In reply to a post by Chris4c:

One further question. For Zen Digital Voice the pricing is shown here:

https://www.zen.co.uk/phone/digital-voice/

UK local & national calls (01, 02, 03 numbers):
- 20ppm (outside of bundle)

UK mobile:
- 20ppm (outside of bundle)

084, 087, 09 & 118 numbers:
- 11ppm charge plus service charge

Standard call setup fee:
- 20p per call


It's not entirely clear whether the 'Standard call setup fee' applies to all calls or only those outside of bundle. I imagine it's the latter, but does anybody know for sure?

Thanks

We have had digital voice (& used most of the available included minutes) for 8 months and never been charged anything extra beyond the basic £6 charge. We have not been charged a call setup fee.

In reply to a post by Chris4c:

I'm assuming that if you opt for Zen Digital Voice, then you are still free to use other VOIP providers?

You can run anything over the top of your Zen connection, or for that matter any other. There’s nothing stopping you having multiple voice SIP trunks for instance to numerous providers. An entire office private office exchange could be run over a broadband connection if you wished.

Many thanks for all the additional comments, which all seemed to confirm the answers I was expecting.

I paired my existing DECT handsets to the Fritz!Box, allowing me to use them for VoIP without buying new handsets.

I configure the Fritz!Box to sync contacts with Apple iCloud and they appear in the handset directories and get used for caller ID.

In reply to a post by wiggsc00:

Short answer yes. I'm not using the zen service as at £6 per month, it's expensive if you only need inbound. I'm using A&A plus voipcheap for any outbound calls. Both on the supplied Fritz, behind my own router connecting to Zens service. Yearly cost around £16 for A&A telephone service and <£20 for calls ( last year was just £10)

I was already on Zen FTTC when the switchover from PSTN to digital (migration to SoGEA) became opt-in available.
My monthly fees did not change in going over to Zen VoIP so I am still on the same £30/month inclusive
(as compared with broadband and line-only rental)
(I did not need a call package as my mobile has inclusive UK calling).

On Zen the £6 only arises if you buy the 1000 UK inclusive minutes package, otherwise you don't need to pay any extra just for keeping your number nor having incoming calls.

I had an existing DECT handset with its own base, but I re-paired handset with the Fritz!box router and the original base is now just for charging (no line connected).

Edited by prlzx (Wed 12-Feb-25 01:46:58)

In reply to a post by prlzx:

In reply to a post by wiggsc00:

Short answer yes. I'm not using the zen service as at £6 per month, it's expensive if you only need inbound. I'm using A&A plus voipcheap for any outbound calls. Both on the supplied Fritz, behind my own router connecting to Zens service. Yearly cost around £16 for A&A telephone service and <£20 for calls ( last year was just £10)

I was already on Zen FTTC when the switchover from PSTN to digital (migration to SoGEA) became opt-in available.
My monthly fees did not change in going over to Zen VoIP so I am still on the same £30/month inclusive
(as compared with broadband and line-only rental)
(I did not need a call package as my mobile has inclusive UK calling).

On Zen the £6 only arises if you buy the 1000 UK inclusive minutes package, otherwise you don't need to pay any extra just for keeping your number nor having incoming calls.

I had an existing DECT handset with its own base, but I re-paired handset with the Fritz!box router and the original base is now just for charging (no line connected).

Thanks for that information. I wasn't with Zen when I migrated my phone to A&A so wasn't aware they don't charge line rental. Might think about migrating it to Zen from A&A when the contract is up.

Edited by wiggsc00 (Wed 12-Feb-25 08:42:53)

In reply to a post by prlzx:

On Zen the £6 only arises if you buy the 1000 UK inclusive minutes package, otherwise you don't need to pay any extra just for keeping your number nor having incoming calls.

Ah thanks, I was unaware of that, Zen don't make that at all clear.

So all I would need would be a cheap and reliable VOIP provider. I got the impression that A&A only offer VOIP services if you have ported your number to them, but perhaps I'm wrong about that. Does anybody know?

In reply to a post by prlzx:

I had an existing DECT handset with its own base, but I re-paired handset with the Fritz!box router and the original base is now just for charging (no line connected).

My existing handsets are BT8500 ones, and I suspect from what I've read elsewhere that they may have compatibility issues.

It's the same cost. £12 setup + £1.20+VAT rental per month.

Personally, I would use VOIPCHEAP.COM. 3 months of inclusive minutes for a £10 topup, and then your credit is 10 Euros (1000 minutes @ 1p / min for most lines). Then topup again.
I have mine setup for auto-topup when balance <£1. I topped up last month, which was 13 months after I last topped up.
You can also use your existing number as presentation number for CLI, and they do support ipv6 too.

In reply to a post by wiggsc00:

It's the same cost. £12 setup + £1.20+VAT rental per month.

Personally, I would use VOIPCHEAP.COM. 3 months of inclusive minutes for a £10 topup, and then your credit is 10 Euros (1000 minutes @ 1p / min for most lines). Then topup again.
I have mine setup for auto-topup when balance <£1. I topped up last month, which was 13 months after I last topped up.
You can also use your existing number as presentation number for CLI, and they do support ipv6 too.

Thanks, I'll take a look at VOIPCHEAP.

In reply to a post by Chris4c:

[So all I would need would be a cheap and reliable VOIP provider. I got the impression that A&A only offer VOIP services if you have ported your number to them, but perhaps I'm wrong about that. Does anybody know?
/quote]

A&A offer VoIP with or without broadband or porting existing number. I opened a new A&A account and received a new number. When I was ready I ported in my own number and then deleted the new number.

A reasonably simple and cheap solution is to open an A&A account and port in your own number. plus open a FreeVoipDeal account. The A&A allows free receiving of calls, for only £1.44/month. The FVD account is for outgoing only, at rather good rates, and you can assign your own number(s) for these calls, without porting them. FVD doesn't receive calls.