Please explain VOIP. :-)

ThisIsWeird

Hi.
I know what it stands for, and what it does, but my Q is, should it be available through any fibre service?
Eg, mil has a new fibre service with BT, the fibre having been installed by Openreach 6-odd months ago. Her 'landline' phone is plugged into her router, and works as it did when she had the original 'copper' connection, and pitiful 2Mbps bb service. 
BT's BB service is getting a bit pricey, and she's recently had info about 'Airband', and when their discounted 6 months and £100 reward is taken into account, it works out at £17pm over the 2 years. They've even offered up to £350 to cover any early-leaving contract sum from the current provider.
My Q is, will she be able to retain her normal phone number with Airband, or any other alternative?
Cheers.

tacpot12

It's down to the fibre  provider. If they don't provide a router with a BT-style phone socket, then she won't be able to plug a regular phone in and make VoIP calls.

Number portability is also down the provider. Best to call them and get a guarantee in writing from them that the number will port over AND check for reports on the internet of where that provider has failed to transfer the number in spite of promises made to do so. 

Browntoa

Airband gets mixed reviews 

I'd be more worried about that 

iniltous

Airband advertise both FTTP and FWA , if it’s FWA , fixed wireless access, then it’s not FTTP ( fibre to the premises ) ,it’s not fibre , it’s a wireless ( radio ) system .
Airband offer their own VoIP telephone on their FTTP  and a third party VoIP provider will probably be OK , but with FWA you would need to enquire with Airband . 

ThisIsWeird

Fab, thanks folks.
Mil does have an actual fibre coming in to her house. 
I'll check what you say, Tacpot. 
Yes, mixed reviews, Browntoa. In my personal experience, most providers are carp to begin with at sorting teething problems, but once under way, things usually go smoothly. 
I'll check that they do mean FTTP, iniltous, since that's already in place. And also that they can transfer the number.
Cheers - that's clarified a lot

littleboo

You could transfer the number to a standalone VOIP provider, that way, you can change you internet provider at will and the VOIP service will be unaffected - no more number porting if you change ISP. If you used Vonage, they would send you a preconfigured box to plug the phone into, but they are cheap enough and easy enough to buy and configure yourself, if you're happy to read a manual.

ThisIsWeird

littleboo said:

You could transfer the number to a standalone VOIP provider, that way, you can change you internet provider at will and the VOIP service will be unaffected - no more number porting if you change ISP. If you used Vonage, they would send you a preconfigured box to plug the phone into, but they are cheap enough and easy enough to buy and configure yourself, if you're happy to read a manual.

That's interesting - thank you. Didn't know that option was available.

Could Vonage, for example, port the existing landline number with area code, do you know?

littleboo

Yes, or look at Andrews and Arnold,  a very well respected ISP who also over a standalone voice service. I recently ported my FiLs number to them as we wanted to keep it for a while after he moved to residental care.
https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

J_B

We've been Airband (WISP) customers for a few years now ... because the other options are non existent or very expensive.

Their customer service is pretty poor IME

They do offer VOIP but we've decided to stick with our standard copper BT phone contract

noitsnotme

ThisIsWeird said:

littleboo said:

You could transfer the number to a standalone VOIP provider, that way, you can change you internet provider at will and the VOIP service will be unaffected - no more number porting if you change ISP. If you used Vonage, they would send you a preconfigured box to plug the phone into, but they are cheap enough and easy enough to buy and configure yourself, if you're happy to read a manual.

That's interesting - thank you. Didn't know that option was available.

Could Vonage, for example, port the existing landline number with area code, do you know?

Be careful with this and check what effect it might have on the whole package with BT.

I am currently trying to do something similar.  I have FTTP with Vodafone which comes with a VOIP number.  I want to transfer the VOIP only to A&A and later transfer the FTTP service to someone else once my contract ends.

I phoned Vodafone to ask if I could port out just the VOIP and after a long wait while they checked was told if I did that it would automatically cancel the FTTP service.  I wasn’t convinced with the answer so went on live chat and ended up talking to a very diligent chap who seemed to know his stuff.

He explained there was a new process from Ofgem called One Touch that says providers should not force customers to have linked broadband and phone lines.   He explained as it’s very new he’s not sure it’s entirely in place and couldn’t confirm 100% that my FTTP wouldn’t be automatically cancelled.  He has escalated to another team and I’m waiting for an answer.

While I’m still in contract I can’t risk the FTTP being cancelled or they’ll charge me early cancellation fees.  So unless they can guarantee that won’t happen I’ll need to wait until I’m out of contract, then port the VOIP out.  If it then cancels the FTTP I’ll just sign up to a new provider.  This will likely mean a few days without broadband but I think that’s better than the alternative.

iniltous

OTS has absolutely nothing to do with ISP ‘forcing’ customers into having linked numbers with broadband , it’s simply a way to move between different networks ( City Fibre to Virgin for example ) without having to advise the losing network provider yourself, something already the case with the old switching process on Openreach  .
If a phone number is linked ( bundled ) to a broadband service and the number is ported , even with OTS , the broadband is ceased if the number is ported .