My further ramblings about FTTP, landlines and perhaps moving to another ISP

[Simon]

Well, if that's the case, and IDNet will still provide the service, I think I'll keep my old landline until I can't. 

I'm assuming it can't be a case of leaving it too late and someone else gets your phone number?

[goldberg]

I've also been deliberating for a long while on whether to take the plunge and migrate to FTTP broadband and transfer the landline number that my family has had for 44 years over to VOIP.  About a year ago, still on IDNet FTTC, I bought some inexpensive second-hand Gigaset VOIP / DECT kit from eBay (a DECT basestation with several handsets) to experiment with setting this up on my router, using the Sipgate service.  It has been working fine for the whole year.  Sipgate supplied a free number to allow me to try out their service.

In light of BT's recent announcement of their schedule for digital migration, I've taken the plunge and ordered FTTP broadband and requested IDNet migrate my landline number to Centrex.  The FTTP installation was done quickly and was completely painless, and the Openreach engineer was more than happy to pull the fibre-optic cable through duct I had installed through my loft, and place the CSP (Customer Service Point), and ONT exactly where I wanted them near my router.
It's important to think about the route the fibre cable will take into your property, because unlike copper cable, fibre cable cannot be bent round tight corners, for example around architraves.

I'm now waiting for IDNet to complete the landline migration - the delay I'm experiencing is most likely from BT who host the Centrex service.  Meanwhile the copper cable from the pole across the street is still providing the PSTN landline service until the migration is complete.  The fibre cable is also strung from the same pole.  Just before the landline goes over to VOIP, IDNet will ship out a Yealink VOIP / DECT basestation with Yealink W73H handset, supplied as part of their Centrex service.

Interesting to read earlier in this thread about forum members' experience with e-mail.  The solution of running IMAP on portable devices, and periodically downloading e-mails to a POP3  desktop to manage the limited storage space provided by IDNet, is a method I've used for many years.  But there's one annoyance I've noticed with my Apple desktop - I can no longer 'Remove Attachments' to save storage space on the POP3 desktop.  It used to be possible, but appears to have been disabled a while ago.

[Simon]

I've also been deliberating for a long while on whether to take the plunge and migrate to FTTP broadband and transfer the landline number that my family has had for 44 years over to VOIP.  About a year ago, still on IDNet FTTC, I bought some inexpensive second-hand Gigaset VOIP / DECT kit from eBay (a DECT basestation with several handsets) to experiment with setting this up on my router, using the Sipgate service.  It has been working fine for the whole year.  Sipgate supplied a free number to allow me to try out their service.

Can I ask which Gigaset model you were using?  I have the C570H base unit and three satellite handsets, and I'm hoping these would work with Centrix.

[goldberg]

The Gigaset kit I'm using with Sipgate is the N300A IP basestation, and the C430HX handset.
However, IDNet have made it clear that they only support the Yealink W73H handset, with (I presume) the Yealink W70B basestation.  So although it looks unlikely I'll be able to use the Gigaset kit on IDNet's Centrex, I will give it a try when the landline is finally switched over to VOIP.

[nowster]

The Gigaset kit I'm using with Sipgate is the N300A IP basestation, and the C430HX handset.
However, IDNet have made it clear that they only support the Yealink W73H handset, with (I presume) the Yealink W70B basestation.  So although it looks unlikely I'll be able to use the Gigaset kit on IDNet's Centrex, I will give it a try when the landline is finally switched over to VOIP.

It'll be bog standard SIP. However, there may be an element of encryption that older equipment may not support.

When they're forced to lose their copper loop phone line, I'll probably port the number to A&A and have it talking to Asterisk on their router (a Raspberry Pi4), with an ATA for their existing phone kit.

[peasblossom]

The Gigaset kit I'm using with Sipgate is the N300A IP basestation, and the C430HX handset.
However, IDNet have made it clear that they only support the Yealink W73H handset, with (I presume) the Yealink W70B basestation.  So although it looks unlikely I'll be able to use the Gigaset kit on IDNet's Centrex, I will give it a try when the landline is finally switched over to VOIP.

Huh. That's the first I've heard and it seems odd. If you have an entirely compatible phone, why would you give it up? Why would you need to? (In the normal course of things that is.)

[stan]

Further to the above.

I plucked up the courage to apply for FTTP yesterday.

