck 

So what was the final outcome of the visit from Openreach?

[#7]

...Oh sorry! Will get here, on 22 April. Do you have a plan?

[#8]

Hello @pvmb . A plan? Whats that? I know where I want my phone. I know where I want my computer (I am assuming the new router will be connected to the pc by cable for setting up processes if nothing else). The router could go by the phone, if having it by the computer is not practical - that may depend on maximum cable lengths of the different types of cable required. The computer and the phone are not next to each other, so hopefully cable lengths is not a problem. The fibre termination thing can go by the phone - it can share the power point with the phone and the router if that is what is needed.

As for any other plan, I shall be praying for a successful install

Cheers

[#9]

@penneck 

The router is connected by ethernet cable so can go anywhere you're happy to run said cable. A 2 meter cable should have been supplied by PN with the router. Anything longer you need to sort out yourself afterwards.

The following shows what happens on the day.

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/full-fibre-broadband-installation-checklist

Brian

[#10]

---

@penneck wrote:

Hello @pvmb . A plan? Whats that? I know where I want my phone. I know where I want my computer (I am assuming the new router will be connected to the pc by cable for setting up processes if nothing else). The router could go by the phone, if having it by the computer is not practical - that may depend on maximum cable lengths of the different types of cable required. The computer and the phone are not next to each other, so hopefully cable lengths is not a problem. The fibre termination thing can go by the phone - it can share the power point with the phone and the router if that is what is needed.

As for any other plan, I shall be praying for a successful install

Cheers

---

OK. I was thinking of the situation with your existing landline phone - which you said you wanted to keep - being with Utility Warehouse. I assume the order for FTTP from Openworld went via Plusnet. In which case, your landline phone service would normally cease immediately after the fibre line goes 'live' - at least it does with a Plusnet landline. Not sure of the situation if the landline service is provided by somebody else, possibly keep going for now? I was wondering what the longer term arrangements were to keep you on a home phone with your old landline phone number, if that is what you want. Possibly now left to UW to deal with?

TIA

[#11]

I would have preferred to stay with Plusnet and UW, but UW wont have VoIP phone service before July so I would be without a landline until then. I tend to use my landline phone for voice calls rather than my mobile which didn't have a particularly good service round here until recently so it only got used for text messages (even now - old habits). Therefore, to keep a landline phone, I was persuaded to change to EE. I hope I can keep my old landline number. It was BT-issued and BT own EE and Plusnet, so maybe.

[#12]

@penneck 

If going with EE then be aware that they offer a free ASA ‘adapter’ that can be plugged in to the mains remotely to the router. This allows you to locate your existing phone in a different room to your router.

Providing you have given EE your phone number there should be no problem retaining it.

[#13]

@bmc 

I have looked at the video of what happens on the day of conversion. What I dont understand is why the router needs to be near the ONT. Any idea?

[#14]

@penneck 

It doesn't need to be, it just usually is! The router is connected to the ONT by an Ethernet cable, it can be as near or far (up to 100metres?) away from the ONT as the length of Ethernet cable you use.

[#15]

What I dont understand is why the router needs to be near the ONT. Any idea?

It doesnt!. You can have up to 100m of cat5e(or better) ethernet cable from the ONT to the router. You would have to source and route the cable yourself though, the standard cable supplied is probably ony 1m (possibly 2m?)