I have not had any reply from Swish to my most recent email. I have however drawn up my current proposed migration strategy. I have accepted that I need to get my telephone wring modified first. I think I have a solution that will work for either FTTP to FTTC.

I now have a diagram that shows my thoughts in a diagram on my web site.https://www.soroban.co.uk/extra-files/VOIP.pdf. I would welcome any comments

I intend to modify my phone wiring soon so that my existing telephones are connected to a socket near the current NTE to prepare for the change. I would then temporarily use a separate ADSL filter to connect my existing router and telephones to my existing cable. I might however replace the NTE with an unfiltered one.

This approach is intended to make it easy to go for either a FTTC solution from Vodafone or a full fibre solution from Swish if they are able to connect me.

I have tried to contact Swish today without success as need to plan for either full fibre or FTTC. I do not yet know if they will repair the damage caused by Cadent to the fibre access to the Swsh duct that they provided down the road, If fibre is not possible then I have a Vodafone solution availale.

Using a separate phone socket for terminating the extension(s) is definitely a good plan.

If you go for FTTC+VoIP with the router connected to the NTE5 RJ11 faceplate socket, have the extension(s) disconnected completely from the NTE5, terminated instead at the separate phone socket (in this case if you have a phone that is normally connected directly to the NTE5 then a double phone socket might be desirable) together with a connection from the router's voice port plugged into that socket this could give you a future option.

Such an option might be when FTTP becomes available you can initially run FTTC broadband+voice and FTTP (broadband only) simultaneously on different accounts. In that scenario if a FTTP service proves satisfactory then you could port the phone number to a VoIP provider of your choice and cease the FTTC broadband. At that stage the NTE5 would become fully redundant/isolated from your home network since both voice and broadband would be feed exclusively from the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) via the router.

Hi,

In reply to a post by steelej02:

[...]

I now have a diagram that shows my thoughts in a diagram on my web site.https://www.soroban.co.uk/extra-files/VOIP.pdf. I would welcome any comments

I intend to modify my phone wiring soon so that my existing telephones are connected to a socket near the current NTE to prepare for the change. I would then temporarily use a separate ADSL filter to connect my existing router and telephones to my existing cable. I might however replace the NTE with an unfiltered one.

[...]

That looks good to me but a couple of points:

1. You can just use the existing filtered faceplate rather than a separate ADSL filter for the stage 1 solution.

2. You may need to use a master socket (i.e. with a ring capacitor) as the "new BT socket". Some router voice ports don't drive the BT ring wire and some phones rely on the ring wire in order to ring rather than being able to ring with just a two wire connection. If you get a combination of both then the phone won't ring without a ring capacitor somewhere.

I am at present investigating a FTTP solution which IF it can be connected is an alternative and might be slightly easier to adapt my system and would give me the option to retain my existing phone service during transition.

There is however a possible MAJOR snag! Swish provided an FTTP service down ourabut 2 years ago road and cost wise it now looks competitive with Vodafone. The problem is that Cadent have just replaced our gas main (about three weeks ago) and in doing so they removed the metal box connection point that Swish left embedding in the road. Cadent had to dig down to find my gas main connection and the Swish metal box was in the way and they just removed it, did their work, and filled in the hole in the road.

We are on a narrow road, about 12 ft wide hedge to hedge with no pavement. I am waiting for a call from Swish, having placed a (cancelable) order, to arrange to come and do a survey. I have sent them pictures of the absence of their connection box which Ihave annotated to show approximately where it was ad where the Swish duct was run. The Swish email said 2-3 days for them to call and arrange a date for an initial visit to plan the connection.

Swish costs, for a basic service, are slightly higher than Vodafone but the call charges are cheaper. I am not too concerned about broadband speed. Both solutions give me more than twice the rate I am currently getting on my existing FTTC solution (measured 34Mbps) which is already more than adequate for our needs.

Of course IF I can get a FTTP solution then the internal modifications may need to be slightly different. I have some time before my Plusnet contract expires so I can retain my existing phone connection wiring for a short time. The important warning I have given is to NOT port my telephone number until my new broadband connection has been installed to minimise the risk of losing my number if the broadband installation fails.

In reply to a post by steelej02:

Swish costs, for a basic service, are slightly higher than Vodafone but the call charges are cheaper. I am not too concerned about broadband speed. Both solutions give me more than twice the rate I am currently getting on my existing FTTC solution (measured 34Mbps) which is already more than adequate for our needs.

Of course IF I can get a FTTP solution then the internal modifications may need to be slightly different. I have some time before my Plusnet contract expires so I can retain my existing phone connection wiring for a short time. The important warning I have given is to NOT port my telephone number until my new broadband connection has been installed to minimise the risk of losing my number if the broadband installation fails.

Once your Plusnet FTTC (VDSL + PSTN line rental) contract expires then you can take the next steps regarding broadband migration and number porting to VoIP with another provider or providers. In the mean time you can certainly get the extension wiring and separate phone socket sorted out in preparation for VoIP, possibly in consideration of the future location of an ONT etc.

When out of contact with Plusnet you could get FTTP (broadband only) running simultaneously, on a separate account, with another provider. This would probably be the safest option in the short term and then port the phone number once FTTP is up and running. At that stage successfully porting the phone number would automatically cease the Plusnet VDSL broadband and PSTN line rental.

However a Plusnet FTTC VDSL broadband and PSTN line rental bundle migrated to a VDSL+VoIP account with another provider would hopefully be more straightforward. This would also automatically cease your Plusnet service.

