Now Broadband after September 2023 and the switch off of analogue phone services/FTTP only areas

[chilli2]

So first of all if you have Now broadband and phone there is no need to do anything until either Now stop providing the service or sometime around end of year 2024/early 2025

 But if you want to sign up to Now Broadband and phone , from September you wont be able to sign up to the current services as service providers will no longer be able to transfer, or set up new analogue phone ( voice) services.

 Where full fibre - ie FTTP is available that will be the only option - Now do not offer FTTP

Where full fibre isnt yet available you will still be able to get internet services, but all voice traffoc must be router over the internet, on a system known as Voice Over Internet Protocl (VOIP)

 Some service providers are enabling this via a little box that plugs into an ethernet socket on a router, others are calling it digital voice and require you to use their own router and plug your phone into the ISP supplied router.

 Now currently do not offer VOIP/SIP/ or any other  " digital voice" service

So with more areas going to full fibre/fttp only, and with that the ever decreasing amount of places that can get Now Broadbnand  coupled with the forthcoming stop sell of analogue phone services,where will that leave Now Broadband ?

[RoyB]

@chilli2 

Desperately looking for a paddle?

[Jayach]

Personally I'm not sure Now broadband will continue, I suspect it may become Sky Lite, but who knows?

[redchiz1]

Personally I think that NOW will revert to being the streaming service that they started out as and let their broadband business wither on the vine. They are already redirecting people to Sky, as anybody who is in a stop sell area for Openreach will find if they use their availability checker. 

[chilli2]

One of the things i would like to see would be a bare bones FTTP product - that is Now provide the service, including the ONT install etc and the customer provides the hardware, ie the router

 In theory this should be cheaper as it should cut down on people phoning support as "the wifi doesn't reach the kitchen/bedroom/bathroom/garden shed etc "  instead any router issues would be down to the end user to sort out , or seek help from the router manufacturer .

 Likewise a simple voice /voip service , port your number to Now Talk , and Now will provide the log in details, you provide the hardware, with a few packages/"Talk boosts"  thrown in

Ie Evening/weekends, Any time, and an international boost would go down well

If that could be coupled with the ability, and flexibility  to change FTTP speeds either month by month, or week by week - with the price changing accordingly then that would be even better

Probably unlikely to happen like that, but a zero hardware solution would, in my opinion work well and help cut costs.

 What i can see happening is a version of Sky FTTP with a hand-me-down router from Sky with Voip built in

[Jayach]

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@chilli2 wrote:

What i can see happening is a version of Sky FTTP with a hand-me-down router from Sky with Voip built in

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Basically, more of the same, but on FTTP.

But they are leaving it a bit late.

[redchiz1]

No chance. 

[RoyB]

Maybe Now will just stop offering voice services from September.

Do many people still want or need a landline any more?

[redchiz1]

Yes. My 93 year old father-in-law for one.

[Jayach]

I prefer to use the landline phone when at home, but could live without it.

Most of my family still call me on the landline. I tend to leave the mobile in another room to the one I'm in, so don't always hear it, the landline rings all around the house.