Alternatives to BT Digital Voice retaining original telephone number?

[licquorice]

What is the reason for requiring a static IP address, could you not use a dynamic DNS service? Also with FTTP being more stable than copper, the dynamic address is less likely to change.

[GlynH]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Dave.

Based upon my tele-con with BT earlier where BT Business are unable to port my existing telephone number from BT Residential can it really be the case that I can port my number of 50+ years to a 3rd party VoIP Provider?

I'd much prefer to do that as that way;

1. I get to retain my existing telephone number

2. It gets me away from being tied into proprietary BT DV and so hopefully I could use my existing VoIP router to give me my telephone service.

If that is indeed the case where do I sign up? Take my money! 😃

Thanks & kind regards,

-=Glyn=-

[GlynH]

Hello again Licquorice,

Well I host a couple of websites, have my own email and FTP Servers, use VPN's for myself and half-a-dozen friends and need remote access for cameras, home automation, alarm, feed four virtual radar providers etc. etc.

I've played around with Dynamic DDNS services over the years which have never worked as promised and revisited it again using the service built into my router using the manufacturers own DDNS service although it took a day to settle down and work of a fashion.

Wanting to ensure it does indeed follow my dynamic IP address around I reset the router where it promptly picked up a different IP address.

That was 3 days ago and the DDNS is still hanging onto the previous IP address even though I have manually refreshed my online account so for me it is still useless.

Its a big enough job going through all the configs on all devices to change the details so I really only want to do it once.

-=Glyn=-

[Devon_Dave]

@GlynH  I successfully ported 2 business lines a few years back for a plumber friend who wanted a couple of "local" phone numbers.

I used the company sipgate (other voip providers available) , within their dashboard I then set up a divert to his mobile although I did test them with a linksys ATA which gave me a dial tone that I fed into my phone system at home.

It works as a pay as you go which as long as you don't make outgoing calls should last for ever. I had to credit the account with, £10.

Can't remember how much the number porting was, but I know was not loads. 

[coog]

Sadly with Fibre and Digital voice with BT things are not ideal

I would have liked a small box from BT that does the DV stuff which I can then plug in my own router to do all the good things a decent router does compared to the BT router

Unfortunately the options are limited it seems
BT router for DV. Then plug in your own router to BTs and configure things to work as best possible which is a poor hack but will still get you back some decent functionality. There is a long thread somewhere on this forum which gives some hints how to set up

A second option is to just get the broadband from BT and use own router and get a VOIP provider - port over existing number
There does not appear to be any home user friendly providers yet and its a bit of a faff to get VOIP sorted is seems as they are very business orientated
The VOIP industry is missing a trick at the moment by not providing and easy home user setup with similar cost and one stop setup like the BT DV phone system

Other providers such as Zen do a one stop phone and broadband service like BT but give you a FRITZ!Box router which has a lot more functionality that BTs router as well as a fixed ip address. They will pick up your existing number as well

[SRB]

We've had a home VoIP line since BT announced dropping Broadband Talk, this has worked flawlessly since first set up in 2010. Generally it's just a matter of entering your username, password and the providers gateway and off you go. Stand alone VoIP Phones which just plug into your network or interface boxes which plug into your existing wiring are out there. Number porting can be a bit trickier as you have to do it BEFORE the existing line is ceased.