Telephony options with full fibre

We are due to get full fibre broadband via an Openreach community fibre project within the next few weeks. The good lady is keen to retain the ability to be contacted on a landline number. I'm not keen on the idea of a full digital voice service as from what I can gather once you have that, you are tied in to using the router the ISP provides. That's a problem for me as we use a 3rd party DNS provider and most ISP provided routers, certainly from the big players, don't allow DNS settings to be changed.

What I'm thinking is moving to a VoIP type service. From what I understand, if I were to sign up to Sipgate, that is free for incoming calls. That's all we would really need as we both have mobiles with unlimited call plans for outgoing calls.

What isn't clear to me is what other equipment would be needed for Sipgate to work? Do I just need a router or is there more to it than that? Would I need a router with some sort of VoIP port?

I'm also a bit unclear as to how the number porting would work as from what I understand once a number port takes place it ceases any existing broadband service. Is that just for ADSL type products though? Current ADSL service is with Talk Talk and I'm unlikely to pick them as the full fibre ISP. Does ordering the full fibre broadband automatically cease an ADSL service? If not I could wait until the fibre is installed and then port the number from TT to Sipgate once the fibre is active.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Worth looking in the specific VOIP forum: https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/voip.html

My understanding is porting your number will cancel all services on that number ADSL, FTTC etc (not sure if this is the case for all providers but for BT/Openreach this seems the case from other posts).

I may be paranoid but suggest when you sign up to your FTTP provider do not mention your landline number then there is no chance of them trying to take it over and stopping you from migrating to Sipgate (or alternative).

If you do not use landline much you probably just need a VOIP/SIP app on your mobile phone (assuming Android not sure on Apple).

Not sure but Sipgate Starter may only allow one mobile phone to be registered so only you *or* the other half may have it on their phone. Not sure on this as Sipgate recently rebranded and information/experience is limited.

Thanks for that, I hadn't noticed there's a separate VoIP forum.

ATM I have a Sipgate number and GS Wave on mobile which was dead simple to set up, you could use a ATA and landline phone, but I have no experience of this type of set up.
edit, only ever used the sipgate number for incoming calls.

Edited by burble (Mon 22-Aug-22 15:39:21)

I'd only need Sipgate for incoming calls too. We'd be looking at using the existing landline phones either with a separate ATA or one built in to a VoIP capable router. If we can have 2 mobiles registered on a Sipgate starter account even better.

What isn't clear to me is what other equipment would be needed for Sipgate to work?

You can use anything that's SIP compatible. That includes:

* An ATA, which plugs into an ethernet port on your router, and provides one or more analogue phone ports on the other side
* A SIP DECT basestation, such as Gigaset (formerly Siemens) N300A
* A physical SIP phone with an ethernet port
* A soft SIP client on your PC
* A soft SIP client on your mobile. Acrobits Softphone is particularly good as it uses native push notifications for incoming calls, saving your battery life
* Or any combination of the above (incoming calls will ring on them all)

Personally I've gone with Sipgate + Acrobits Softphone. Sipgate Basic/Starter is free, but I paid £30 to port the number, and £6 for Acrobits.

In reply to a post by sjr:

We are due to get full fibre broadband via an Openreach community fibre project within the next few weeks. The good lady is keen to retain the ability to be contacted on a landline number. I'm not keen on the idea of a full digital voice service as from what I can gather once you have that, you are tied in to using the router the ISP provides. That's a problem for me as we use a 3rd party DNS provider and most ISP provided routers, certainly from the big players, don't allow DNS settings to be changed.

What I'm thinking is moving to a VoIP type service. From what I understand, if I were to sign up to Sipgate, that is free for incoming calls. That's all we would really need as we both have mobiles with unlimited call plans for outgoing calls.

What isn't clear to me is what other equipment would be needed for Sipgate to work? Do I just need a router or is there more to it than that? Would I need a router with some sort of VoIP port?

I'm also a bit unclear as to how the number porting would work as from what I understand once a number port takes place it ceases any existing broadband service. Is that just for ADSL type products though? Current ADSL service is with Talk Talk and I'm unlikely to pick them as the full fibre ISP. Does ordering the full fibre broadband automatically cease an ADSL service? If not I could wait until the fibre is installed and then port the number from TT to Sipgate once the fibre is active.

Any advice would be most welcome.

1. as noted, when FTTP arrives and is available to order, do so without canceling your existing copper based services. Order as a completely separate service, data only.

2. Once the new FTTP service is up and running and you are otherwise satisfied with it, at that point put in a porting request for your existing landline number to be ported to a third party VoIP service provider. This has the effect of securing the number but also cancelling a bundled landline+broadband service from your existing provider. The new FTTP service remains as is, untouched.

3. The number porting process usually takes around 7 to 10 days. Once it stops working on the old copper pair it will be operational with your new VoIP provider. They will confirm dates etc. usually costs around £20 to £30 as a one off charge.

4. Check with your old broadband provider that everything can now be closed out, billing etc

In general you can use VoIP via hardware - a router with a VoIP port, an analog telephone adapter (ATA), a DECT base with VoIP client - ir software; a softphone client on a mobile, computer or tablet ot a combination of those. Just depends on what you want.

In between waiting for FTTP to become active you can start your VoIP journey, get accounts setup, a working local number etc and run it all for real. The number porting can come later.

