Virtual landline and handset

[Alex321]

The ISPs are all lying to me if so, as I've pressed them very specifically on that point. They're telling me that my existing phones will work.

THat depends on the modl of your phone. I believe there are some which are dual mode, so can work as an analogue phone plugged in to the normal landline socket, but can also be plugged into a port on your router. I don't think there are very many models like that, and if your phone is more than 2-3 years old, it almost certainly won't be.

You can also get broadband routers which have a built in VOIOP adapter.

But unless you have one of those two things, you will need an adpetr, or to replace your phine with a VOIP one.

 

[presta]

THat depends on the modl of your phone. I believe there are some which are dual mode, so can work as an analogue phone plugged in to the normal landline socket, but can also be plugged into a port on your router. I don't think there are very many models like that, and if your phone is more than 2-3 years old, it almost certainly won't be.

You can also get broadband routers which have a built in VOIOP adapter.

But unless you have one of those two things, you will need an adpetr, or to replace your phine with a VOIP one.

When I first considered fibre I asked my ISP (Plusnet) if it includes phone, and they told me no, and that I need a separate provider for that, so I started looking at VOIP phones, adapters to go between phone & router, and VOIP providers, but with all the hassle and complication I was quickly losing the will to live. All I wanted is something that will plugnplay, and from reading reviews of VOIP equipment on Amazon it's anything but plugnplay if you try to do it yourself. They're full of comments about it might work, or usually work, but you might have to set this, alter that etc etc. No thanks.

No sooner had I bought a VOIP for Dummies book than I discovered that what Plusnet actually meant is that I need a separate provider if I'm with them, and that other ISPs (eg BT, Gigaclear) do include phone.

So I rang the ISPs and asked them specifically if the equipment that's all inclusive in their package has a socket on it that I could plug my existing analogue/copper wire phones into. They all told me yes, and that's why I told the OP that he doesn't need a VOIP phone.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

When I first considered fibre I asked my ISP (Plusnet) if it includes phone, and they told me no, and that I need a separate provider for that, so I started looking at VOIP phones, adapters to go between phone & router, and VOIP providers, but with all the hassle and complication I was quickly losing the will to live. All I wanted is something that will plugnplay, and from reading reviews of VOIP equipment on Amazon it's anything but plugnplay if you try to do it yourself. They're full of comments about it might work, or usually work, but you might have to set this, alter that etc etc. No thanks.

No sooner had I bought a VOIP for Dummies book than I discovered that what Plusnet actually meant is that I need a separate provider if I'm with them, and that other ISPs (eg BT, Gigaclear) do include phone.

So I rang the ISPs and asked them specifically if the equipment that's all inclusive in their package has a socket on it that I could plug my existing analogue/copper wire phones into. They all told me yes, and that's why I told the OP that he doesn't need a VOIP phone.

Copper is on its way out and no new copper lines are being put in any current copper landlines are being switched off in January 2027.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I moved home, and I got some interweb, but I do not have a landline. I have my mobile, but I think a landline would be handy. Then I thought it must be possible to get a phone to work with the wifi. Surely that technology exists. I ordered a VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) phone, but when it arrived, it had a lead to stick into a socket somewhere. I do not have any sockets on my internet receiver. Another problem is that I do not actually have a number. I do not know what number the house had before, but I presume it was with BT, and my internet provider is with someone else. Then I remembered Skype. I seemed to remember that worked over the internet and that you could have whatever type of number you wanted. You could get a New York number if you wanted. Now, I read Microsoft is putting Skype out to grass. I was not aware Microsoft owned them in the first place. When I googled Skype phone, a couple of adverts came up for virtual landlines. They looked quite promising and you could get a number, but it looks like they are apps for smartphones, so I would have to buy another smartphone just to act as a landline. I also looked up cordless wifi phones, and there seemed to be quite a collection of handsets from Currys and Amazon. However, I do not think they come with a number, and at least some of them seem to require their own hubs. I do not know why this is so difficult, or even why you have to pay anything more than for the handset. The bandwidth is negligible.

When I had a landline I used a Siemens cordless phone. Base station (for the DECT handsets) plugged into both a BT socket and the network (eg router, network switch, RJ45). The phone (handsets and base station) supported multiple phone systems, the BT landline through the BT socket but also a load of VOIP providers through the network/router. If you subscribed to one of the many VOIP providers you configured your account into the Siemens DECT base station then when you made a call on one of the handsets you could select which outgoing line to use.

You configure a default "line" for each handset though could change the "line" (BT or one of configured VOIP accounts) when dialling the call. Did not need a BT line.

Wasn't a massively expensive phone system, standard retail (not a small company system) think I got mine in Curry's (hate the chain). From memory it was a Siemens Gigaset A850aGO. Above are from memory so don't spend money without checking (handset probably no longer available anyway but likely some more modern versions).

