VoIP – death of the landline

I assume this has been done before and I missed it.

Anybody successfully get a battery back up from their ISP?

Huh?

Edit: Oh right.  I can’t see ISP’s being too happy about having to hand out battery backups – but who knows.  I haven’t used a landline in about 4 years I’d imagine.

We managed to get one from Sky to keep my wifes Care Assist access running in case of a power cut. I think we only got that because we were told when we switched from BT that we could keep our landline working for it, which turned out not to be true.
Never tested it in anger and ended up borrowing a generator for the duration of her illness.

I presume like me you live in an area with no mobile signal so worried about having no phone during power outages? They might have to when push comes to shove as there will be a lot of old people in this situation 

 Have been toying with the idea of a portable battery power station to run Wi-Fi router and even central heating pump as we have a thermal store water tank.

Was looking into this last month and the Openreach website was pretty useless with no timetable of how it’s going to be phased in. I think it was Plusnet who’ve stopped offering a landline option with their package. Not wanting to give up my landline but if my home phone will plug into the router then how does it work regarding call charges?

Glad someone else has started this discussion!

Mother in law is on Virgin and they’ve stopped the landline. MIL is useless with her mobile and MrsRNP wants a VOIP / landline phone for her.

Can anyone recommend a hassle free plug and play phone that I won’t need to faff with router/port settings?

Topical for me. Our rural broadband provider went down for 2 days over the weekend, when a hill top mast we connect to was damaged in high winds. It took out our VOIP ‘land line’ with it. Outages due to mast issues are pretty common. To top this we have a very poor mobile signal so we were pretty stuffed for any kind of connectivity.

I am thinking about some kind of 4g booster to improve mobile coverage, use as our main internet connection and then sack off our VOIP phone and unreliable broadband provider.

Can anyone recommend a hassle free plug and play phone that I won’t need to faff with router/port settings?

You’ll need two things I think.

– SIP provider (acts as the provider / forwarder of your number)

– SIP phone

Provider we use SIPGATE which is free (just pay for calls). Brilliant service, just works (assuming internet is up of course). 

Phone, just go onto any refurb site and get one for £15. We have a Yealink T29. SIPGATE have a config page for it so you do need to add your sipgate username / pwd and a few other things but it’s really easy and all done from a web interface to the phone. Phone does need power to work.

I’m not sure if you can port an existing land line number over. We didn’t bother, just took the nearest town they offered (Hereford about 15 miles away) so have an 01432 number which is close enough to where we live (useful for booking taxi’s etc, we used to have a brum one with some mildly hilarious consequences).

Use the phone quite a lot as mobile signal is rubbish here. We do have Cell based internet but that’s off a proper antenna. Issues with masts as ^^ above not unknown but if you’re just replacing a land line with fibre, it’s defo the way to go.

When you go fibre broadband and loose the old landline service, you have 30 days to port your old number to a VoIP provider. A&A is one cheap and popular service. Don’t think sipgate is free or even cheap anymore.
Then either a VoIP phone or ATA, analog telephone adapter. Some routers have a DECT base station in them, so you can use your old DECT handsets.
A small UPS to keep the ONT and router alive in a power cut.
I’m slightly concerned if our local O2 mast has battery backup, a while back we had a brief few second power cut, which dropped the mobile call I was on at the time, I only realised what had happened when I heard the kichen hob doing a reboot bleep! Then noticed my PC was off….

Don’t think sipgate is free or even cheap anymore.

Defo free! Not sure how cheap it is but our £10 top up seems to last months. Don’t call many mobiles tho.

Good point on DECT/ATA. 

You’ll need two things I think.

– SIP provider (acts as the provider / forwarder of your number)

– SIP phone

Thanks for the info. That sounds like too much hassle still. I was hoping for….

1. Buy new phone from Argos/Amazon
2. Plug into absolute cable hell behind the TV router.
3. Dial speaking clock to check phone works
4. Leave MrsRNP and MIL to chat aimlessly every day.

I think that if you have internet via vdsl or Adsl where you have both phone and internet with a phone splitter then going to VoIP is plug the phone via a box that the isp provides you into the router rather than using the splitter. I get mine soon so will let you know how simples or not it turns out to be

Thanks, that would be helpful. I’ve been looking at changing my ISP but this really complicates matters when you want to keep some sort of landline. Openreach are saying to check with your ISP but there’s a lack of specific info, they’re all simply saying how great it will be and all you have to do is put the line into the router. Does that necessarily mean a new router? Will it be supplied? What about cost of calls? Currently on slow broadband which suits me.

