OT: Fibre broadband and phone.

[Clive Arthur]

We have a copper landline with broadband router. Sometimes 10mbps,
often less, but quite adequate, we don't do streaming or gaming and it's
fast enough for Skype and surfing.

The mobile signal here ranges from poor to non-existent and these are
rarely used anyway. We're with Giffgaff PAYG for mobiles and Plusnet
for broadband/phone.

Sooner or later we're going to have to change to fibre. Giffgaff don't
do Wifi calling, and Plusnet don't do phone over internet, or whatever
it's called.

Also, we'd like to keep our 'landline' number.

There's a lot of sometimes contradictory information, but I reckon
someone must have achieved what we want to achieve, ie same phone number
and same service providers.

Is that person among you?

--
Cheers
Clive

[Andy Burns]

It's still early days, I'd wait until plusnet are *telling* you they
will move you to broadband-only, after which you should have 30 days to
"retrieve" your old pstn number to a voip-provider of your choice (e.g.
voipfone).

[Spike]

JAAMOI, is it possible to move a domestic landline number to a mobile
phone, i.e. not via a phone app but on the phone itself?

--
Spike

[Andy Burns]

Spike wrote:

> JAAMOI, is it possible to move a domestic landline number to a mobile
> phone, i.e. not via a phone app but on the phone itself?

No, I think mobile number portability is totally separate from pstn
number portability.

[Theo]

Spike <aero....@mail.com> wrote:
> JAAMOI, is it possible to move a domestic landline number to a mobile
> phone, i.e. not via a phone app but on the phone itself?

Only via:
https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/sip2sim/

which makes your mobile an extension on (your|their) digital phone exchange,
and you can configure the exchange with a landline number to make/receive
calls with it (data and SMS also provided but many places won't send SMS to
a landline number).

Theo

[Roger Mills]

I'm not that person but I AM watching the situation.

Plusnet don't *currently* offer VoIP (voice over IP) but their latest
Hub Two routers do have a phone socket. This socket is not currently
supported by the firmware but *could* be with a firmware update. There
are a lot of rumours that Plusnet will eventually offer an internet
voice service, so it's worth waiting a bit. Even if they don't, it's
easy enough to buy a third-party ATA (analog telephone adapter) that
will support your existing phones - but you'll need to sign up with
VoIP provider for that. You can probably port your existing landline
number - but I'm not too sure about that.

With regards to WiFi calling, Giffgaff may not support it, but plenty of
other providers do. Have a look at Lebara - they have some very
attractive packages - not PAYG as such, but pay monthly, which you can
cancel at any time. These include unlimited calls and texts plus *some*
international calls. The data used for WiFi calling does *not* come out
of your monthly allowance. Be aware, though, that not all phones support
WiFi calling, so you'd need one which does.

If you have a mobile package with unlimited calls, and are able to use
WiFi calling, you may find that you only need to use the landline (or
VoIP) for incoming calls.
--
Cheers,
Roger

[Andy Burns]

Roger Mills wrote:

> You can probably port your existing landline number - but I'm not too
> sure about that.

That's the bit I said the O/P should wait for, at the moment it's an
FTTC circuit (which is PSTN with VDSL) BT's bureaucracy means that the
VDSL part depends on having the PSTN number, if you port the number out,
the VDSL service gets cancelled.

At some point Plusnet will say they have to migrate the circuit to SOGEA
(which is VDSL without the PSTN) once that happens the PSTN number is
freed-up and you can port it without the VDSL being cancelled.

I would let Plusnet try that for a few thousand users, let some other
mugs lose their numbers, let OFCOM issue a few bollockings, let Plusnet
fix the process ... then go for it.

[David Wade]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

Just be carefull, as this may limit your ability to move providers.

> Is that person among you?
>

Well no, but only because I wanted to separate the phone service so I
could use my own equipment. So my broadband is with Zen and the
landline with voipfone.co.uk.

I was with Plusnet with FTTP and landline.

To achieve this I had ZEN install a new Fibre service. Their router
comes with a VOIP facility. If you use their VOIP they auto configure
it, but if you don't its free for you to use with any provider.

I then opened an account with voipfone.co.uk. using the free number they
give you. I then set this up on the router Zen provide so I knew that
everything works.

