In reply to a post by 4M2:

Hopefully the OP's current router will be suitable, if not something inexpensive should be fine until he is able to get "full fibre" and reassess the voice/broadband situation.

In the interim call charges shouldn't be too bad unless up to one hour calls are frequently made.

It could be relevant on Community Fibre as the OP is currently on included E & W calls.

On Pulse8Broadband the UK landline calls are as they were when I had phone there. With my broadband Plusnet then AAISP. 1ppm daytime, 0.8ppm evenings and weekends. No 60 minute rule and calls are charged by the second, not whole minutes. That allows an awful lot of talking for the cost of E & W.

From their FAQs:

All 03 dialling codes are charged the same as 01 & 02 numbers on our fixed Local/National rate. Day = 1p/min (0.84p + V.A.T) Eve = 0.8p/min (0.67p + V.A.T.)
...
There is No charge for the 1471 service.
...
Calls made to 084, 087, 09 and 118 are subject to two charges - an access charge and a service charge.

Incidentally there does seem to be some connection with Pulse8.co.uk, but not actual ownership by them. At a guess the boss man of Pulse8broadband used to work for them. Delving deeper all their phone services look to be using Pulse8 as a wholesale provider with no profit markup. Again, in the FAQs, including links. I don't think it's really relevant as the user's contract is with Pulse8broadband.

Even 8p per minute for 24/7 calls to UK mobiles isn't too bad

In reply to a post by ss_4:

I looked at Sky/Now a few years back and checked that my router doesn't support DHCP option 61, so still can't use them without a new box it seems.

The majority of Sky's network doesn't require DHCP Option 61.

Enabling DHCPv6 PD (prefix delegation) is enough on around 80% of lines. The IPV4 address piggybacks over the IPV6 connection.

It's only the remaining 20% of lines that require DHCP Option 61. This is apparently due to a limitation on some of Openreach's equipment.

It might also be the case that the Option 61 requirement only effects FTTC lines though I'm not certain on that.

Edited by j0hn83 (Fri 02-Dec-22 13:45:45)

The alt nets dont help themselves when their checkers say "soon" when in reality it could be a couple of years

Plusnet is an obvious budget choice and given you was with john lewis you will be on the same network I assume as they resold Plusnet I think.

Yes, JLB is basically plusnet already. I wouldn't mind staying with them but they seem to want a 18 month contract.

In reply to a post by 4M2:

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Probably the cost the network provider (e.g. Openreach) charges them to pick up a TT service and bring it across to OR so that any ISP using BTwholesale can interface. (I would have thought similar bringing over a Sky line).

Yes, from the Aquiss web site: "Free telephone line transfers only apply to BT based phone lines. Transferring from TalkTalk, Sky, Virgin Media (using non BT Lines) will be considered a New Install, at the prices shown above." i.e. £72 (inc. VAT)

I've transfered between Sky/BT/Virgin Media/Plusnet/John Lewis on the phone line in recent years and never had to pay a charge, can you elborate on what this means?

In reply to a post by ss_4:

I've transfered between Sky/BT/Virgin Media/Plusnet/John Lewis on the phone line in recent years and never had to pay a charge, can you elborate on what this means?

Generally seen, perhaps when an ISP does not absorb the Openreach charge, when transferring from LLU to BTw - another example is uno who charge £50 when coming from MPF (LLU) i.e. convert a TalkTalk or Sky line. However uno no longer do standalone BTw line rental, for line rental one must have broadband on the same account with them also.

Edited by 4M2 (Fri 02-Dec-22 23:09:47)

In reply to a post by ss_4:

Is there anyway to find out if when (if?) community fibre plan to go live?

The short answer is: no. For all fibre providers, the rule is: it's available to order when it's available to order.

Before that there are no guarantees at all, regardless of what the provider may or may not say. Plans change all the time; unexpected problems arise all the time. Sometimes, entire areas are abandoned mid-way through construction.

People understandably get upset when they're told that fibre will be arriving in a given time but it doesn't happen. As a result, most providers don't announce specifics any more; and those that do, are usually proved wrong.

Look at the cost of an 18-month contract with Plusnet, and compare that with what you would pay for a monthly rolling service over 6, 12 or 18 months. Then you roll the dice. Remember that even if CF were available to order tomorrow, it might still take a month or two to get an installation appointment; and you might want to run in parallel for a month or two to prove the new service.

Incidentally, if you want to keep your phone number, parallel running is the best way. Once the new fibre service is live and you're happy with it, you can transfer for your number to a VOIP provider. The transfer of the number will automatically cancel the copper broadband and phone line. (*Don't* give notice of termination directly to your old provider).

In reply to a post by candlerb:

...you might want to run in parallel for a month or two to prove the new service.

Incidentally, if you want to keep your phone number, parallel running is the best way. Once the new fibre service is live and you're happy with it, you can transfer for your number to a VOIP provider. The transfer of the number will automatically cancel the copper broadband and phone line. (*Don't* give notice of termination directly to your old provider).

Excellent advice, although it is possible to have a FTTP broadband only service installed/activated, then later cease xDSL but retain PSTN voice over copper for a while in some circumstances. Importantly, as you say, ceasing voice over a copper line would probably also cease broadband on that line also.

Thanks all, some really good advice on here. In the end, I've gone with Cuckoo FTTC on a 12 month contact, they seem to have good feedback and really low call rates. They also allow early release from the contract for £60 rather than paying off the remaining term and I'm happy to support a provider that doesn't have mandatory CPI/RPI linked price rises baked in.

In reply to a post by 4M2:

Excellent advice, although it is possible to have a FTTP broadband only service installed/activated, then later cease xDSL but retain PSTN voice over copper for a while in some circumstances.

Good point, although I tend to discount that option since it costs almost as much as the original xDSL+WLR service.