We changed over with Sky when Fibre became available earlier this year. Had a land line with them, once done the old phone just plugged in to the router and works like it did before. Couldn’t tell you how reliable it is as we never really use it.

Provider we use SIPGATE which is free (just pay for calls). Brilliant service, just works (assuming internet is up of course).

Not been free since September this year for new sign-ups. Last but one of the FAQ’s here https://www.sipgate.co.uk/prices-tariffs

Can anyone recommend a hassle free plug and play phone that I won’t need to faff with router/port settings?
I bought one of these for my Mum when in the care home. Looks and behaves like a land line phone.

Just be aware that that particular model is 2g only – there are other options.

Glad someone else has started this discussion!

Mother in law is on Virgin and they’ve stopped the landline. MIL is useless with her mobile and MrsRNP wants a VOIP / landline phone for her.

Can anyone recommend a hassle free plug and play phone that I won’t need to faff with router/port settings?

@rustynissanprairie she should have been sent a box that her existing phone plugs into and subsequently plugs into the back of her router, my mum got hers last year I think.

We changed over with Sky when Fibre became available earlier this year. Had a land line with them, once done the old phone just plugged in to the router and works like it did before. Couldn’t tell you how reliable it is as we never really use it

Same here with BT.

@squirrelking

Thanks for the info👍

@oldtennisshoes

What is it? (The Amazon link doesn’t work)

Ah! Found it – I’ll have a read.
Thanks.

I’m aware this is happening, because I’m with BT, who supplies my internet. My SkyQ box is connected to that , because it has to be, and I do still have an actual landline, so will BT actually supply me with some sort of handset with base-unit/charger? I mostly use my mobile, which is with O2, who I’m perfectly happy with, so I won’t be changing that. I also have fibre running right past my house, either Virgin or EE, but I’m not connected to that, either.

First off for most people losing the landline during a power cut is a red herring as most of us have wireless phones which need the base station to be plugged in, been like that for years.

If you have some older tech that needs a landline like a house alarm or personal alarm if you fall there may be issues.

It’s on the cards to be finished by 2025 so it is coming, we’ve been decommissioning landlines for the last year (although in our case to 4G connections, only 500 to go). When I swapped from Sky I don’t think Sky were offering ‘landlines’ then (about 12/18 months ago), we could either have a plug and play internet enabled phone or filters to make existing phones compatible. Went with Plusnet in the end so still have an analog landline.

Just swapped both businesses from Plusnet, with normal land line, as plusnet are ceasing commercial contracts. Went to Sky fibre and digital phone line for both, but about 2 months apart. First one to swap we were sent a router, and a phone box, but standard phone plugs in and works fine. Second one to swap came with a different router and the phone just plugs straight in – again, just the phone we used before. So far both have been fine – the second one to swap is pretty intensive on phone use and has coped well. Retained the numbers for both and swapped over seamlessly.

We still have a landline because MIL cannot comprehend not having one.

They killed off the old landlines and just switched us over a couple of months ago by supplying a simple ethernet port adapter that goes in the back of the router and basically plugs into any old standard phone so no need for a VOIP phone.

I’ve just ordered a bunch of powerline adapters because I want to try and sort connectivity in the furthest reaches of our vast Mansion and I might just use one to locate her olden days phone (as the kids call it) wherever she wants it (assuming that will work), because next to the router isn’t very convenient…

I’d not considered what happens in a power cut though, obviously the router goes down, but if it had a UPS to keep it functional and a corded handset plugged in could you still get a phone connection? how are the boxes at the kerb affected by an area power cut?

Some routers have a DECT base station in them, so you can use your old DECT handsets.

Timely thread this as I’ve been planning the end of our landline, or at least moving to full fibre which presents the choice, but as per most for reasons it’s still wanted. Anyway, we have a load of DECT handsets so a VoIP thing that can talk to them would be good. Any recommendations anyone?

Initial random Googling has thrown up this for example.. https://www.voiptalk.org/products/Gigaset+N510IP+Pro+Base+Station

A UPS for the phone, ONT, and router seems like it’d be enough.

We don’t have a landline or VOIP line. And while on the edge of a city our mobile reception is shonky.

