Leaving BT but keeping BT email

[coopz]

It's hard to know where is the right place to post this and apolgise if it should be somewhere else or there is already an answer out there, but I am hoping for the best.

I have had a BT Broadband package that includes email and landline for many years. A while ago I took on fibre from a different provider as there was no sign of BT providing it any time soon. However I kept the whole BT package until I was sure the new provider would be OK. 

I now wish to terminate my BT Broadband, but keep my 3 BT email addresses that are set up within my broadband package (2 used by other family members), and move my landline number to the new provider.  I am aware that I can move to BT Premium Mail which BT assures me will allow me to keep the 3 email addresses, and the new provider will accept porting the landline number.

However, my issue is that I do not know in what order to apporach all this. It looks like doing a number port will automatically cancel the BT broadband but it is not clear whether I will still have the option to subscribe to Premium Mail and keep the email addresses if I do that; however, cancelling the broadband, which gives me the Premium Mail option, may well cancel the landline  number so it will not be available for the new provider to port.

I apologise for the long-winded question but I have tried discussing it with BT directly and they seem unable to understand the question and just assure me that "everything will be alright". To complicate things, and one reason for the sudden urgency, BT have just informed me that they will move me from the existing copper ADSL connection to digital VOIP in 2 weeks time. Not sure how that works as I do not have a VOIP router or BT fibre connection!

In case it is relevant, my new provider is TOOB over City Fibre and 'phone would be Vonage.

Thanks for any insight/advice.

Nick

[iniltous]

Phone numbers  are available to port for 30 days after cessation, so your proposed phone service provider should be able to reclaim the number if you cancel your broadband and sign up to premium email to maintain that access , or using  the porting event to close your broadband service doesn’t immediately cease your email addresses so you can then change to the paid for email service……so it doesn’t really matter what order you do this in 

[gg30340 · Accepted solution]

You can keep your BTMail accounts when you move to another provider.

When you leave BT your three email accounts will be downgraded to the free BTMail Basic account which can only be used with a web browser. It will not be able to be used with an email client or an email app such as you may use on a mobile device.

You can upgrade this to a BT Premium email account which will cost you £7.50 per month. This will keep your email accounts working as they do now which allows them to be used with email clients and email apps as well as a web browser.

There is no hurry to do anything as the email account will continue to work as BTMail Basic when you leave BT and you can "upgrade" to BT Premium at any time by calling BT.

See link

BT Email products | Types of BT Emails | BT Help

As regards getting moved to BT Digital Voice. You do not need a fibre connection for that to work. You will be sent a BT Smarthub 2 and that will work with your present connection and it is simply a case of plugging your phone into that.

You could contact BT and tell them you do not want to move to Digital Voice at this time although you will be moved at some point in the future.

You are correct in stating if you port your number that will cancel your broadband.

[coopz]

Reall helpful response - many thanks.

[coopz]

Also really helpful. Thank you!