Why can't I keep my number when changing to Spark?

Forums › Spark New Zealand › Why can't I keep my number when changing to Spark?

Zdogg

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Topic # 235961 11-May-2018 14:17

We moved suburbs last year and were able to keep our existing landline number with My Republic, even though we're now 50km away from the previous exchange. I was under the impression that it was because it's a VOIP line. Now I'm trying to change providers to Spark but have been told we can't keep the same number as it's on a different exchange.

I've asked them if they offer VOIP so that I can keep the same number, but I got a rather robotic reply of "since your number is on a different exchange, the system won't allow us to proceed".

Can anyone tell me why I can keep my West Auckland phone number in Rodney with My Republic, but not with Spark?

wellygary

3560 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1028

Reply # 2014079 11-May-2018 14:28

3 people support this post

Are you on Fibre or Copper,

I don't think Spark have a VOIP offering on copper based services,

I struck this last year when I moved across town with them ( from one copper service to another)

The generally accepted solution on GZ is (and what I did) to port the number to 2talk or similar and just get a naked connection from your ISP...

I've also seen roadblocks thrown up for copper customers going to Fibre being unable to take numbers also, - again the easiest work around is to port the number away...

Hopefully the closing of the Spark's copper POTS/PSTN/NEAX services will end all of this trouble....

but until then porting is probably your best solution

antoniosk

1799 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 413

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 2014091 11-May-2018 14:29

One person supports this post

I wonder if the issue is no support for direct porting from world -> Voice over Fibre, but tromboned through the NEAXES first?

________

Antonios K

Zdogg

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 2014098 11-May-2018 14:40

One person supports this post

I'm on copper until next year and it's not a massive deal if I change numbers, I just found it weird that one company can do it but another can't. And Spark's response was pretty unhelpful to say the least! Makes me question if I should go with them.

scuwp

3123 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1590

Reply # 2014100 11-May-2018 14:47

9 people support this post

People still have a home landline?

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

davidcole

4169 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 574

Trusted

Reply # 2014104 11-May-2018 14:48

One person supports this post

wellygary:

The generally accepted solution on GZ is (and what I did) to port the number to 2talk or similar and just get a naked connection from your ISP...

I did exactly this, we moved into someone elses house and took our number with us while we were waiting to buy (change of suburb), then when we bought I just moved the ATA.

Previously known as psycik

NextPVR: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix --> Samsung LA46A650D via HDMI, NextPVR,
OpenHAB: ODroid C2 eMMC Drive, OpenHAB with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave and Bluetooth LE Sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4, Roku3, HDHomeRun Dual
Windows 2012 Host (Plex Server/Crashplan): 2x2TB, 2x3TB, 1x4TB using DriveBender, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Hyper-V Server with 1xW10, 1xW2k8, 2xUbuntu 16.04 LTS, Crashplan, NextPVR channel for Plex ,NextPVR Metadata Agent and Scanner for Plex

Zdogg

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 2014105 11-May-2018 14:50

One person supports this post

scuwp:

People still have a home landline?

Yeah it's pretty last century I know!! I've been trying to persuade the wife to lose the landline for years as we never use it, but now my 10 year old's started using it heaps so I have to keep it!

backfiah

94 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 25

Reply # 2014109 11-May-2018 14:51

Zdogg:

scuwp:

People still have a home landline?

Yeah it's pretty last century I know!! I've been trying to persuade the wife to lose the landline for years as we never use it, but now my 10 year old's started using it heaps so I have to keep it!

Buy him a dumbphone!

Zdogg

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 2014119 11-May-2018 14:56

One person supports this post

backfiah:

Zdogg:

scuwp:

People still have a home landline?

Yeah it's pretty last century I know!! I've been trying to persuade the wife to lose the landline for years as we never use it, but now my 10 year old's started using it heaps so I have to keep it!

Buy him a dumbphone!

He's got one for emergencies, but if he used that to call his mates from home it'd be much more than the $10 a month the landline costs.

Plus his 3 younger brothers would then see him using the cell phone all the time and want one!

I'm pretty happy with the value for money out of the landline at the moment!

davidcole

4169 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 574

Trusted

Reply # 2014128 11-May-2018 15:07

One person supports this post

$6.90 for my 2 Talk number which I ported from spark....plus the advatange of cheap overseas calls ($0.10 to Cyprus not $1.80 on Mobile/Toll Calls)

sbiddle

27406 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6851

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

Reply # 2014160 11-May-2018 16:09

4 people support this post

My understanding is MyRepublic voice is delivered via RGW when you're using VDSL2 - ie this is a VoIP service delivered to your router and you plug your phone into it.

If you're with Spark and staying on VDSL2 voice is delivered over the old school copper network via the NEAX PSTN so you use your existing house wiring to plug the phone(s) into.

You can't move numbers between NEAX exchanges, they're tied to the exchange they originate on. Your only option with the PSTN is to get a new number at the new location and customerlink your old number ($20 per month) to forward calls from your old number to your new one.

