Making phone calls by internet

quartzz

Hello if anyone can help - I've done a brief google but as usual, "it's complicated" (and a lot of the answers seem to be for situations that aren't mine)

I'm basically planned to move into new accomodation (UK mainland), which will mean new broadband/phone contract. Any saving is a good saving and I'm trying to consider whether I need broadband+phone, or just broadband (my smartphone (pay as you go) gets minimal use, and I've always traditionally had a landline - I just prefer them to a smartphone - less android to go wrong)

Ideally I'd like to buy a traditional landline phone that uses an RJ-11 socket, but I'm considering whether or not I can use the broadband connection to make the calls. The calls will to be normal phone numbers, not to computers (they'll be to doctors, shops, garages etc)

Can anyone advise if an RJ-11 style landline phone, can use the broadband connection for calls to standard numbers? or will it be paying an extra £5 per month (or whatever it is - I haven't phoned around yet to check deals) for the landline dial tone

thanks in advance

the edit menu has appeared -

copying from my post at the bottom of this page

I probably didn't make it clear in the first post - at the moment I do want "landline capabilities" from a traditional plug in the wall handset - but it's whether or not those "landline" calls can be made using the broadband contract (£30 per month or something), or whether I need "phone" as well as the broadband (£40 per month or something).

(or as someone mentioned, if my android device (smartphone) can use the broadband wifi to call the doctors surgery, local furniture shop, etc)

I might be able to post links now. this sort of thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-Advanced-Blocker-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B01H40NN0W/

quartzz

(where is the edit button?) this seems to be my first post from this account? I think I might have lost the login info for my first account - so, "Hi"

penners324

Landlines will cease to exist in the next year or 2. Just broadband and your mobile will suffice

quartzz

Hi, ok. I mean what I am imagining, is the times with 40 minute wait times to the local doctors surgery, or when I need to be on hold to HMRC for half an hour. I don't really want to be making those calls with my current pay as you go android device. (phoning a local furniture shop probably won't be an issue I hope as they theoretically want to answer my call)

I'm trying to research whether something like this

(can't post links, "BT4600" phone on amazon, standard RJ-11 connector)

will be able to be plugged into the broadband somehow (some sort of USB adapter - or...."something")

jbrassy

penners324 said:

Landlines will cease to exist in the next year or 2. Just broadband and your mobile will suffice

This is not true - landlines will still exist. However, they are increasingly obsolete given most mobile contracts come with unlimited calls - including on non-smart phones. I haven't used a landline for years, so have no idea what an RJ11 socket is. Just get a broadband connection, use your mobile for calls, and don't bother with the landline. 

littleboo

If you prefer to use a traditional phone handset, and have a geographic number, that's all perfectly doable.  Two ways to do that 1) is get a phone service from you broadband provider, you plug a phone into the ISP's router. Not all ISP's offer phone as well as broadband 2) take a phone service from a provider separate from your ISP. This is less convenient initially, but more flexible long term as the phone service is separate from the broadband and you can change ISP without affecting your voice service You also need you own compatible equipment 
Do you have a number that you want to keep (port in)?

quartzz

Just to respond to some of the replies here;

To penners - Do you mean that there won't be dial tone from the socket in the wall, if a standard landline handset is used?
jbrassy - A pay as you go mobile contract would mean that waiting in the phone queue for 30 minutes to the local GP surgery would be...."expensive". The per minute daytime rate from a landline I am anticipating would be cheaper. RJ11 connector - standard landline handset connector (at least it was 5 years ago)

littleboo - honestly I think it's something I'll need to ask the phone provider when I talk to them about it. No, I wouldn't be porting a number. I'm guessing the own compatible equipment is the telephone handset - it won't let me post the amazon link to here until I've posted more

Asking the right question seems to be the trick. Maybe the right question is to the provider "can I plug a landline handset into the router and make calls to other landlines"

prowla

If you've got a mobile, you can enable Wi-Fi calling.

quartzz

prowla said:

If you've got a mobile, you can enable Wi-Fi calling.

I'll research this

iniltous

If you want a landline type phone , it will almost certainly be IP ( Internet protocol ) and if you use the phone service provided by the broadband provider ( not all will offer this but plenty do ) they usually charge a small fee on top of the broadband price , and then either PAYG for each call or some sort of inclusive minutes or unlimited calls ) , if you don’t want to use the broadband company to provide telephony but you still want to make ‘landline’ type calls , you won’t use the socket in the router , you need an ATA ( or a phone with a built in ATA ) and sign up with a traditional VoIP provider…these VoIP provider were once very cheap ( fee to join, put some credit on the account and then use it up ) up these days it’s more like regular telephony , you pay to join , and pay something per month and then can pay as you go or get a calls package, it’s arguably not much cheaper doing this and you need to pay for the ATA ( analogue telephone adapter ) and if you want to keep an existing number , you pay to port the number into the VoIP provider.
As far as do you need a ‘landline’ style phone service at all , only you can answer that , lots these days don’t bother and simply use a mobile , but some like having a non mobile type telephone service …

WiFi calling in some respects is a different question, if you have a mobile and it supports WiFi calling ( and your broadband provider supports it ) you can connect your mobile to your broadband and not worry about using the mobile minutes or data allowance because you are not connecting to the mobile network ,  when at home and connected to your home broadband, but TBH , if the mobile is also PAYG then WiFi calling may not be offered,  so check that’s available first with your mobile provider.

quartzz

I'll read and digest that, thanks.

I probably didn't make it clear in the first post - at the moment I do want "landline capabilities" from a traditional plug in the wall handset - but it's whether or not those "landline" calls can be made using the broadband contract, or whether I need "phone" as well as the broadband.

(or as someone mentioned, if my android device (smartphone) can use the broadband wifi to call the doctors surgery, local furniture shop, etc)