Hi Terry, Depending on the provider, you should be able to port the number across.
I know AAISP (https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/) will allow you to keep your old number. Their support team is also fairly active on IRC or on the phone if you wish to discuss with them. Most other phone providers will give you the same options, it just depends on how much flexibility you want. Thanks, Rhys. ________________________________ From: dorset <[email protected]> on behalf of Terry Coles <[email protected]> Sent: 28 July 2025 14:13:24 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Digital Phone Lines (Follow-up) Rhys, I think you may have misunderstood the reason why we are anxious to retain the landline functionality; to retain the old landline number, eg 01202 ******. Unlike me, my wife has given the number to hospitals, doctors etc and the kids and others still use the landline number to contact us probably because they know that the phone will ring all over the house and not fail to connect owing to a mobile having a flat battery. I am aware that ANY VOIP phone will fulfil the above requirements, apart from retaining the landline number. I'm not convinced that any of the solutions that you suggest address that wish. On 28/07/2025 12:48, Rhys Woolcott wrote: > It might be worth looking into Asterisk on a Pi if > > you're interested in continuing use of the landline. The problem is that the old POTS landline is no longer available to the house. When the new contract was set up, Plusnet would only provide a continued landline if it was connected to an emergency device, eg a panic alarm. EE, which I was railroaded into going to, allowed us to retain the landline number, but only as a Digital Phone Line (eg, VOIP with the old BT number). > > An ATA should allow you to use the old phone if that's of interest too. The adapter provided by EE is an ATA, with the BT number. Off-the-shelf adapters don't do that. > > If you'd rather use a desktop phone without an adapter, I think I have > > some older Cisco phones you're free to have, they just need a PoE switch. Again the BT phone number is the problem. > For cordless, there are plenty of options out there you can buy new or used. We already use cordless; four handsets with the base unit plugged into the new adapter. Everyone will have to make this switch within the next two years; to a pseudo landline with the old number, to VOIP without the old number, or simply to fall back on mobiles. -- Terry Coles -- Next meeting: Online, Jitsi, Tuesday, 2025-08-05 20:00 Check to whom you are replying Meetings, mailing list, IRC, ... https://dorset.lug.org.uk New thread, don't hijack: mailto:[email protected] -- Next meeting: Online, Jitsi, Tuesday, 2025-08-05 20:00 Check to whom you are replying Meetings, mailing list, IRC, ... https://dorset.lug.org.uk New thread, don't hijack: mailto:[email protected]
