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DeadPixel
Mentor

Broadband & Phone Line from different providers

Folks,

At my current address I have a BT phone line and a standard broadband service (ADSL2 - not Fibre) from another provider which have happily co-existed for many, many years. I am now planning to move to a new address and take my BT phone line (and associated services / call packages) with me and after reviewing the various Broadband services available at my new address I am considering moving to NOW Broadband (SUPER Fibre) and discontinuing my old ADSL2 broadband, but the broadband landscape has changed massively since I first signed up for my current service so I have a question:

Is it possible for NOW Broadband to co-exist with a landline package from BT - I want to keep my existing number AND landline services from BT - I don't want to simply port my existing number from BT into NOW Broadband unless absolutely necessary.

I've come across similar questions in the past about this, so I have an idea what the possible answer might be, but thought it might be worth asking just in case the situation has changed since then.

Thanks!

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
redchiz1
Champion 2

Simple answer: no. You'll need to switch the lot. In fact I cannot think of any provider who will let you proceed in the way you wish. 

Just to add though, you should be able to keep your existing phone number. 

View solution in original post

10 REPLIES 10
redchiz1
Champion 2

Simple answer: no. You'll need to switch the lot. In fact I cannot think of any provider who will let you proceed in the way you wish. 

Just to add though, you should be able to keep your existing phone number. 

DeadPixel
Mentor

Thanks for that - yeah, thats what I had suspected. As for keeping the existing number, yeah, the address I'm moving to is within the same exchange area as my current address so there should hopefully be no issues there, whatever I decide to do in the end.

Jayach
Elite 3

If you wish to keep your phone service with BT, you will need to take broadband from them as well. However it will probably go over to a VoIP service rather than PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). Now are one of the few still using the PSTN.

Is your new property in an FTTP area?

DeadPixel
Mentor

According to the BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker it would seem the answer is Yes:

Our records show the following FTTP network service information for these premises:-Single Dwelling Unit Residential UG Feed with no anticipated issues.

  • FTTP is available and a new ONT may be ordered.
  • The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme
  • WLR is currently available at the exchange
  • SOADSL is restricted at the exchange

Yeah - my current 'no frills' broadband is very much a legacy ADSL2 product that would likely have been phased out in years to come anyway. FTTC/FTTP is obviously the future, I guess I wasn't expecting that I'd be tied to the same provider for both calls and broadband - given that right now I'm not. I suppose there is nothing stopping me getting a second line installed at my new address - having my regular telephony features on one line and my 'broadband only' package on the other - but that wouldn't really make economical sense given that I'd be paying line rental for two lines (and NOW doesn't offer a broadband only package as far as I can see, so I'd get an extra phone number whether I need it or not) - it'd just be cheaper to get everything from the same provider on one line. The slight fly in the ointment is that I'm currently on the BT Home Phone Saver plan from BT - which includes line rental, free anytime calls and a number of other bundled features for a fixed monthly cost - unfortunately it looks like the costs and features of the phone services offered by the broadband providers are not quite as comprehensive/customisable as what I have now. Even if I stuck with BT for my broadband as well as my phone, it turns out that the BT Home Saver Plan isn't compatible with their current broadband products - you just can't win!

FYI - my current legacy ADSL2 provider is plus.net

redchiz1
Champion 2

There is no such thing as line rental these days, it is all included in the cost of the broadband service. As far as NOW is concerned they offer unlimited calls packages also, it is worth trying to negotiate that if you choose to sign up, although that would likely require calling them by phone, rather than an online order. 

DeadPixel
Mentor

Yeah - looks like I might have a few calls to make to the various parties involved and decide what to do next - in any event, it looks like I'll need to compromise somewhere as it doesn't look like I can do what I had originally hoped.

It's been 15+ years since I last had to sort any of this stuff out, clearly much has changed and there are much better BB packages out there than what I'm currently on, I guess it just caught me unawares that if you have a single line and want both broadband and telephony services you now need to get them from the same provider. So, lets say I ended up going with Provider X for my combined telephony and broadband services and at some point down the line, either I have issues with Provider X's broadband service, or Provider Y is offering the same or better BB package for less money, I now also have to switch away from Provider X's telephony service - which may have been perfectly fine - to Provider Y's telephony service - which may or may not be equivalent and may or may not cost the same. In one way we're getting more choice, but in another way less if you see what I mean...

Jayach
Elite 3

@DeadPixel wrote:

Yeah - my current 'no frills' broadband is very much a legacy ADSL2 product that would likely have been phased out in years to come anyway. FTTC/FTTP is obviously the future


Just to correct you there, FTTC is just as near extinct as ADSL, the future is FTTP.

As you are moving to an area where FTTP is available the only large ISP to likely use FTTC is Now, most of the others will require you to use FTTP. (simply because Now doesn't have any FTTP offering)

Ofcom/Openreach are pressuring ISPs to use FTTP on all new connections, it's only already existing (i.e. re-contacting, not taking out a new contract) that will continue to use FTTC.

Jayach
Elite 3

@DeadPixel wrote:

The slight fly in the ointment is that I'm currently on the BT Home Phone Saver plan from BT - which includes line rental, free anytime calls and a number of other bundled features for a fixed monthly cost


If you are on any some benefit's there are social tariffs available, but not all ISPs supply them.

Social tariffs: Cheaper broadband and phone packages - Ofcom

DeadPixel
Mentor

Thanks@redchiz1 , @Jayach for your input thus far - has been very useful - much appreciated. 👍