landline Number Transfer to VOIP

We did this when we moved over to fibre to house. We went with A&A who are very good. We organised a transfer on a certain date, but that came and went and the fibre wasn't installed. A&A managed to delay the transfer, but it still took place before the fibre was installed, so I got a SIM card to use in a router as I assumed that we would also lose BB.

This was not the case; the BB continued after the number was ported to VOIP. I don't know if this was because we were moving within the same provider (PlusNet).

PS Don't rely on the date that you have booked unless doubly confirmed. We did, taking time off for the installation, only to be told that was a possible date. Didn't happen for a further 10 weeks. (edited)

If it's DEFINITELY a minimum of 10 days to port the number then do it 10 days before (give or take a day) the new service is due for connection to minimise being without service.

Which provider did you go with?

10 days sounds correct.

What the process should be depends on the situation.

If you've got internet with someone, and you're just upgrading to fibre via the same company who doesn't provide voip then this makes it a bit more complicated. I know plusnet are one company this might affect as they don't offer voip for some reason. I'd probably recommend asking them how long they intend to keep the copperline active to allow you to port out your number. I'd assume it should be a question any ISP who used to offer landline but doesn't offer voip faces quite often and ideally they should have a process. If they don't then I'd assume it's going to cease when you've got your fibre set up. In which case you would want to start the port before the fibre gets installed to avoid any issues where the line gets ceased and the company can't take over the number anymore. This might result in some internet downtime, I'd recommend using a sim card for internet during that window.

If you're moving to a different provider and you know your new provider isn't going to do any line take over process or anything then it would make it a lot easier. This should be the case if youre say moving from Openreach to Cityfibre/Virgin as they won't touch each others lines, Openreach to Openreach might not though since they do have some line take over processes for easy transferring, but I'm not sure if thats even for copper line to fibre. To definitively find out, I'd ask your new provider whether you need to tell your old ISP you're leaving or not. If they say you do need to tell them, then that means they're not using any transfer process or take over, which should means your copper line stays alive until you decide to cancel it (or indeed port your number). In that situation I would recommend waiting till your fibre is set up and working, then submit the porting request which will in turn cancel your old broadband. You'll pay for some overlap of service but it guarantees that you don't go without broadband. (edited)

I’ve done mine a week before the switchover from copper to fibre. But because in my case the new fibre supplier didn’t use the Openreach network, I could let the broadband contract plus landline (which used the Openreach copper infrastructure) continue, and kept the broadband for a few more weeks, as a fallback.

I’ve had a dual PTSN /Voip base station for 10+ years, with the old telephone cable connecting to the base station for the PTSN landline, and ethernet to router cable for my work/private VOIP telephone numbers. If you port over the landline number before you are fibre connected, in your VoIP account you can just forward your ported landlinenumber to your mobile phone if your copper to fibre switchover is delayed. Forwarding to a new mobile number takes seconds, so don’t worry about starting the porting process too early. But if your fibre supplier is also on Openreach, you should port before the switch, cuz the switch causes you to lose your landline ownership.

I’ve been with localphone for 10+ years. Porting the landline over was a one-off £25, and I now pay 75pence for each of my numbers per month. No other costs; only for usage, and the rates are pretty cheap: per minute it’s 0.6p to UK landlines and 1.8p to UK mobiles. I also use a second Voip provider that gives free VOIP calls to many international numbers for 75 days after each top-up, which is nice…

In terms of hardware, if you go for a Gigaset VoIP base station and handset, calls between you and other VoIP users with a Gigaset base station run via the Giganet VoIP network and are completely free.. Especially now that all UK landlines will be migrated to VOIP, taking control of your landline and choice of hardware and provider avoids you getting locked in with your internet provider and whatever line rental scam and monthly minutes package they sell to uninformed costumers. For people who pay monthly for land rental and add-ons to make unlimited calls evenings/weekens or anytime, it just makes sense to get a N300IP VOIP basestation and compatible handset off eBay, port the landline number and take a PAYG package to take full control..