Voice Service FTTP with PlusNet

Just wondering for those who had FTTP with PlusNet before the recent GA launch of their FTTP packages, has anyone tried renewing or been asked to go on one of their GA packages and off the pre launch version?

If so have you been able to keep a voice service with PlusNet or been asked to move to a data only package meaning you had to move to a third party VoIP provider?

Be interesting to see what happens when the 2023 WLR stop sell comes in to play.

Plusnet do not provide any voice service with any FTTP offerings, they are data only. Their ridiculous suggestion if you want a landline is to pay for it separately with another supplier.

I suspect they are being positioned as the budget data-only brand within the BT group, and for broadband with voice they would be suggesting BT Retail.

At least they allow you to keep the existing voice service on copper, albeit at a high cost. It does mean that if you want to retain the existing phone number you can safely port it out to a SIP provider once the FTTC service has been replaced by FTTP, this was lacking during the recent soft launch and the cause of many grumbles.

In reply to a post by tdw42:

I suspect they are being positioned as the budget data-only brand within the BT group, and for broadband with voice they would be suggesting BT Retail.

At least they allow you to keep the existing voice service on copper, albeit at a high cost. It does mean that if you want to retain the existing phone number you can safely port it out to a SIP provider once the FTTC service has been replaced by FTTP, this was lacking during the recent soft launch and the cause of many grumbles.

Not really budget, sure the prices for new customers are, but not after the contract is out.
If people need a landline, but don't use it that much, then maybe Sipgate is suitable for them as you just pay for your calls.

In reply to a post by tdw42:

you can safely port it out to a SIP provider once the FTTC service has been replaced by FTTP, this was lacking during the recent soft launch and the cause of many grumbles.

Ok so for those in a area where it's only sub1meg ADSL or FTTP i.e like here where FTTP was deployed over 5 years ago and some here managed to go on the PlusNet FTTP trials at the time assuming the ask to these customers in a FTTP area already and already using a FTTP service by PlusNet albeit since it was open for trials then PlusNet would want you to either move to BT Consumer or go data only and port the number to a VoIP third-party?

Plusnet customers on the FTTP trial are a special case, they have been able to port their number to VOIP and cease their landline with some manual system intervention by Plusnet CS. I believe this can still be done. Existing customers who upgrade to FTTP will lose their landline and phone number so cannot port the number to VOIP although there is one case of someone managing to do it by some fluke.

Plusnet do not provide a phone service on FTTP.

In reply to a post by Realalemadrid:

Existing customers who upgrade to FTTP will lose their landline and phone number so cannot port the number to VOIP although there is one case of someone managing to do it by some fluke.

So if they want to keep their landline number what should they do?

I would say (although its untested) if you're not an existing Plusnet customer choose the following option when placing an order on the Plusnet website.

I want to keep my home phone line with my current landline provider

Once the FTTP goes live, port the copper telephone service from your existing provider to a VOIP provider.

Edit: not sure what happens if you already have some form of digital voice

Edited by deleted (Mon 08-Aug-22 16:33:11)

Plusnet customers who want to keep a phone service on FTTP are advised to migrate to BT residential so can keep their existing number on BT's digital voice service. Plusnet will waive any early termination charges for these customers.

Is that what Plusnet recommend?

Whether it is, or if is just a work around someone here has thought of, it's worth noting that AIUI the BT Voice system is not industry standard.

For starters, presumably people are on Plusnet because they don't want to be on BT for whatever reason, and secondly what about when they want to migrate away? They can't take it with them.

Edited by pluralist (Mon 08-Aug-22 20:33:51)

it's worth noting that AIUI the BT Voice system is not industry standard.

It is industry standard (well as far as it is built upon a standards based secure SIP platform) but its a "closed shop" or "walled garden" from the point of view that you can't use any other devices to access the service other than BTs own router.

[I know you know this, but other folks reading may be wondering what "industry standard" in this context means]

Thanks for the correction. Does that mean if someone then migrates away they will be able to transfer their VOIP number to whatever provider they choose? (Once they have the necessary hardware).

I don't know. I just don't trust BT.

Edited by pluralist (Tue 09-Aug-22 00:34:27)

As long as it’s an ordinary residential number (for completeness there are some numbers that cannot be ported), then yes BT are bound to honour the porting out request to any particular voice service provider of the customers choosing.

Most third party VoIP providers allow you to use whatever SIP compatible hardware or software you wish to access their system, but again there are some exceptions out there.

Re the kit, I was thinking specifically about BT customers migrating out and whether the BT Hub or whatever they call it now is locked down.

I expect it is but don't know, and it doesn't affect me anyway.

In reply to a post by pluralist:

Re the kit, I was thinking specifically about BT customers migrating out and whether the BT Hub or whatever they call it now is locked down.

I expect it is but don't know, and it doesn't affect me anyway.

Smart Hub? Can’t be used with another third party VoIP service provider only BT Digital Voice.

This thread highlights that not al VoIP providers provide a similar service. Being able t use your own hardware is one thing to consider so is the voice tariff and the equivalent to line rental can vary enormously. I expect to be able to call subscribers with the same hosting provider for nothing and welcome gateways between providers, but that is quite rare and where it does exist isn't advertised enough as a feature.

If a "Which" style table of the features of each hosted provider has ever being published, it hasn't been picked up on my radar. Studying such a table might blow out of the water recommendations often made of the "best" provider here on TBB.

What really annoys me is the cost of calls to UK mobiles and it shouldn't always be assumed that a VoIP call is cheaper than if you used POTS. And does porting charges, both in and out, have to be so expensive? Like early termination charges, it inhibits moving to a different hosting provider.

For some of us we might wish to use our hardware to subscribe to additional hosted providers; is it right that a router is locked down so we can't do just that? Least cost routing is in my sights here.

Just food for thought standing on my soapbox, who has been A VoIP user for over two decades.

I've been using one VOIP provider for me incoming calls and a different one for most of my outgoing calls for a couple of years now and it works really well.

In reply to a post by dect:

I've been using one VOIP provider for me incoming calls and a different one for most of my outgoing calls for a couple of years now and it works really well.

Yep, that's the way to go for least cost routeing.

May we know your two VoIP providers please and would you recommend them?

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

May we know your two VoIP providers please and would you recommend them?

Sorry, for reasons I would rather not bring up here again, I do not typically post details of companies or services I use.