 

[Alex321]

So I rang the ISPs and asked them specifically if the equipment that's all inclusive in their package has a socket on it that I could plug my existing analogue/copper wire phones into. They all told me yes, and that's why I told the OP that he doesn't need a VOIP phone.

THat may well be at least part of the reason Plusnet won't be offering a phone service with full fibre - their provided router doesn't have that facility (and neither do most retail ones).

I'm with plusnet as well, and must admit I hadn't realised that other providers used equipment with built in adapters.

I haven't really heard the bad things about adapters that you have, either, and certainly intend going down that route when our copper line is removed.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I'm with plusnet as well, and must admit I hadn't realised that other providers used equipment with built in adapters.

As I said upthread, I haven't used a landline at home for at least 18 years.
I switch my broadband every end of contract between Virgin and Sky, because of the cheaper new customer prices.
I remember clearly, the first time I got the Sky socked installed (I think around 8 years ago) the engineer showed me the socket on their box to plug in a VOIP phone, should I have wished to do so (the VOIP line was included in the price).
Afaik, all providers except cable will use the same (BT Openreach) wall box.
If a VOIP line is included in the broadband contract (it may cost extra, I guess) one should be able to plug in any suitable phone.
Ah, about the number, I think I remember it being in one's contract!

 

[Yellow Fang]

There is something that looks like a transmitter or repeater that plugs into my router. That has a socket which I can plug my phone into. However, no ring tone. I rang up my provider, Talk Talk, and asked them if I could have a landline. They said I had a data only contract. I asked if I could have a package with a landline. After about ten minutes they said not in my area. That is funny, as my mother has a landline with her Talk Talk package and she lives ten minutes' walk away.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

…. That is funny, as my mother has a landline with her Talk Talk package and she lives ten minutes' walk away.

They may have ran out of their number allocation in your area.

 

[Alex321]

There is something that looks like a transmitter or repeater that plugs into my router. That has a socket which I can plug my phone into. However, no ring tone. I rang up my provider, Talk Talk, and asked them if I could have a landline. They said I had a data only contract. I asked if I could have a package with a landline. After about ten minutes they said not in my area. That is funny, as my mother has a landline with her Talk Talk package and she lives ten minutes' walk away.

"your area" may be as small as the area covered by your streetside green box.

But it would be pretty pointless anyhow, as they intend shutting off the PSTN network pretty well completely within the next year, so you could only have it for a few months.

 

[Alex321]

As I said upthread, I haven't used a landline at home for at least 18 years.
I switch my broadband every end of contract between Virgin and Sky, because of the cheaper new customer prices.
I remember clearly, the first time I got the Sky socked installed (I think around 8 years ago) the engineer showed me the socket on their box to plug in a VOIP phone, should I have wished to do so (the VOIP line was included in the price).
Afaik, all providers except cable will use the same (BT Openreach) wall box.
If a VOIP line is included in the broadband contract (it may cost extra, I guess) one should be able to plug in any suitable phone.
Ah, about the number, I think I remember it being in one's contract!

Oh yes, I think almost all routers will allow VOIP phones to work with them, it is the non-VOIP phones we have been talking about above, and which I was surprised to hear that most ISP provided routers will work with.

 

[PaulSB]

See if your ISP does landline packages? Also, why do you want a landline? My parents have just moved house and got internet, landline and 2 x SIMs with the same provider. They haven't used the landline once yet. in their old house, lots of people used to call their landline because their reception was dodgy, but if that's not an issue then I struggle to understand why you want a landline? It could just be me living for the last 18 years without one and I've forgotten what they were good for

My landline saved my life or at the very least prevented a major stroke and all that follows.

One Friday evening in 2019 I was at home, alone, when I suddenly experienced a searing pain in my head. Imagine having a red hot poker driven through your skull.......and double it. I had suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage - an aneurysm in an artery in my brain had burst.

We live rurally. I managed to bang on three neighbours' doors. No one was home. Back home I knew I had to get help while I was still capable of doing so. Instinctively I knew where our landline phone would be. I had no idea where my mobile was. To this day I remember begging 999 for help and the response "We're only six minutes away."

That night I had 1½ hours brain surgery, the following day 10½ hours further surgery. My wife was given the prognosis "First we see if he wakes up, then can he move his hands and feet?"

I will never be without two phones on our landline, will never change their position in the house and pay whatever it costs to retain some form of "fixed" phone whether it's a traditional landline or a modern day equivalent.

How many can truly say they now exactly where their mobile is with absolute certainty 100% of the time? If you can't find your phone how would you call for help?

Today I am fully recovered. I could be a vegetable.