Switch phone/broadband supplier?

[clockworks]

I've been with BT for many years, 13 years in my current house.
Local exchange went FTTC about 8 or 9 years ago. No chance of FTTP in the near future.

Mobile signal is rubbish, lucky to make a voice call indoors, no chance of getting even 3g data reliably.

I work from home, small business, so keeping my existing landline number is important.

I keep seeing deals to switch supplier and potentially save a fortune. However, when I try to get quotes, it fails if I ask to keep my existing landlines number. Vodafone says "number mismatched to address", others just reject the number.

I live right on the border between 2 area codes. My postal address and postcode town is "Helston" (area code 01326), but my landline is via a Penzance (01736) sub-exchange about a mile from my house.

This seems to be confusing the suppliers' websites, and I can't get a quote or even see how much/what is included.

[Mammasaid]

You're going to need VOIP

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-inter...

[Mr Pointy]

There have been several threads on this topic recently; the issue is that if you switch no provider will provision an analogue landline so you need to switch to one that will add a VOIP service at the same time as the switch. BT will do this (Digital Voice) Zen will also do it (it's a form of DV), Andrews & Arnold will also do it with their own VOIP service.

There may well be others but those are the ones I know of.

[clockworks]

I'm not really bothered if it's a physical "landline", or voip. My existing dect base unit should still work if the router has a "phone" socket, which my BT smart hub does.

I need to keep the phone number though.

Is my only option to stay with BT until the digital switchover happens, then try and move providers - assuming other providers are going to offer voip with existing numbers?

I tried Zen, but the "get started" button doesn't work after I enter my postcode.

[RizzoTheRat]

No help with the switching, but regarding the rubbish mobile signal, have you tried WiFi calling (mobile phone works via your wifi)? My mother has it with BT and it works well.

[Captain_Morgan]

I’d consider the following.

Order a second line from a cheaper vendor, get that working, order a voip line from say A&A (the cheapest at £1.80 p/m), get that working, then request the move of your phone line to a second A&A service. This will also quit your bt broadband (most likely)

The issue some of the big providers have with voip can make it difficult to move them to a alternate provider & often some are left without any service for some time.

I’d be sure about the process if the number is key.

[Mr Pointy]

clockworks said:

I'm not really bothered if it's a physical "landline", or voip. My existing dect base unit should still work if the router has a "phone" socket, which my BT smart hub does.

I need to keep the phone number though.

Is my only option to stay with BT until the digital switchover happens, then try and move providers - assuming other providers are going to offer voip with existing numbers?

I tried Zen, but the "get started" button doesn't work after I enter my postcode.

Pick up the phone & call Zen - they are very helpful, as are A&A.

[The Three D Mucketeer]

The real question is "How far from your FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) cab ?" If your copper tail is less than 1 mile , you should be getting a reasonable speed.... 15-20 Megabits I'd guess... I was 2 miles from the cab and only got 5-6 Mb . The distance to the exchange is irrelevant on FTTC.

You say no chance of FTTP ... Well 3 years ago I ran a project with OPENREACH using Government funding Gigabit Infrastructure For Rural communities , I got 50 local residents and businesses signed up and got £70k to pay for it. The whole hamlet now has FTTP available and i'm now running at 900 mb/s

My mobile signal is poor , the mast nearest 4G mast is 3 miles away. so I use WIFI calling on a Android phone. But make sure you disable VoLTE calls in SETTINGS/MOBILE NETWORKS to stop it switching between your WIFI and LTE.

Your supplier becomes irrelevant if you haven't got the infrastructure (fibre/ cable /microwave)

Edited by The Three D Mucketeer on Wednesday 10th April 13:56

[clockworks]

I only mentioned the poor mobile signal to make it clear that 4/5g Internet via a cellular router wasn't an option. I use WiFi calling, and that works OK.
Without a wired/fibre broadband connection, pretty much nothing would work indoors.

I have no idea where the cabinet is, but I'm getting 60+ mb/s, so it can't be too far away. The actual "sub" exchange is less than 2 miles away.

The neighbouring village had fttp put into most properties a couple of years ago. Prior to that, it was just 4mb/s ADSL. I think my village will be a low priority for fttp, because we get a good service already on fttc.

It's vital to my business that I keep my landline phone number. Around 90% of calls come via the landline, despite me "advertising" the mobile number too for the past 15+ years.

[ChrisW.]

Are you still repairing barometers ?

If so, could you email me ? Thanks !

[clockworks]

I'm no further forward with this - unable to switch and keep my landline number.

I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with Vodafone. The chap tried his best, making several calls and trying different suppliers, but it appears that my number is "reserved" by BT/Openreach.

His best suggestion was to take broadband and a new landline with Vodafone (£24), and downgrade my BT service to just a landline. This would save about £15 a month apparently (Currently paying BT £54 a month).
He said I could then try and get Vodafone to take over the old number, but no guarantees.

I guess this "2 phone numbers on one copper cable" would work because the Vodafone number would be VOIP?

[SpidersWeb]

clockworks said:

This would save about £15 a month apparently (Currently paying BT £54 a month).

If you are out of contract with BT, which it seems you are if you are thinking of switching, then why not just call BT up and haggle with the prices you have got from Vodafone, etc.

If you don't mention the phone number issue then it is highly unlikely the BT retentions person would not have a clue that it is a problem to move it and they could use it as a bargaining chip with which to retain you.

