VOIP for beginners

Are there any beginner guides to moving a BT landline number to VOIP?

VM are rolling out in my town and they don’t offer landline service.

All the guides I can see seem to assume you already know what you’re doing and don’t really cover someone who is new to the technology.

I’d be ok sorting myself out as I don’t rely on my landline but I had hoped there was something already written I could share with friends and family.

In reply to a post by Kr1s69:

I’d be ok sorting myself out as I don’t rely on my landline but I had hoped there was something already written could share with friends and family.

If you're looking at general VoIP technology, there is a lot of discussion in the VoIP forum.
https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/voip.html

The forum will talk about providers such as AAISP, or SIPgate and others, along with hardware such as VoIP Phones, or an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adaptor) or software for a mobile phone (e.g. Acrobits). Most service providers can port an Openreach WLR number (e.g. BT retail, Plusnet etc) to their platform.

Usually cheaper than using "BT Digital Voice" or "sky talk" or whatever the socket on the back of the "hub" router is called by the ISP of choice.

(Interesting VM are not doing voice in you area, in my legacy Coax area they still have voice over the Hub 3/4/5).

Thanks, the new nexfibre VM areas don’t offer the same options as HFC or RfoG areas.

We just get broadband via XGS-PON and the option of the VM streaming puck.

I’ll have a read of the VOIP forum. With more providers not offering any phone service I had hoped there’d be some easy options. Reading A&A and other sites it has a high level of assumed knowledge. They’re cheap for the actual service but their handset cost is quite high.

I have used many VoIP providers in the last 10 years and for low usage you can't go wrong with https://www.voipfone.co.uk, and they sell pre-configured hardware you just plug into your router. The also handle number porting so feel free to give them a call as they are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Edited by reendom (Tue 19-Dec-23 22:45:00)

I agree that there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to VoIP but that should not deter you from having a go.

First google "voip for beginners" or "voip for dummies" and you will get more info than you could ever digest. There is a book "VoIP for Dummies", you can get hat second hand for a few quid, I even found a complete PDF copy online. Reading that should keep you busy over the Xmas break.

Don't be tempted to buy your equipment from the VoIP provider, much better to look around and get a decent bit of kit for less elsewhere. A lot of people use ATAs (Grandstream) which they plug into the back of their router. Personally, I prefer an AVM Fritzbox (I have a 7590 but a 7530 would do all you need). That gives you a WiFi router with built in DECT base, answerphone (you can configure several), VoIP support and various other functions. Removes the clutter having loads of separate boxes and power supplies floating around. You can pick them up second hand at reasonable cost.

There are loads of VoIP providers around, sometimes a little complicated to compare their packages. You can always find one where you can get a number for £1-£2 per month to try everything out without having to commit to 12 or even 24 month contracts. Once you are happy with your setup and the service then you may want to port in your BT landline number (this is likely to cost you a one-off fee of around £15=£20).

An additional benefit of VoIP is that you can use different providers: i.e. one for inbound (who hosts your number), another one (or more) for outbound calls. That gives you the freedom to pick the most cost effective provider which can save you £££, in particular on calls abroad.

And if you need more help, then you ask in the VoIP forum here or on ISP Review https://www.ispreview.co.uk/talk/forums/phone-provid...

I have been a Voipfone customer for about 8 years. They were very helpful with an early problem that I had.

I use a Gigaset VOIP N300 Dect base station. which works best with Gigaset Dect phones..

Voipfone just ring the last device to register. A&A (and Sipgate) will ring all the devices that are registered.

As you say, not much about that's gives a simple guide, or at least not that I've seen. I set up a new VoIP number with Sipgate, having read several articles I was expecting to do some head scratching, but it turned out to be a lot simplier than all the guides indicated. Never got around to actually transferring my old number before they stopped 'Sipgate Basic'.
It would be very helpful to have a simple guide, only this morning I was talking to someone who's 93 y.o. mother had been shifted to DV. She was a bit concerned about losing phone in power cuts, his response was to tell his brother, who lives near his mother, to get her a 'big button plug in phone' and plug it straight into the wall socket, I tried to explain to no avail.

In reply to a post by reendom:

I have used many VoIP providers in the last 10 years and for low usage you can't go wrong with https://www.voipfone.co.uk, and they sell pre-configured hardware you just plug into your router. The also handle number porting so feel free to give them a call as they are very knowledgeable and helpful.

If you would like a "plug a go" solution, head over to https://www.voipfone.co.uk/ and subscribe to their trial service and be aware of your credentials to use. Talk to Voipfone about your infinite options for phone hardware to suit your budget and needs and have then ship out the hardware preconfigured. Connect it all up as instructed on the box and allow a day for the wireless handset(s) to be fully charged. Call back Voipfone for them to configure the base station.if the task is beyound you. Job done. If you like what you see, upgrade to a full service.