A few weeks ago I would have laughed at the idea of a power cut.

Only experienced 2 until then since 1998. One of those was unique to our house for reasons explained in a past thread. The other was when a local substation went wonky with some work on the tram supply.

That all changed a couple of weeks back when the lights flickered and then … no power to ours and a bunch of other houses. About 09:00. Cable problem. Expected to be fixed by about 16:00.

Seems having a battery backup with our Powerwall was a good thing. One I never really expected to show any value. Well, it would have been better had I known that one of our consumer units was not on the backup and done some mitigation. So while my laptop PSU, monitor, and wifi were uninterrupted the ONT lost its power. As did our contractor’s tools and lights.

One extension cable later he was working and so was I.

Its not great for older people who don’t understand tech.

My mum has dementia so BT provide a new hub, backup power supply and phone.

With BT they supply a new hub, but you also can order a free wifi adapter, this plugs into a power socket and you can use your old phone. It basically makes a dect connection to the hub.

The new system is actually very good if you use one of the new phones.

https://store.ee.co.uk/products/bt-digital-voice-adapter-100121-GN1T.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product%20search&utm_content=RR00&ReferrerID=RR00&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAj_CrBhD-ARIsAIiMxT_Z4gRevqm5P3335EdSuraR_PLi2bW6NwQWjK30pg2TxE0IUvdYNKwaAnitEALw_wcB

They are going to have to pull their finger out if they plan to turn off analogue phonelines round here by 2025. There is no other option with a 6-10 mile drive to get a mobile signal depending on where you are in the avlley.miles. They keep sticking emergency service masts up here (which as far as I know have been used once in 10 years) but there are still no plans to piggy-back off the technology to give a mobile signal to the residents.

On power cuts, how likely are you going to need a landline during a cut?

Dig out the candles and sit it out. Probably got mobile anyway.

Though chances are if widespread, power has gone to the cell towers and the green box down the road so you won’t get much.

Anyway, only thing stopping me going full fibre to home is PlusNet not offering landline (unlike their parent BT, but that’s way more expensive). But then I pretty much don’t use the landline. Just parents sometimes if they can’t get Skype working and I’ve had the number registered on loads of companies for past 25 years or so, but guess I could get that changed. Used to be some things you could only register with a landline. Maybe not now.

Still, wondered about this I’ve seen advertised. Basically can port a landline number to a SIM. Aimed more at business but they’ve said on social media that many individuals use it. Not sure anyone’s managed to port from PlusNet.

https://onsim.uk/landline-sim/

On power cuts, how likely are you going to need a landline during a cut?

How many times have you ever had to call 999 or use a personal alarm?

I have my landline plugged into the Virgin router – they even sent a connector cable.

So, Plusnet customer here.

I’m due for renewal at the end of next month so of course they’ve been punting their latest offers at me. £30.99 a month on my existing deal (FibrePlus with Phone) or £26.99 for the same without.

But wait…

The former is an 18 month deal and the latter 24 month, if I change my existing package to 24 month it’s exactly the same price as the option without the phone. So that’s what I’ll be going for, if only because at some point over that period (landlines switch off in 2025) they won’t be able to provide the service they’re contracted to and I can get an early release for whatever that’s worth. And the fact my mum still doesn’t phone my mobile. And my wife habitually turns her ringer off. And the fact her signal is shit with no WiFi calling option. Maybe by then I’ll have the option of FTTP (coming by end of 2026).

Slightly off topic from the OP but is there a top 10 of the best UK home VoIP handsets? I have Googled all manner of varient search terms but only get reviews from sites which are selling the products they are reviewing. 

Mother in law is on Virgin and they’ve stopped the landline.

On this,

Assuming cable broadband, VM insisted with me that I took their “landline” offering or the package shot up in price. You got a little ‘tail’ adapter which plugged into an RJ11 port on the router and presented a BT socket. Slap in any old regular phone and away you go. Or not, I plugged in a phone precisely once to ring a mobile and get the phone number, then left it permanently disconnected.

Its not great for older people who don’t understand tech.

What is there to understand once it’s set up? Get a little charging stand, tell them it’s a new cordless phone.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mobile-Phone-Elderly-People

I’d understand it if they were still sitting there with a paper address book and a rotary phone. It’s just an excuse, Doro does one with three buttons for goodness sake.