Good luck.

Edit: just to add that I'm running PSTN voice and FTTP broadband - I never went for FTTC VDSL but kept ADSL and once FTTP was installed/activated successfully I ceased the ADSL. In my case ceasing the ADSL did not effect the PSTN landline because they were with different providers. Phone and extension are still feed from the NTE5 and router from the ONT. Since a mobile phone is recommended as back up to VoIP I probably will not bother with it when PSTN is shut down - but just use a mobile.

Edited by 4M2 (Wed 11-Dec-24 21:05:55)

In reply to a post by steelej02:

There is however a possible MAJOR snag! Swish provided an FTTP service down ourabut 2 years ago road and cost wise it now looks competitive with Vodafone. The problem is that Cadent have just replaced our gas main (about three weeks ago) and in doing so they removed the metal box connection point that Swish left embedding in the road. Cadent had to dig down to find my gas main connection and the Swish metal box was in the way and they just removed it, did their work, and filled in the hole in the road.

We are on a narrow road, about 12 ft wide hedge to hedge with no pavement. I am waiting for a call from Swish, having placed a (cancelable) order, to arrange to come and do a survey. I have sent them pictures of the absence of their connection box which Ihave annotated to show approximately where it was ad where the Swish duct was run. The Swish email said 2-3 days for them to call and arrange a date for an initial visit to plan the connection.

How did you get on with Swish - did they come out to survey in the end?

Swish are proving EXTREMELY difficult to deal with. you are only able to talk to an agent who has to pass messages on to their technical team. I have been trying to get an answer to the question -CAN they still connect me. I have had a conversation this afternoon and expressed my displeasure! We will see what happens.

When you sign up they promise that they will contact you within three working days to arrange an installation data- they did not.

I contacted them again and they sent me an email giving their available dates - I replied to the email but did not get a reply so I phoned today an expressed my displeasure. I have still not had any reply or confirmation for a proposed date.

Perhaps Swish are OK if there is nothing unusual. My experience so far has however been dreadful!. Cadent are probably the reason for my difficulty having removed Swish's access point installed in the road but Swish appear to be incapable of giving me an answer to whether this can be reinstated. I have given them until Friday to confirm whether they can supply me a FTTP service otherwise it is back to Vodafone. As that is FTTC there should be no issue with a supply but I will then have to reorganise my internal wiring. In this case I would try to defer the phone number transfer until the broadband has been successfully switched. From my previous discussion with Vodafone they are FAR EASIER to deal with.

Ugh. Sorry to hear. That’s a shame they’ve been so rubbish to deal with.

An update on my situation. I have gone for a FTTP solution Swish as they had installed fibre down our road quite a long time ago. It is working very well so far - about 2 days!

I still have a temporary number and have diverted my lanfine phone number to my temporary phone number an the porting has just been started. It was unexpected that I have just been told this could take 4 weeks as that would take me past my contract end date with Plusnet.

It has taken a much longer time that anyone expected. Swish gave me an installation date but they had not listened to my the warning I gave them that the installation may have challenges.

A long time ago - perhaps 2 years or more - Swish installed ducting in our road with "Toby Pots" with tubes connecting back to a central manhole to provide blown fibres for FTTP to every property. They provided a "Toby pot" for every property that was effectively a tube connected to a Swish manhole in preparation to blow fibre from the property to a connecting to the rest of the world. The snag was that Cadent replaced the gas main in our road in October and while connecting our property to the new main just removed the Toby pot!.

When I placed the order with Swish I pointed this out but they just give me a date in early January. I tried hard to point out that was some doubt about whether the COULD connect me but they refused to let me talk to the installation teams. They asked for a photo showing the Toby pot I sent them a photo of where it USED to be and annotated it with a sketch of the road and where it and their duct is. The installation date was postponed and they sent a team to reinstate the Toby pot. There was then very serious doubt as to whether this was even possible without a road closure and this takes at least 14 weeks to get approval. They then wanted to wait another 4 weeks for the next slot. This could have taken me past my contract date!

They did however return the next week but were unable to blow the fibre down the tube to their termination point. I had at least 5 people here most of the day trying and failing to blow the fibre.

Another team arrived a few days later and realised that the first team were trying to blow it to the wrong manhole!. I think there was also a blockage which they cleared. The fibre was installed a few days later.

After all of this I now have FTTP working but have not yet had my telephone number ported. There is now a serious risk that this might not complete before my current contract ends in two weeks time. They tell me if can take over 4 weeks!

I still have to connect my new digital phone port to my house wiring but at least it is now all working! I am very happy with the network speed and the telephone communication via the temporary telephone number. My incoming calls are diverted to it.

I know there were issues that were not all caused by Swish but the message for Swish is to allow the customer to be able to talk to the teams that do the installation as most of the snags could have been identified much sooner. I have asked three times now for this to be escalated as a complaint but there has been no attempt to contact me back.

In reply to a post by steelej02:

An update on my situation. I have gone for a FTTP solution Swish as they had installed fibre down our road quite a long time ago. It is working very well so far - about 2 days!

I still have a temporary number and have diverted my lanfine phone number to my temporary phone number an the porting has just been started. It was unexpected that I have just been told this could take 4 weeks as that would take me past my contract end date with Plusnet.

I wonder if your diversion will continue once Plusnet end the contract for the line. I expect it will depend on how far the porting order has progressed

Openreach's ordering system has quirks.

I think you'll be OK but a cease on the line might take precedence.