That answers the majority of the questions raised earlier then...

I just wish I could answer your original question but don't use VoIP. My guess though is you are terminating the landline and transferring the number. The contract is on the landline which you are not migrating anywhere else and therefore standard 30 days applies.

As someone else suggested see if the VoIP provider can delay taking the number over until near the end of the notice period and then that limits the amount of time you are paying for a line that you can't use.

So the line rental is bundled in but works out about the same:

In reference to www.gigaclear.com/home-use/:

Typical Monthly Cost Comparison
Item Wired Monthly Cost Range Gigaclear fibre costs
Broadband £12 � £24 .............................. £37
Line Rental £15.40 � £15.99 .................. £0.00

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

Thanks. I have always struggled to make VOIP calls, but then I have never had a decent IP connection.

Well I guess things are about to change dramatically for you that overcomes that issue. Usually having a new internet connection from any supplier will give a predicted speeds; do you know what they were?

I extensively use hosted VoIP from three different companies across a number of geographical locations ain the UK and abroad and very happy with the financial savings being made If my mobile latches onto a router, then call quality is generally fine for VoIP. I can also receive calls to my mobile which has an 01252 xxxxxx number.

Yes, I just get a bare internet connection.

I could order the service with Vonage VOIP. Vonage is a separate company and would cost be a few pounds more per month than Voipfone.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

Gigaclear.

The prize is some pictures of the progress so far: http://ultrafastunderriver.com/

Right then, we all have a clearer picture of what you are doing. Leave your landline in a working order and allow the VoIP provider to acquire the number for the VoIP service in his own time frame and take a hit on the chin for line rental payable for no service for a week or two.. Don't assume porting can be done in just a few days; it might, but expect it to take around 14 days to achieve. There is next to no down time during the switch over.

If you haven't settled on a hosted VoIP provider, I would like to recommend www.callmaster.co.uk - I also use Zen and DrayTEL

I had my BT phone line rental with IDNET and ported it to Sipgate.

It took a couple of weeks from the initial request and I received a full refund on the rental period not used.

I'm not sure about other providers but Sipgate allow the number to be diverted to a mobile when the internet connection is down which to my mind takes care of reliability concerns.

This is rather a strange thread given approximately four million people in this country have an internet connection which is not a phone line and anyway VOIP DID numbers can be used without internet to divert to other phones or mobiles. AIUI the only way to transfer a BT number was to cease the line. So all in all this appears to be a common use case.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

OK, I see! Porting your # to VOIP provider ceases the landline immediately is just the way the system works. Can you not give BT 30 days notice and get VOIP provider to port # say 5 days from the end? Is that too risky?

I have done that with mobile phone contracts. However from what I have learned, if I give BT the 30 days notice, they will block any number porting.

I expect I will also have to pay for the call package, call minder and caller display.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I expect I will also have to pay for the call package, call minder and caller display.

You can cancel those, almost instantaneously I believe, beforehand via your MyBT for those not in contract.

Thanks, that does appear to be the case for the latter two. AIUI if I change the calling plan to one where there is no charge I get locked into a 12 month contract.

It may have been mentioned somewhere, that when you terminate the line there is likely to be one or two days total downtime where it will appear to be out of service and nothing can be done. I have just been through it today - and I want to move my PSTN to a BT VOIP line (number already owned), so no change of provider! You can however, dictate the day that the port takes place on - anytime within the notice period.

Edited by MHC (Wed 28-May-14 15:57:55)