Retaining landline number when leaving VM

Kim_13

Bill payer has put notice in, as a local fibre company will do a comparable speed to Virgin at a fixed price of £28 for two years, but Virgin wouldn’t go lower than starting price of £28 which will then go up in-contract. New customers can get it for about £21 via MSE (125 BB.)

Virgin claimed we would lose the number if we left them which is obviously nonsense and an attempt to scare customers into agreeing to pay over the odds as it was transferred from BT to them in the first place. However, unsure of the mechanics on how to go about this? Are we looking at VOIP, if we go with a BB only deal? Anywhere to park the number temporarily if there is a period of no service?

They’ve since called back offering £33 for the same package as we had, and trying to sell speeds that aren’t required.

Thanks

littleboo

Assuming the new provider doesn't offer voice, you'll need to port the number out to a VOIP provider. You should be able to do this up to 30 days after the service has been ceased with Virgin, but some report that being problematic. Its safer to do it when the service is still live. I did this recently for my FIL's number - gave 30 days notice to BT to cancel the phone and broadband and then initiated the port to take place during that 30 days period.
Andrews & Arnold charge £1.44 per month "line rental" for a ported number

Kim_13

Thanks. 

Did you use Andrews and Arnold when arranging the porting of FIL's number? £12.00 for the port then £1.44 per month, is that right? Can it be used with the existing landline handset? 

Just been doing some initial VOIP research and Number People came up - but when looking into porting, they claim the porting will fail if notice has already been given to the provider and charges incurred for resubmission.

People surely need to give notice and port later (close to the disconnection date) otherwise they'd incur fees from the provider they're leaving for terminating without notice/pay for a month they can't use.

The number is almost exclusively used for incoming calls, so monthly/porting fees (inward and any if porting out again later) are most important. Are there any differences between providers as to how long porting takes?

Wondered about any with free trials, as this would secure the number and give longer to sort something out. Don't want to tie into a contract too soon, as forumites report receiving better offers closer to disconnection.

If we were able to remember everyone who might try calling it, and contact them to give mobile numbers, it might be easier to just let it go. 

littleboo

Yes, I did the port in, can remember the costs by £12 sounds about right, then its £1.44 per month with no calls. You can use your existing phone, but you would need an ATA which sit between the phone and your router. A Grandstream HT801 is about £40 but will need to be set up. Or you can but a new, compatible and pre-configured phone from A&A. Or you can just answer the calls on your smartphone with a suitable VOIP client. Or mix and match.
The other option is Vonage, who will send you a pre-configured ATA so you just plug it in to your router and plug your phone into their ATA

Porting is a regulated process, there should be no real difference in the time it takes.