So at this point I still had Plusnet as well as Zen. I then put in a
request to port my landline to voipfone. This caused all plusnet
services to cease. As I was out of contract there was nothing to pay to
plusnet.

Dave

[Peter Able]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

I was in a similar situation to you - Plusnet landline and FTTC down to
about 2Mbps afternoons and evenings and pretty poor (the best, typically
-110dBm, from Vodaphone) 4G signals.

I spent time getting callers used to calling a mobile number and playing
with the new setup, then dumped Plusnet and am currently paying £9.95 a
month for unlimited UK calls and texts, plus 70GByte data a month
(Talkmobile). One-off cost: £9.86 for a second-hand Samsung 5
smartphone off of eBay, which acts as a hotspot for the house - and as
its own UPS!.

PA

[Vir Campestris]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

> Also, we'd like to keep our 'landline' number.

We gave up our landline number when we moved to fibre. My wife has an EE
'phone (we have BT for our ISP) and I have an iPhone on a £5 per month
Asda contract.

Both allow Wi-Fi calling, which is good because mobile signal is rubbish
around here.

Apparently if you get an Android mobile from one company you won't be
able to do Wi-Fi calling if you switch providers. Apple don't allow
their phones to be locked down like that.

Andy

[Andy Burns]

Vir Campestris wrote:

> Apparently if you get an Android mobile from one company you won't be
> able to do Wi-Fi calling if you switch providers.

Not as cut and dried as that, certainly the exact combination of phone
and mobile provider determines whether you get wifi calling provisioned
or not. My phone is a Pixel5a (i.e. direct from google not from a
network) but as they never sold the 5a in the UK, I grey-imported it.

I was on SIM only with VirginMobile they never recognised it, I tried an
ASDA PAYG sim they didn't recognise it, then VirginMobile "ditched" all
their customers onto O2 (rather than being a MVNO under O2) and wifi
calling sprang into life for me ... go figure!

[John Walliker]

I have ported many numbers (some my own and some for other people). It is definitely
possible to port a number from a BT phone line without losing the VDSL internet service
that goes with it. There is a very well defined process which must be followed and if anything
deviates from that process the porting may not work. However, A&A are very good at doing
this and getting it right.
When I ported a BT number away from my BT line with A&A VDSL internet service BT created a
new number for the existing line. So I ended up with the old number on A&A VoIP and
an unchanged internet service but with a new number on that service. The voice line was then
ported to A&A and then converted to SOGEA which has the potential advantage that there is
no need for a connection back to the exchange and there may therefore be less line noise
and a better connection speed.
Why not phone A&A sales and ask them for guidance about your exact situation?
John
.

[charles]

In article <ums8bs$1pnss$5...@dont-email.me>,

My iPhone uses wifi calling

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England - sent from my RISC OS 4té²
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

[Sam Plusnet]

On 31-Dec-23 18:45, charles wrote:
> In article <ums8bs$1pnss$5...@dont-email.me>,
> Vir Campestris <vir.cam...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:
>>> Also, we'd like to keep our 'landline' number.
>
>> We gave up our landline number when we moved to fibre. My wife has an EE
>> 'phone (we have BT for our ISP) and I have an iPhone on a £5 per month
>> Asda contract.
>
>> Both allow Wi-Fi calling, which is good because mobile signal is rubbish
>> around here.
>
>> Apparently if you get an Android mobile from one company you won't be
>> able to do Wi-Fi calling if you switch providers. Apple don't allow
>> their phones to be locked down like that.
>
>> Andy
>
> My iPhone uses wifi calling
>

An iPhone will - provided that your phone network offers the facility.

--
Sam Plusnet

[Sam Plusnet]

On 31-Dec-23 17:26, Peter Able wrote:
> On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:
>> We have a copper landline with broadband router.  Sometimes 10mbps,
>> often less, but quite adequate, we don't do streaming or gaming and
>> it's fast enough for Skype and surfing.
>>
>> The mobile signal here ranges from poor to non-existent and these are
>> rarely used anyway.  We're with Giffgaff PAYG for mobiles and Plusnet
>> for broadband/phone.
>>
>> Sooner or later we're going to have to change to fibre.  Giffgaff
>> don't do Wifi calling, and Plusnet don't do phone over internet, or
>> whatever it's called.
>>
>> Also, we'd like to keep our 'landline' number.
>>
>> There's a lot of sometimes contradictory information, but I reckon
>> someone must have achieved what we want to achieve, ie same phone
>> number and same service providers.
>>
>> Is that person among you?
>>
>
> I was in a similar situation to you - Plusnet landline and FTTC down to
> about 2Mbps afternoons and evenings and pretty poor (the best, typically
> -110dBm, from Vodaphone) 4G signals.

