Keep existing phone number when moving to FTTP

Chickereeeee

I currently with Plusnet for FTTC, phone and broadband, contract runs out in about 3 months. The local area is all fibred-up by Cityfibre, and exclusively with Vodafone for (probably) another 6 months.

I would like to keep my existing phone number. I am nervous about going with Vodafone, due to bad reports and review scores, but I do want faster fibre broadband. 

I think my only alternative is to go out of contract with Plusnet, and wait until Vodafone is no longer exclusive, then sign a new contract with an alternative ISP.

Does anybody know: would Plusnet terminate my phone if I go out of contract? If so, I assume in need to find a VOIP provider to take my number within 30 days? 

Or am i needlessly worried  about Vodafone, and let them take both phone and broadband?

400ixl

You don't go out of contract. All that happens is you discounted period ends and you move onto a rolling contract at the standard price. Your broadband and phone services stay the same, you just pay more for them.

The point at which the phone service ends is when OpenReach remove the service from the exchange which is a while off yet (2025 in most cases).

Personally you couldn't pay me to go to Vodafone, Shell or TalkTalk (and I see that Shell customers won't be going to Octopus not but to Talk Talk).

Many will be happy with Vodafone, so its all down to personal choice. As you say too many people lose their number when transferring (know 2 people personally) and if the number is that important then only you can decide the risk.

iniltous

You could find that eventually that Plusnet stop providing a phone service and those that want one are offered a ‘free’ ( no charges for early termination etc ) move to BT , using BT digital voice for telephony, it’s not currently a forced move , so you should be fine for a while , but the it’s been the case for some PN customers as a condition of renewing a contract and wanting to keep the phone .
For you though , if you simply remain outside a minimum term I doubt anything will change until December 2025 , but by then presumably you will have made a decision on your  provider 

km1500

Am I right in saying the only sure way to keep your number is to move to BT as your broadband supplier ?

400ixl

It will be EE who are the retail arm of the BT group going forwards most likely, although at the moment it is either BT or EE they will allow you to move to with no charge if you are in your minimum term.

iniltous

The OP concern is with an Alt Net , City Fibre , and presumably the only ISP on CF in their area is Vodafone, apparently often VF are the only provider available on CF for a period of time.
CF are a network provider not an ISP , so the ‘portability’ will be arranged by the individual ISP , and as explained not all ISP offer telephony.
Its probably inaccurate to say the only sure way to keep a number is to move to BT ( it’s unclear if you mean in general or with the OP and Plusnet ) , no provider gives a 100% guarantee that the number will be available because the new company is reliant on the old company, in my opinion some ISP are pretty lackadaisical when it comes to portability, quoting the T&C or blaming the other party when a port fails and doing sweet FA about resolving it , so in that respect I would be ( like the OP ) cautious about the choice of ISP if the phone number is important , obviously for many they don’t care if the number is ported , many don’t care about landline telephony.

Dogbyte009

km1500 said:

Am I right in saying the only sure way to keep your number is to move to BT as your broadband supplier ?

No, you can port your number out to a VoIP provider - Voipfone for example - so that it becomes independent of your broadband supplier.

littleboo

Dogbyte009 said:

km1500 said:

Am I right in saying the only sure way to keep your number is to move to BT as your broadband supplier ?

No, you can port your number out to a VoIP provider - Voipfone for example - so that it becomes independent of your broadband supplier.

True, but if you do that on a copper based product, ie FTTC, the port will cease the phone service and by association the broadband, which may not be whats intended.

Pete99

I was in the same position, my plusnet contract runs out at the end of January, mainly on price, the renewal quote for FTTC and phone was £29.99 and the FTTP was £26, I decided to take the offer for FTTP and went to A & A for VOIP, £1.44 / month and 1.5p for0 calls, 6p to mobiles, so if I switch again in the future the phone is unaffected, strangely although Plusnet aren’t interested in offering VOIP I got an email saying they’re sorry I’m leaving, which I’m not, and ceasing my phone line, which happens automatically anyway going FTTP, they’re charging me £7.50, they come across as if one side doesn’t know what the other sides doing, but the VOIP is up and running and I'm  happy with Plusnet  for BB FTTP which is due to be set up in a couple of weeks.

I didn't port my landline phone number as that didn't matter to me, but there's no real problem doing that before contract up time, the savings on call costs negate the "fine" for ceasing your line anyway.