In reply to a post by candlerb:

You can use anything that's SIP compatible. That includes:

* An ATA, which plugs into an ethernet port on your router, and provides one or more analogue phone ports on the other side
* A SIP DECT basestation, such as Gigaset (formerly Siemens) N300A
* A physical SIP phone with an ethernet port
* A soft SIP client on your PC
* A soft SIP client on your mobile. Acrobits Softphone is particularly good as it uses native push notifications for incoming calls, saving your battery life
* Or any combination of the above (incoming calls will ring on them all)

Sipgate should ring more than one device that has registered, alas Voipfone would just ring the last device to register.

Yes Sipgate Basic / Starter will happily have 2 concurrent SIP registrations. So you could have spouse using acrobits client on their smartphone in Marbella seeing/hearing the “home” phone ring at the same time as your in Margate. Either of you could pick up the call as if you were at home in Market Harborough. The other party would know no different.

You also get your local area code number of your choosing as allocated when you start your account + an additional ported-in number active in the account. You can set the outbound CID to be that of your original Sipgate number, ported in landline number or another number like your mobile should you wish.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by sjr:

We are due to get full fibre broadband via an Openreach community fibre project within the next few weeks. The good lady is keen to retain the ability to be contacted on a landline number. I'm not keen on the idea of a full digital voice service as from what I can gather once you have that, you are tied in to using the router the ISP provides. That's a problem for me as we use a 3rd party DNS provider and most ISP provided routers, certainly from the big players, don't allow DNS settings to be changed.

What I'm thinking is moving to a VoIP type service. From what I understand, if I were to sign up to Sipgate, that is free for incoming calls. That's all we would really need as we both have mobiles with unlimited call plans for outgoing calls.

What isn't clear to me is what other equipment would be needed for Sipgate to work? Do I just need a router or is there more to it than that? Would I need a router with some sort of VoIP port?

I'm also a bit unclear as to how the number porting would work as from what I understand once a number port takes place it ceases any existing broadband service. Is that just for ADSL type products though? Current ADSL service is with Talk Talk and I'm unlikely to pick them as the full fibre ISP. Does ordering the full fibre broadband automatically cease an ADSL service? If not I could wait until the fibre is installed and then port the number from TT to Sipgate once the fibre is active.

Any advice would be most welcome.

1. as noted, when FTTP arrives and is available to order, do so without canceling your existing copper based services. Order as a completely separate service, data only.

2. Once the new FTTP service is up and running and you are otherwise satisfied with it, at that point put in a porting request for your existing landline number to be ported to a third party VoIP service provider. This has the effect of securing the number but also cancelling a bundled landline+broadband service from your existing provider. The new FTTP service remains as is, untouched.

3. The number porting process usually takes around 7 to 10 days. Once it stops working on the old copper pair it will be operational with your new VoIP provider. They will confirm dates etc. usually costs around £20 to £30 as a one off charge.

4. Check with your old broadband provider that everything can now be closed out, billing etc

In general you can use VoIP via hardware - a router with a VoIP port, an analog telephone adapter (ATA), a DECT base with VoIP client - ir software; a softphone client on a mobile, computer or tablet ot a combination of those. Just depends on what you want.

In between waiting for FTTP to become active you can start your VoIP journey, get accounts setup, a working local number etc and run it all for real. The number porting can come later.

Fast class advice from Pheasant and the way to go. But that said you could be looking at early termination and cancellation fees from your previous ISP, Check that out first to avoid an eyewatering bill.

No worries on the termination fees, we've been out of contract for a while. We knew that full fibre was coming this year so we have been paying a bit over the odds for the past few months so we have options open for fibre.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yes Sipgate Basic / Starter will happily have 2 concurrent SIP registrations. So you could have spouse using acrobits client on their smartphone in Marbella seeing/hearing the “home” phone ring at the same time as your in Margate. Either of you could pick up the call as if you were at home in Market Harborough. The other party would know no different.

You also get your local area code number of your choosing as allocated when you start your account + an additional ported-in number active in the account. You can set the outbound CID to be that of your original Sipgate number, ported in landline number or another number like your mobile should you wish.

Sounds ideal and definitely the way to go.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

So you could have spouse using acrobits client on their smartphone in Marbella seeing/hearing the “home” phone ring at the same time as your in Margate.

Side note: if you're on Android and set up Google Play Family Library then you only need to pay once for the app. Presumably the same works for Apple family plans too.

Most certainly does. Thanks @candlerb for pointing this out. One of the great benefits of family membership of these services.

Thanks. Very good point. Though I think in this case OP is good to go as said. Maybe I should edit with a “0.” In future 😂

sipgate account all set up and waiting for the start code to arrive by post so that I can activate the account. The letter arrived today but when I enter the start code I get an error message saying it is incorrect, grrrr!!!
I've raised a ticket with them so let's see what they say.

Maybe a Sipgate a/c for incoming (DID) VoIP calls, and one or more accounts with the Betamax VoIP resellers, for least-cost-routed outgoings? Voipcheap.co.uk and many other Betamax providers allow you to spoof your CLID which is always useful.

For a softphone, the Zoiper app is great. Very stable, light on the battery, highly configurable, and the codebase is regularly maintained and improved. The free version is nearly identical to the paid version, supports multiple VoiP accounts on multiple phones, has numerous audio codecs, etc etc. And if Linux smartphones are your thing, there are several VoiP softphone apps in development, albeit in relative infancy.

At home, we have a Yealink IP phone, connected via WiFi to a router which works well.

Or if you wanna go hardcore, maybe an open-source Asterisk PBX server?!