The Phone Co-Op now offer LLU services

Stuart_W

With all the problems many people seem to have faced with transferring to a LLU unbundled phone line, up to this point I have avoided it. The Phone Co-Op has become a brand I have come to trust and have been very pleased with the service received.

They have now launched a LLU-version of their services, so I could receive line rental and calls and broadband (with 40GB fair use) for £23.95/month - so not the cheapest but around the ball-park of other LLU services (and they have an UK-based friendly staff on the end of an 0845 number which to me is worth something).

To this date, I still trust the Phone Co-Op brand so I am tempted, but is this risky? Could I just end up with many problems like so many people seem to be having?

penrhyn

Who provides their LLU service?
Had a search on the website but could not find a reference.
You seem to pay through the nose for their BT based ADSL product at £28/month with a 20G cap.

deklan99

They resell TalkTalk's product.

penrhyn

Easy to join, not so easy to move on.

Stuart_W

Well, as it turns out, because I have an ex-cable number (ported from NTL in 2006) the LLU services are not actually available without being reallocated a new number (which I am advised should cost around £15). I really don't want to change my number which has survived through three different property addresses and four different phone companies and is an inconvenience I would rather avoid.

However, the fact I got a fast friendly response giving a direct answer to my question by email again makes me want to stick with the Phone Co-Op. I spent a few months trying to ask TalkTalk the exact same question and no one could tell me for definite one way or the other.

Is it the case that all LLU services cannot take on ex-cable numbers? Talktalk don't even seem to offer a BT-wholesale option if you have an ex-cable number and just tell you to get lost (well, after several phone calls with different answers that is).

penrhyn

Who do you pay your line rental to?
It sounds as if Phone Coop want to move both your Telephony and broadband onto LLU, and Talk Talk who provide the service are unwilling to let you keep your existing telephone number.
Bear in mind that Talk Talk will not allow you to move your broadband to another ISP in the future if you go this way.
Other LLU operators like Sky are happy to leave your Telephony with BT.
I'd check on Samknows who else operates on your exchange.

deklan99

If at any time your number was owned by a cable company TalkTalk cannot accept you as a customer on LLU. Something to do with there being no agreement between Virgin and CPW to forward calls terminating on each others network. This would only apply if the provider offers full LLU (MPF) as opposed to Sky which is shared LLU (SMPF) where the telephony remains on BT's network. Tiscali being the other main provider of MPF may have an agreement with Virgin but it's down to money no doubt.
Yet another piece of small print not widely known about moving to TT.

Stuart_W

penrhyn wrote: »

Who do you pay your line rental to?
It sounds as if Phone Coop want to move both your Telephony and broadband onto LLU, and Talk Talk who provide the service are unwilling to let you keep your existing telephone number.
Bear in mind that Talk Talk will not allow you to move your broadband to another ISP in the future if you go this way.
Other LLU operators like Sky are happy to leave your Telephony with BT.
I'd check on Samknows who else operates on your exchange.

Thank you, penrhyn, for your help. I currently pay for line rental and calls to The Phone Co-Op (and use someone else for broadband).

The Phone Co-Op are not trying to move me at all - they have just offered various new packages which I have enquired about. One package option involves an 18 month-contract which is BT-wholesale based, and another, which is a LLU product, also on an 18-month contract. Unlike TalkTalk, their website actually very clearly details some of the pitfalls that you mention about moving broadband.
http://www.thephone.coop/residential/saver_services.html
http://www.thephone.coop/residential/anytime_package.html

I do not want to change my phone number so this particular LLU deal will not be for me.

Thank you, everyone, for your help.