Not quite the same situation:

"The mobile signal here ranges from poor to non-existent"

Hence:

>
> I spent time getting callers used to calling a mobile number and playing
> with the new setup, then dumped Plusnet and am currently paying £9.95 a
> month for unlimited UK calls and texts, plus 70GByte data a month
> (Talkmobile).  One-off cost: £9.86 for a second-hand Samsung 5
> smartphone off of eBay, which acts as a hotspot for the house - and as
> its own UPS!.

Isn't the best way forward for the OP.

I mention this because whilst my FTTC bandwidth is plenty good enough
for me, our mobile signal here is just enough above zero to be an
irritation rather than a usable facility.

--
Sam Plusnet

[David Wade]

Is this true? If they migrate you to their VOIP mid contract can you
move or are you still tied as they are still providing a phone service.

Dave

[Andy Burns]

David Wade wrote:

> Is this true? If they migrate you to their VOIP mid contract can you
> move or are you still tied as they are still providing a phone service.

Plusnet don't have *any* voip offering.

[Peter Able]

Your point(s) being?

PA

[wasbit]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

A very generalized statement.
Have you checked the position of your local masts?
Have you checked which providers use those masts?
Have you checked the signal strength from those masts?

I ask because we have 3 masts within a mile of us, each using a
different provider & each having different signal strengths ranging from
virtually nothing to mid range.

The signal strength was the governing factor in choosing Smarty who use
the '3' network.
Each location is individual. Houses 3 doors away & across the road get
different signal strengths from each mast.

--
Regards
wasbit

[Michael Chare]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

If you moved from Plusnet to A&A they would likely be able to move your
phone number to their VOIP service without terminating your broadband
service. You could ask them yourself first before making the move.

--
Michael Chare

[Andy Burns]

Michael Chare wrote:

> Clive Arthur wrote:
>
>> We have a copper landline with broadband router.  Sometimes 10mbps,
>> often less
>

> If you moved from Plusnet to A&A they would likely be able to move your
> phone number to their VOIP service without terminating your broadband
> service.

Probably, but £45/m is a lot to spend for an under 10Mbps line?

[Brian]

Two comments.

We went to digital phone ( ie our land line via the internet router) in
early Oct. The switch was faultless. At the time, we had 50M internet via
Fibre to Cabinet.

We opted to keep our existing phones - simply due to having a previously
bought a set of Dect phones we like and Senior Management having a
particular retro style phone on her desk she likes. I just plugged the
existing wiring into the BT supplied box which links to the router ( it is
a DECT converter as far as I can tell).

We have since gone to Fibre to the House (900M) - again without problems.


If you can get a Fibre service ( Fibre to Cabinet or House), I would
recommend it.

True, if there is a power cut you can’t make calls. You need to decide if
that is a factor. In our case, we have mobile coverage.


Second comment.

I stumbled across something yesterday which I have yet to try but, based on
research so far, I think will work. I saw it on YouTube.

I have HUAWEI 4G router - the type some Mobile companies supply / supplied
for home broadband. I use it in our motor home and when travelling
generally. It has a RJ11 socket which I assumed was for phone line based
WAN, like the BT hubs. I had never used the socket.

It seems it is actually a phone socket. If you plug in a ‘normal’ phone (
the kind you would normally plug in at home BUT with an RJ11 plug, not the
BT special and the SIM in the router isn’t Data only, you can make /
receive calls. The only other thing you need to do is set Network
selection to Auto.

I’m not aware of any way to transfer a landline number to a mobile.

Of course, you need to find a deal from a mobile company ( or one of their
secondary sellers) which covers your area.

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

On 31/12/2023 14:48, Clive Arthur wrote:

> Sooner or later we're going to have to change to fibre.  Giffgaff don't
> do Wifi calling, and Plusnet don't do phone over internet, or whatever
> it's called.

I have wifi calling, using EE, via Plusnet broadband, using an Iphone.

[Vir Campestris]

Isn't that one of the things I mentioned?

Andy