Have a look at VOIPIFY too: https://www.voipify.net/ yes there is a monthly charge, but support is excellent and call prices good.

Thanks, my understanding from the PN renewal portal is that moving to "a new product" with PN, will not come with a phone line, as they will no longer offer new deals with phone packages. I can renew the existing bundle, but I am delaying the inevitable when copper lines get dropped over the next year or so.

I I do take PN full fibre, I understand the LL will be disconnected, then I have 31 days to port.

But, the information is far from clear, so I could be misunderstanding things.

Wow, they are extremely competitive call charges!
Thank you!

Based in Sheffield and I have been using them for several - 4-5 years, possibly more.

From what I understand, the owner was one of the original architects of VoIP.

In reply to a post by MHC:

From what I understand, the owner was one of the original architects of VoIP.

Matt (uno), he posts regularly here.

Hi,

In reply to a post by aks:

Thanks, my understanding from the PN renewal portal is that moving to "a new product" with PN, will not come with a phone line, as they will no longer offer new deals with phone packages. I can renew the existing bundle, but I am delaying the inevitable when copper lines get dropped over the next year or so.

I I do take PN full fibre, I understand the LL will be disconnected, then I have 31 days to port.

But, the information is far from clear, so I could be misunderstanding things.

Staying with your existing provider for internet provision whilst porting your PSTN number away to a separate VOIP provider is risky.

The problem is that ideally you want to terminate your existing service by the act of porting the number away, that way there is minimal risk that the port fails and you lose the number. To do that with your existing provider you need to get them to provide a new completely separate FTTP service to your address whilst retaining the existing service - lots of providers can't cope with the idea of having two internet services to the same customer at the same address (at least at a customer service level) and will helpfully cancel your existing service for you (with a high chance of you losing your number) which is not what you want in this circumstance.

If you do want to stay with Plusnet for internet and port your number away then I would be using words of one syllable in my dealings with them, recording calls, getting their people to repeat everything back to you to confirm their understanding and still be uncertain whether I will lose my phone number (this isn't Plusnet specific I should note, it is just how the industry appears to be, albeit from the limited sample seen on internet forums).

You can avoid a lot of stress by going to a new internet provider and getting FTTP without telling them anything about your existing Plusnet service which you can then cancel (by transferring your number) at your leisure.

Of course, if you actually want to have both services physically active at the same time (not necessary from a porting perspective) then you may also need to be prepared to stop the man from Openreach (incorrectly) destroying your copper installation when they come to install fibre.

In reply to a post by aks:

2) and Voipfone - but theire effective minimum charge is £5.40 with zero mins = not that attractive.

I'm with Voipfone on a PAYG tarriff, no PBX stuff, costs me £3.60/mo (inc VAT) for my ported-in landline no + calls. Would be no monthly charge if I just used their free 056 number. Have found Voipfone support and service to be good.

In reply to a post by Dassa:

Staying with your existing provider for internet provision whilst porting your PSTN number away to a separate VOIP provider is risky.

That in itself isn't risky. It triggers the broadband to cease, but keeps the number every time.

Porting after the fact should also be fine now (in theory).

New OFCOM general condition rules that came in April 2023

Specific obligations relating to the Porting Process
C7.6 All Regulated Providers shall ensure that:
(a) they provide Number Portability on reasonable terms and conditions to any Switching
Customer who so requests;
(b) they provide Number Portability for a minimum of one month after the date of
termination by the Switching Customer of the contract for the provision of the Relevant
Communications Service(s), unless the Switching Customer expressly agrees otherwise
at the point when they terminate the contract; and
(c) no direct charges are applied to the Switching Customer for the provision of Number
Portability

Although it shouldn't be risky, I've not seen anyone use it at all, either successfully or unsuccessfully.

I wouldn't be the guinea pig if my number was important.

Edited by j0hn83 (Fri 12-Jan-24 13:26:38)

I'm planning on trying that at the end of the year - BT Business with voice included. Gets very few calls, so planning to drop that part at renewal and move it to a VoIP provider and plenty of time to update various records.

Thanks, I am prepared to test the waters - will let you all know.

I ran down the phone bills for the past 15 months, albeit that only covers outgoing calls, and it's a managable number to simply contact if it goes wrong - just 13 exception cases. Everyone she is in regular contact with, i.e. family members and close friends, so that part would be very easy.