So with all the price information at hand, give BT a ring and choose the 'thinking of leaving' option and just ask the simple question 'what is the process for swapping my service to Vodafone', and I will bet you that BT will ask 'why are you thinking of leaving' and once you say 'cost' they will spend a few minutes saying that the other company is crap, but if you say that's as maybe, then they will offer you a deal that gets close to what you would pay elsewhere.

[clockworks]

SpidersWeb said:

If you are out of contract with BT, which it seems you are if you are thinking of switching, then why not just call BT up and haggle with the prices you have got from Vodafone, etc.

If you don't mention the phone number issue then it is highly unlikely the BT retentions person would not have a clue that it is a problem to move it and they could use it as a bargaining chip with which to retain you.

So with all the price information at hand, give BT a ring and choose the 'thinking of leaving' option and just ask the simple question 'what is the process for swapping my service to Vodafone', and I will bet you that BT will ask 'why are you thinking of leaving' and once you say 'cost' they will spend a few minutes saying that the other company is crap, but if you say that's as maybe, then they will offer you a deal that gets close to what you would pay elsewhere.

I spoke to BT yesterday because my BT TV box stopped recording. I rarely use it, so ended up deciding to just cancel the TV services.

The cancellation/retentions lady said she could get me a good deal if I renew. Promised me the exact same service on everything, and some new TV boxes, for £15 less than I'm currently paying.
I specifically asked if the price was for 4k Netflix, same broadband, etc. She reassured me that everything was the same or better, so I agreed.

Luckily I checked the contract and order emails. Basic Netflix, no 4k TV, and basic broadband with a lower speed. No "special discount", just the cheapest, low-spec, package.

I phoned to complain about being lied to, and cancelled the order last night.
I'm waiting for a callback to see if they will honour the quoted price/spec.

I've been reasonably happy with BT (apart from the flaky TV boxes), but their prices are just too high. Being blatantly lied to has put me right off.

[Mr Pointy]

clockworks said:

I'm no further forward with this - unable to switch and keep my landline number.

I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with Vodafone. The chap tried his best, making several calls and trying different suppliers, but it appears that my number is "reserved" by BT/Openreach.

His best suggestion was to take broadband and a new landline with Vodafone (£24), and downgrade my BT service to just a landline. This would save about £15 a month apparently (Currently paying BT £54 a month).
He said I could then try and get Vodafone to take over the old number, but no guarantees.

I guess this "2 phone numbers on one copper cable" would work because the Vodafone number would be VOIP?

Have you spoken to A&A or Zen?

[clockworks]

Mr Pointy said:

Have you spoken to A&A or Zen?

No, I haven't yet.
If I don't get a satisfactory deal from BT, I'll call Zen

Edit:

I just tried the Zen website, and it didn't say they couldn't transfer the phone number, so that's a positive.

£42 for "unlimited" fibre and voip with Zen, compared to £24 with Vodafone, and the £54 that I'm currently paying with BT.

Edited by clockworks on Tuesday 21st May 16:05

[Mr Pointy]

clockworks said:

Mr Pointy said:

Have you spoken to A&A or Zen?

No, I haven't yet.
If I don't get a satisfactory deal from BT, I'll call Zen

Edit:

I just tried the Zen website, and it didn't say they couldn't transfer the phone number, so that's a positive.

£42 for "unlimited" fibre and voip with Zen, compared to £24 with Vodafone, and the £54 that I'm currently paying with BT.

Neither A&A or Zen are cheap but they have knowledgeable people you can speak to.

[megaphone]

Have tried EE or Plusnet? Same as BT, however they may do a better price. Book through Quidco or similar for cash back.

[clockworks]

I spent another 2.5 hours on the phone with EE yesterday trying to get things sorted. They told me again that I would get exactly the same broadband, phone and TV products as I currently get on my BT contract, but at a lower price.

Complete lies!

Checking the package details in the email confirmation, for the third time the TV package was downgraded - either no 4k service, or Netflix downgraded.
The third order got the TV right, but didn't show the discount offered verbally.

They are also lying each time, saying that the EE broadband "Essentials 50" service is the same as my current BT "Fibre 2" service. It isn't. Slower download speed guarantee, half the upload speed.
It seems EE don't even do a top tier broadband package that works on FTTC.

I will stay with BT on my existing contract until it runs out on 8th August. I will give notice to cancel the TV package as soon as I can, and revert to paying Netflix directly.

When the contract expires, I will look at moving to Zen.

[clockworks]

megaphone said:

Have tried EE or Plusnet? Same as BT, however they may do a better price. Book through Quidco or similar for cash back.

I've placed three orders with EE. Each time they have told me that the order was for the same services that I currently get from BT.
Each time I have asked them to confirm that the order includes certain features, and they have verbally confirmed.
Each time, I have read through the order confirmation email, and a service has been downgraded to lower the price - slower broadband, no 4k TV, etc.

They cannot even guarantee in writing that I will keep my landline number.

EE seem to have adopted the high pressure BS tactics of the old-school mobile phone and double glazing salesman - basically lie to get a contract, and hope the customer doesn't actually double check.

If BT are going to rebrand all their domestic contracts to EE, they will lose a lot of customers.

[SpidersWeb]

clockworks said:

If BT are going to rebrand all their domestic contracts to EE, they will lose a lot of customers.

To who? None of the other companies that offer similar prices have any better customer service and people buy on price.