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.