If you want to keep your old number you will have to move to a provider who offers VoIP or port your number to a VoIP provider if you don't want to keep both with the same provider.

MyRepublic aren't doing what Spark can't do - they're merely offering you a VoIP solution whereas Spark don't do VoIP over copper broadband, only fibre.

daparrot

86 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 23

Subscriber

Reply # 2014210 11-May-2018 17:48

One person supports this post

I had a client on Spark fibre with phone running as a spark voip

They moved in Ponsonby to a new address and went to Spark 4G wireless with phone and the you have changed exchanges line was rolled out

I went nuts trying to get spark into the 21st century on this to no avail.

However due to a stuff up at sparks end we got to talk to someone in a different team and the number was moved just like that.

I think they make too much money from forwarding old numbers to new and so keep trying to retain that part of the business

Zdogg:

We moved suburbs last year and were able to keep our existing landline number with My Republic, even though we're now 50km away from the previous exchange. I was under the impression that it was because it's a VOIP line. Now I'm trying to change providers to Spark but have been told we can't keep the same number as it's on a different exchange.

I've asked them if they offer VOIP so that I can keep the same number, but I got a rather robotic reply of "since your number is on a different exchange, the system won't allow us to proceed".

Can anyone tell me why I can keep my West Auckland phone number in Rodney with My Republic, but not with Spark?

KiwiSurfer

430 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 129

Reply # 2014211 11-May-2018 17:51

2 people support this post

4G wireless is a different service. OP is obviously trying to port number to a copper line.

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
9206 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2035

Trusted

Spark

Subscriber

Reply # 2014219 11-May-2018 18:11

One person supports this post

sbiddle:
My understanding is MyRepublic voice is delivered via RGW when you're using VDSL2 - ie this is a VoIP service delivered to your router and you plug your phone into it.

If you're with Spark and staying on VDSL2 voice is delivered over the old school copper network via the NEAX PSTN so you use your existing house wiring to plug the phone(s) into.

You can't move numbers between NEAX exchanges, they're tied to the exchange they originate on. Your only option with the PSTN is to get a new number at the new location and customerlink your old number ($20 per month) to forward calls from your old number to your new one.

If you want to keep your old number you will have to move to a provider who offers VoIP or port your number to a VoIP provider if you don't want to keep both with the same provider.

MyRepublic aren't doing what Spark can't do - they're merely offering you a VoIP solution whereas Spark don't do VoIP over copper broadband, only fibre.

Exactly what's happening here.

@op ask for the possibility of customerlink on your old number.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Zdogg

5 posts

Wannabe Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 2014273 11-May-2018 19:19

sbiddle:

My understanding is MyRepublic voice is delivered via RGW when you're using VDSL2 - ie this is a VoIP service delivered to your router and you plug your phone into it.

If you're with Spark and staying on VDSL2 voice is delivered over the old school copper network via the NEAX PSTN so you use your existing house wiring to plug the phone(s) into.

You can't move numbers between NEAX exchanges, they're tied to the exchange they originate on. Your only option with the PSTN is to get a new number at the new location and customerlink your old number ($20 per month) to forward calls from your old number to your new one.

If you want to keep your old number you will have to move to a provider who offers VoIP or port your number to a VoIP provider if you don't want to keep both with the same provider.

MyRepublic aren't doing what Spark can't do - they're merely offering you a VoIP solution whereas Spark don't do VoIP over copper broadband, only fibre.

So are you saying that if I wait until fibre is available at my address, I would be able to change providers to Spark and retain my existing number using VoIP? This is the question I keep asking the customer services team but I can't get a straight answer from them!

Aucklandjafa

32 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Reply # 2015380 13-May-2018 21:44

Zdogg:
sbiddle:

My understanding is MyRepublic voice is delivered via RGW when you're using VDSL2 - ie this is a VoIP service delivered to your router and you plug your phone into it.

If you're with Spark and staying on VDSL2 voice is delivered over the old school copper network via the NEAX PSTN so you use your existing house wiring to plug the phone(s) into.

You can't move numbers between NEAX exchanges, they're tied to the exchange they originate on. Your only option with the PSTN is to get a new number at the new location and customerlink your old number ($20 per month) to forward calls from your old number to your new one.

If you want to keep your old number you will have to move to a provider who offers VoIP or port your number to a VoIP provider if you don't want to keep both with the same provider.

MyRepublic aren't doing what Spark can't do - they're merely offering you a VoIP solution whereas Spark don't do VoIP over copper broadband, only fibre.

So are you saying that if I wait until fibre is available at my address, I would be able to change providers to Spark and retain my existing number using VoIP? This is the question I keep asking the customer services team but I can't get a straight answer from them!

Unfortunately not. Spark fibre still operates like that of POTS lines off each exchange. You’d need to have a business VoIP service like IP Centrix or Voice connect (way over the top for one residential line) in order to move out of an exchange and retain your number without customer-linking it