BT FTTP Porting Landline Number

Has anyone had any experience of porting their landline number from FTTC to FTTP? Currently a Plusnet FTTC customer about to transfer to BT FTTP and was told by BT's customer service that there is a risk of losing the number permanently during the port.

Currently the landline number is the copper line, wondering if this can be left insitu seeing as FVA has been withdrawn from sale or another solution will be offered?

Digital Voice from the Smart Hub replaced FVA

In reply to a post by fishpan:

was told by BT's customer service that there is a risk of losing the number permanently during the port.

Standard spiel by BT staff. They always say that to cover their backs as there's a risk of losing the number if it wasn't originally issued by BT. If its a BT issued number then pretty much 100% certain it will be ported over successfully whether onto copper or onto Digital Voice.

In reply to a post by fishpan:

Currently the landline number is the copper line, wondering if this can be left insitu seeing as FVA has been withdrawn from sale or another solution will be offered?

It can be.
BT often keep the copper line active for voice if 1 is present, though I don't believe they give you a choice on what will be used.

If not the number will be ported to VOIP via BT's new Digital Voice service, which is their replacement for FVA.

If they do choose to cease the copper line and port the number to VOIP then the telephone must be connected to the BT Smart Hub to make/receive calls. There's no other way to use the landline.

The main advantage of FVA was the ability to use your own router while still being able to use the VOIP line via the ONT.

I would expect BT to start using Digital Voice more often where a copper line exists. Not just for FTTP orders but also for ADSL, FTTC and G.Fast.

They put a lot of FTTC and G.Fast lines on to Digital Voice during the trials (SOGEA and SOGFAST) and eventually it will be how they provide voice for all customers.

That's good to know. I guess if they don't offer voice over the copper anymore I would probably be better off porting the landline number to another VOIP provider (in order to use my own router).

Down to pot luck whether your voice service goes through copper or Digital Voice for BT FTTP orders.

But in case it helps, when I placed a new Fibre 900 order 1-2 weeks ago online, voice over copper was given to me by BT's ordering system. Though I cancelled the order shortly afterwards as I will lose all my free goodies on BT Business if I migrate over such as 4G Assure, BT Sport, static ip address etc. Just waiting patiently for BTB to release their Fibre 900 package

Edited by deleted (Fri 22-May-20 17:39:31)

In reply to a post by fishpan:

That's good to know. I guess if they don't offer voice over the copper anymore I would probably be better off porting the landline number to another VOIP provider (in order to use my own router).

If you have any issues the BT Forum is usually a good place to ask for assistance with number porting issues. I am on there and have seen a number of issues reported when moving back to BT on copper lines.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

...........If not the number will be ported to VOIP via BT's new Digital Voice service, which is their replacement for FVA

If they do choose to cease the copper line and port the number to VOIP then the telephone must be connected to the BT Smart Hub to make/receive calls. There's no other way to use the landline.

If you are provided with a Smart Hub 2 you may also be able to get their Basic digital cordless handsets, if not any handset plugged into the green Phone port will work.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

I would expect BT to start using Digital Voice more often where a copper line exists. Not just for FTTP orders but also for ADSL, FTTC and G.Fast.

I am currently trialling BT Digital Voice via FTTC, so far it works fine (bar a provisioning error)