Digital Voice and existing equipment

My elderly parents (80+) are at the end of their BT contract. They have Fibre1 and use a BT8600 Truecall Blocker phone. They did receive a lot of nuisance calls before the 8600 was installed. They are attached to their landline number, although my dad does have a smartphone.

BTs renewal offer page produces a popup box saying DV will be used for the Fibre 1 product. I know I can plug the BT6800 into the SH2 but I'm looking for the best ongoing offer.

PlusNet still offer FTTC but their FTTP full fibre doesn't include voice calls. A check with Zen, Voda and Sky say they offer a BT DV equivalent capability so the BT6800 can continue to function.

I think the 8600 DECT handsets could be registered with say, a Zen "hub" but, I'm guessing the answerphone/truecall functionality will not be available. All the capability would be in the 8600 base unit and not each handset.

It looks like the requirement for nuisance call blocking will limit the choice of provider.

If we moved the landline to say, A&A or sipgate I assume we wouldn't be able to use the 8600 truecall capability? Or is there a way of linking in the 8600 that I don't know about?

I'm aware Plusnet may not be around in the long run; VoIP power outage issues; LCR shortdial 18185 won't work with FTTP (an 0800 number is available); some TBB forum users report a reduction in nuisance calls since moving to a VoIP provider.

Thanks

Paul

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

It looks like the requirement for nuisance call blocking will limit the choice of provider.

Why? Plug the existing DECT phone into the router's phone port and you won't lose any functionality of the handsets or base station.

We use Andrews and Arnold with a BT8610 by plugging it into my Giganet supplied DG4134. It works a treat

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

It looks like the requirement for nuisance call blocking will limit the choice of provider.

To expand on olivers answer....

The blocking is built into the phone and only requires caller ID from the provider you go with.

Our BT premium with call blocker (CP-BT-Premium) and the same system i got for my mother has happily worked with BT, Virgin, Sky and grain connect with no loss of blocking functionality even when plugged into the modem itself.

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Thanks Oliver341, iannewson, omnius

If I summarise for my understanding

1) If we choose a provider with FTTP and voice offering, then providing the router has an FXS port the BT 8600 will work
2) If we choose to migrate the voice to VOIP, then we could have a router such as DG3134 with an FXS port. This would be set-up with ISP X FTTP details and ISP Y voip details. The 8600 would work. If this option was selected, then FTTP would be installed first, and then the port of the landline to voip would cease the current FTTC/landline service.
3) with copper connections, the copper between the house and exchange is "shared". I think this is known as LLU. If we used ISP D that used OR core/backhaul and moved to ISP Z that used a different core/backhaul, then that change would be made in the exchange. If we moved providers with FTTP we would need another hole drilled and fibre feed into the house, with possibly another ONT. Is this correct?

Thanks

Paul

Almost. There is a variant of 2) with CP (Communications Provider) X providing FTTP and a router, plus CP Y providing VoIP and an ATA with FXS port. If the CPs involved allow the use of third-party devices the router and/or ATA can potentially replaced rather than using the devices they supply if you so wish.

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

3) with copper connections, the copper between the house and exchange is "shared". I think this is known as LLU. If we used ISP D that used OR core/backhaul and moved to ISP Z that used a different core/backhaul, then that change would be made in the exchange.

Sharing the copper directly between the house and exchange is only applicable to ADSL, and there are two types of sharing. There is MPF (Metallic Path Facility) where a CP provides both PSTN and ADSL services; there is also SMPF (Shared Metallic Path Facility) where Openreach provide the PSTN service and a CP provides the ADSL service.

With FTTC things are more complicated as the VDSL service originates closer to the customer in a DSLAM cabinet connected to the PCP where a number of customer (D-side) cables connect to the exchange (E-side) cables. There is a little-used SLU (Sub-Loop Unbundling) product where a CP can build their own DSLAM cabinets next to each PCP but in most cases Openreach provide VULA (Virtual Unbundled Local Access).

With VULA Openreach provides a VDSL service, sharing the copper between the house and DSLAM, together the fibre backhaul to a handover point with the CP, usually in the exchange. Before SOGEA was introduced the CP had to also take a PSTN service on the copper between the PCP and exchange (SMPF) or provide their own (MPF).

The diagram on page 3 of https://re.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/content/dam/cppo... shows the various types of MPF.

If we moved providers with FTTP we would need another hole drilled and fibre feed into the house, with possibly another ONT.

Only if the CP uses a different wholesale, or their own, network. If you migrate between two CPs and the gaining provider uses the same network it will use the existing fibre feed and ONT.

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

3) with copper connections, the copper between the house and exchange is "shared". I think this is known as LLU. If we used ISP D that used OR core/backhaul and moved to ISP Z that used a different core/backhaul, then that change would be made in the exchange.

Sort of. LLU just means local loop unbundling.
Openreach own and control all the copper between exchange and property but providers can install their own kit in the exchange meaning they run the link.

If we moved providers with FTTP we would need another hole drilled and fibre feed into the house, with possibly another ONT. Is this correct?

Not necessarily.
If you currently have Openreach FTTP and want to switch to another provider over Openreach FTTP then you won't need any new holes or ONTs installed.
Migrations are all virtual

It's only if you wanted to switch to a completely different FTTP network (like Cityfibre) that would you require a new lead in hole drilled, new fibre and a new ONT.

Thanks tdw42 and j0hn83,

I'll see if I can find a reasonable ATA such as the HT801. BT's recontract offer doesn't include the 500 mins plan - only the 700 mins for £8 per month, £96/year. That will cover the cost of the ATA and VoIP calls.

I wish I could move my landline to VOIP before my parents so I could say "I've done it - its easy!" - but I'm 6 months into a 2 year contract.

Thanks everyone.

I migrated my talktalk fttc with voice line to aaisp VoIP, but first I purchased a 4g router (~£40)and a month unlimited data plan with Lebara for £10 once the internet was working I ordered the VoIP transfer with aaisp which ceased the broadband line. You can test the VoIP line to make calls but receiving only when migration occurs which is within an hour of losing the copper service. I went with Giganet for FTTP.
Hope this helps. Also means no hassle if you ever switch to another ISP

Post deleted by wiggsc00