Problems with Full Fibre order

[Tyfy]

TL;DR

I want a new BT full fibre install of just the fibre cable for broadband.

Once running I want to port my number away from my existing provider to a VOIP provider and cancel my existing broadband and my copper line will be unused.

I want to do this as I want to avoid any time without internet as I work from home.

Full Story

Full Fibre recently became available in my area and the very next day placed an order for the 300mbps service.

I was moving my broadband and phone service from Plusnet and was told that I had to move to digital voice (only option) but placed the order anyway.

I had a think and decided that I wanted to move my phone number to a VOIP provider (1.2p/min) instead of digital voice (20p/min and don't use it enough to bother with the £7 call package) so I cancelled my original order and placed a new order for a new full fibre install that would give me a new phone number on digital voice but I would never use it.

I expected that an engineer would arrive and install just the fibre connection and leave my copper alone. I would then arrange with Plusnet to port the phone number to VOIP and cancel the broadband once I knew the fibre was running.

Speaking with BT today I have been told that there is an issue with digital voice at my property (brownfield) so I would have to continue with a copper PSTN line alongside the fibre broadband.

For my new order this means a new copper line installed for the new phone number as well as the fibre install for broadband. This is obviously pointless as the aim of this is to not use PSTN and I would end up with 2 unused copper lines.

If I cancel my order and ask to move my broadband from Plusnet to BT including my phone number it doesn't look like I will be able to move my number to VOIP without cancelling my broadband. It was mentioned that I might be able to request a renumber then ask to migrate the old number to VOIP but there seems to be issues doing this with BT even if OpenReach provide it as a service.

I then found the Broadband only page one the BT website (https://www.bt.com/broadband/broadband-without-landline) but when I spoke with the BT sales line they seem to know nothing about it and I cannot get anyone to confirm if this will still include a new copper line even if it isn't going to be used. More importantly I cant find out if placing an order online will allow me to keep my Plusnet service untouched.

All I want is Broadband over full fibre from BT without them doing anything else.

Am I asking too much or can it be done and I am just speaking with the wrong people?

[pippincp]

Transfer your plusnet number to VoIP order FTTP with the FTTP team. 0800 587 4787

[ch]

Although not directly answering your question, I moved from Vodafone to BT FTTP with a copper phone connection (I wasn't offered digital voice on the order).

My existing broadband continued to work right up until the FTTP went live (and actually beyond). The openreach engineer said that once the FTTP was activated and the job closed, that would cease the Vodafone connection which would probably happen at midnight on my install date.

I didn't try the old FTTC connection again, but I wasn't without Internet at any stage of the install day.

[Tyfy]

If I do that then my broadband stops because Plusnet cancel the service when I port the number away.

I then have to wait until mid-late Jan before BT can install FTTP as that is the earliest date they can give.

Nearly 2 months without internet won't work for me.  

[pippincp]

Is that what plusnet have told you? Just port the number whenyou are getting the FTTP installed.

[Tyfy]

As far as I am aware the request to port the number away from Plusnet would also cancel my broadband as they don't have any form of "export and renumber" option.

Placing an order with BT has put a cancellation request in with Plusnet and I expected that my number would move across when they take over the line.

At the moment the phone number BT have against my order is not the number that I have with Plusnet so I don't know if they are able to port the number anyway. They didn't mention that when I placed the order.

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@Tyfy wrote:

At the moment the phone number BT have against my order is not the number that I have with Plusnet so I don't know if they are able to port the number anyway. They didn't mention that when I placed the order.

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If the number is owned by Plusnet, then it would normally return back to them.  Some broadband providers just provide the broadband, but still use BT for the phone service. If that is the case then a renumber should be possible, as the connection would be on the same exchange, provided of course, its a copper connection.

BT have to issue a new number, to allow the order to progress. Unless there was an option to keep your number when you placed your order, then its likely you will keep the new number.

[Tyfy]

The number was originally a BT number and moved to Plusnet when I changed providers last year so I expected it to move back when I asked BT to take over the broadband service.

However, I think I finally have the answer I was looking for after speaking again with the Full Fibre team.

There is an option for Broadband Only from BT (https://www.bt.com/broadband/broadband-without-landline) but this is only available online and not when you call them up.

What I need to do is order Broadband Only and that will leave my Plusnet service alone and will not install a new copper line / PSTN service or give me a new number but will get the fibre installed and the 300mbps internet I want.

Once installed I can then port my phone number from Plusnet to a VOIP service of my choice and this will cancel my Plusnet broadband and telephone.