Migrating to VoIP on DSL, porting the phone-line number

yuloni

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Mr. G

Eircom won't do it every time I've asked. One option is to get a virtual number (I know Vodafone do them) and swap the numbers, then port the virtual number out.

The other option is to get another line installed (Vodafoen do them for free with a contract) and port out the other line when the broadband on the other has been activated.

No easy way around it I'm afraid.

yuloni

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slegs

You could port the number and switch to Vodafone broadband only

yuloni

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slegs

My understanding is that they have to keep broadband line active. I thought the requirement of having to have a line rental with a number is gone now and that is why Vodafone are able to offer the BB only product. If that is the case then Eircom should not be allowed to kill your DSL line if you port your landline to VOIP

yuloni

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ED E

If you just want BB services you can be put on a "dummy" number that continues the dial tone but you wont be able to call anything but the test numbers.

Problem is porting out the number you want as above. AFAIK porting the number out will normally cease the existing service. So you'd need to be able to port the number out and instantly have a new number provided onto the same line so that DSL services could resume. Then you can order a move to ADSL only and get the dummy number (if you want that).

Mr. G

It's not going to work lads. The other way is to use the PSTN line for inbound and dial out through VoIP. It'll do everything but any voicemail or inbound services will go out through the landline.

Outgoing calls can be set up with the same Caller ID as the PSTN line, but you won't be porting anything.

Gigaset have handsets that support both landlines and VoIP which will allow you to call out via VoIP. Some ATAs allow you to do this also. The only issue is that if you go abroad your inbound calls don't go with the device as you haven't ported it.

I don't think Vodafone charge for new line installs. You will be in a contract and it will take 2 weeks. Porting the number once you have the broadband with the new line only takes 24 hours.

Mr. G

It's also worth noting that Vodafone allow VoIP on their DSL services. It's on their mobile broadband that they don't allow it, but I hear it still works on 3G as above.

yuloni

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slegs

yuloni wrote: »

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This is my understanding of the current unbundled services regulatory situation - Broadband can be sold separately to line rental and voice.

The thing is no service provider until Vodafone has attempted to do this because it has not been in Eircom's interest to have this split product. That is why Eircom make such a hoopla about "Bundles"

I think you can have DSL Broadband with one provider and Voice Fixed Line with another. I dont think Eircom can cancel your line if you are out of contract and you port your voice number. Its irrelevant if that port is to another Fixed Line provider or to VoIP.

I know this doesn't align with the past procedures from Eircom but from my understanding that is how things are supposed to work now.

Mr. G

slegs wrote: »

This is my understanding of the current unbundled services regulatory situation - Broadband can be sold separately to line rental and voice.

The thing is no service provider until Vodafone has attempted to do this because it has not been in Eircom's interest to have this split product. That is why Eircom make such a hoopla about "Bundles"

I think you can have DSL Broadband with one provider and Voice Fixed Line with another. I dont think Eircom can cancel your line if you are out of contract and you port your voice number. Its irrelevant if that port is to another Fixed Line provider or to VoIP.

I know this doesn't align with the past procedures from Eircom but from my understanding that is how things are supposed to work now.

Yeah, you can't port the line to VoIP if the line is unbundled. The number of the line would no longer exist for broadband purposes so you would either (most likely) fail the port request or the broadband would stop working as the line would essentially have no number (you still have a dial tone of sorts).

I think being allowed to have voice with one provider and broadband with another is a good thing.

It should be possible to port voice to Voip but keep broadband but because eircom are lazy and because ComReg are more concerned about other things, it won't happen any time soon.

Johnboy1951

Mr. G wrote: »

Yeah, you can't port the line to VoIP if the line is unbundled. The number of the line would no longer exist for broadband purposes so you would either (most likely) fail the port request or the broadband would stop working as the line would essentially have no number (you still have a dial tone of sorts).

I think being allowed to have voice with one provider and broadband with another is a good thing.

It should be possible to port voice to Voip but keep broadband but because eircom are lazy and because ComReg are more concerned about other things, it won't happen any time soon.

There is another aspect to things on the Eircom side ..... they apply a 'discount' if you take a 'bundle' and withdraw it if you split the voice & broadband.
The discount was €9.15/month (+VAT) the last time I looked.

So it was cheaper for me to take a 'bundle' with discount than to take voice (with no call package) and broadband from Eircom; even though I made no calls at all on the landline, but did receive calls on the number.

Of course any call made on that Eircom line would get hit with call set up and high per-min rates also.

slegs

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

There is another aspect to things on the Eircom side ..... they apply a 'discount' if you take a 'bundle' and withdraw it if you split the voice & broadband.
The discount was €9.15/month (+VAT) the last time I looked.

So it was cheaper for me to take a 'bundle' with discount than to take voice (with no call package) and broadband from Eircom; even though I made no calls at all on the landline, but did receive calls on the number.

Of course any call made on that Eircom line would get hit with call set up and high per-min rates also.

The reason the pricing is like this is to make it uninteresting for people to split voice from broadband (even if call rates made it worthwhile).

That said from speaking with colleagues in BT I have been told they can be sold separately now. I will get a definitive answer.

yuloni

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Mr. G

The day Accounts' payroll software stops working us the minute that is no longer an annoyance

yuloni

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tonybrowne.ie

Look for a VOIP provider who can transfer your calls to your mobile and sign up. Then port port out your number to this VOIP provider and ask them to forward temporally your calls to your mobile number. Then change your broadband provider. Once you have a new broadband, you can ask your VOIP provide to stop call forwarding and the calls will be sent to your existing handset via analogue telephone adaptor(ATA) provided by the VOIP provider.

Mr. G

tonybrowne.ie wrote: »

Look for a VOIP provider who can transfer your calls to your mobile and sign up. Then port port out your number to this VOIP provider and ask them to forward temporally your calls to your mobile number. Then change your broadband provider. Once you have a new broadband, you can ask your VOIP provide to stop call forwarding and the calls will be sent to your existing handset via analogue telephone adaptor(ATA) provided by the VOIP provider.

Blueface would be the best option here as they provide both mobile and VoIP. Their mobile plans are on a 30 day contract as far as I know. You can attach a landline number to a mobile with them, and then use VoIP down the road I think. Double check with them.

Mr. G

yuloni wrote: »

Rather bizarrely, I was considered "unpatriotic" by some of my colleagues when I moved our crazy voice/broadband spend from the Irish mammy's darling (eircom) over to "them one's across the water" (BT)!!

When the eircom bill for the remaining DSL services would land in the accounts department, they used to ask me wide eyed with delight if we had moved back to eircom... only for me to crush them once again by telling them to just process it... we would never move back to eircom!

eircom aren't even Irish. They're owned by a foreign company. You're better off, eircom are inefficient and for years has been run by lazy staff (I'm repeating myself). They have improved, but much like Meteor, they've a long way to go.

There's pluses and minuses I suppose. Eircom own the network so they are more likely to give priority to their own customers (while not supposed to).