In brief - I've gone for a two year contract with Idnet with their 160/30 plan which offers the  default TP Link router and Openreach installation at no cost and they've given me a bit off in recognition of having been a customer since 2008.

I completed the online form yesterday afternoon and today received a date for Openreach to attend. I had very quick and very helpful responses to the couple of emails sent to them so now we wait.

I will port my landline to Andrews and Arnold for their, well regarded, VOIP service and hope to plug either one or both of my older style analogue phones into the green FXS phone port. There's only one port to use so I'm hoping an "RJ11 to twin BT type socket adaptor" might allow both to work (one at a time, of course).

I don't know if there's any "configuration" required to make those phones work

My mate has also changed his broadband but he already had FTTP with SKY and has, in recent days, applied to go with Andrews and Arnold (AAISP) and he, too, has had quick responses and has received his new Technicolour router from them. He's going for their 115/20 plan at £37 pm. He won't use a VOIP service.

[nowster]

I will port my landline to Andrews and Arnold for their, well regarded, VOIP service and hope to plug either one or both of my older style analogue phones into the green FXS phone port. There's only one port to use so I'm hoping an "RJ11 to twin BT type socket adaptor" might allow both to work (one at a time, of course).

If you have older phones, make sure the adaptor has a ring capacitor in it.

[stan]

The only adaptors I could see for sale were basic splitters on Ebay or Amazon etc.  I somehow doubt there's any circuitry within.

If we were to disregard the splitter aspect and only plug one phone into the one socket on the router (the TP LinkVX230v) then I've not seen mention of the need to provide anything additional so I'm guessing the specification you speak of refers to using the splitter/doubler?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284830001356?chn=ps&_ul=GB&google_free_listing_action=view_item&gQT=1

The phones are these. The ATL Berkshire dates back to 2005 and the BT Diverse 5110 a couple of years before that.  They both soldier on beautifully.


https://www.best4systems.co.uk/pdf-manuals/ATL/ATL%20Berkshire%20800%20User%20Guide.pdf

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/22709/Bt-Diverse-5110.html

[nowster]

If either phone doesn't ring, you might need:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RJ11-Telephone-Adapter-RJP-BTS/dp/B000Q4X9PS
https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/2370-esscable-rjp-bts/

[stan]

All received, thanks very much. I was able to spot the inclusion of the capacitor. It could well have taken ages to work out that such a thing was needed.

Presumably the item you pointed out would occupy one of the two outputs of the splitter and if neither rang then one in each output.

That sounds simple enough, even for me. 

I wish it were as simple to sort out the strange malady affecting my Idnet email address.

I don't use it much since transferring most of my email traffic to Hotmail but now that I've ordered FTTP from Idnet and given both Idnet and Openreach my Idnet email as a point of contact it's become a bit of a nuisance.

I can send emails from that email (Idnet) address when at home but when away from home I cant ... it says "saved to draft, try again".  I gather my home wi fi is enabling the sending of the email but that some alternative protocol is required when out and about.

In short, I've spoken to two Idnet staff members who say it's an Authentication setting on my (Android) phone and can't help and I've visited two helpful local phone shops (EE and o2) and no-one there could see why it wasn't working. Both  shop's staff admitted that email configuration wasn't their field of expertise.

So I can send and receive at home and that will have to do. I'm now pleased that I swapped awy from my Idnet email address and adopted Hotmail, which works a treat for me.

Furthermore it will be seen that if you moved away from Idnet and wanted to keep your Idnet email address you pay £18 annually for 100mb. which isn't much storage for £18. 250mb is £30 a year and 1gb is £60.

Hotmail offers 15gb for nothing or you can pay a couple of quid and get some sort of premium service (I think no ads and better tech support).... which I do.  Have to admit I find it excellent and you don't have to spell
I D N E T out every time either.

[nowster]

Note that the usual socket on the back of a router is RJ11 and your phones have 431A plugs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_telephone_socket

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_jack#RJ11,_RJ14,_RJ25_wiring

[stan]

Much obliged to you, Nowster.

I do believe the two items you highlighted are RJ11 to plug into the router combined with the usual BT type plug attached to the old analogue phones.

Apologis if I fail to promptky reply on here, I don't currently receive reminder emails to alert me to replies.  I'll look further tosee where we're going wrong.

Ta.