sloth: Looks like I'm gonna need to get new hardware though (WAG54GP2) as my Draytek Vigor 2800G doesn't have the extra phone ports. Is that right?

grant_k:

sloth: I'm about to move from one part of ChCh to another. I've got my home phone with Telecom at the moment and would like to keep this number, take it to my new house and go straight on to NDSL/VFX. Is that possible?

Yes, this question arose a while back and it definitely is possible, but you need to follow the steps below in the correct order, or you will lose your current number "back into the pool":

1)  Sign up for VFX now before you move so you have another local ChCh number to forward calls to.

2)  Log in to the VFX portal and set up "Call Forwarding Not Reachable" to send all calls to your mobile.

3)  When you are ready to move, arrange for Telecom to change your number to a "Customer Link" number.  This will cost $20 per month and it forwards all your calls to whichever number you request -- in your case, the new VFX number you have just set up in step (1).

4)  At this point, your phone line and broadband will stop working, but any calls to your old number should be forwarded to your mobile.

5)  Arrange for Naked DSL broadband to be connected at your new house and request that the bundled VFX service uses your existing number set up in step (1).

6)  Once you have broadband, check that VFX is working.

7)  Request WxC to port your old Telecom number to VFX.

8)  Request Telecom to disconnect the Customer Link service (should already have happened as a result of step (7) but check with Telecom just in case they don't stop billing you $20 per month).

That is an updated version of the process I went through earlier this year in order to keep my existing Telecom number, move broadband to another line and finally port my old Telecom number to VFX.  There was the odd hitch with the porting process, but I was one of the first customers in NZ to port my landline, so I expect everything should work smoothly now.  In my case, it took around 4 hours for the porting process to be completed which I thought was not actually too bad

coffeebaron: A possible snag with this along the way is a temporary ADSL outage. I think your ADSL connection is tied to the main phone number, which is effectively being replaced, thus collapsing your ADSL service, that will then get reprovisioned against the new "main" phone number.

grant_k:

coffeebaron: A possible snag with this along the way is a temporary ADSL outage. I think your ADSL connection is tied to the main phone number, which is effectively being replaced, thus collapsing your ADSL service, that will then get reprovisioned against the new "main" phone number.

Yes, I went through this process as well, and it was a bad idea.

Our office was without broadband for 9 days after Telecom de-provisioned the original number, connected the new number as a voice-only line, and then we had to go back in the queue for provisioning on our new number     

It caused me a lot of grief, which is why I have recommended leaving the broadband connection as it is until Sloth is ready to make the move.

coffeebaron: Of course, there is an easier way if you are waiting til you move. Just port your number straight to VFX at the time of moving, no need for a customer link number, and at the same time it will collapse and terminate your existing phone line.

adventdesigns: ...I am moving houses on the 17th and want to jump straight to VFX+ndsl so I don't have to pay to have a landline connected that I will only have disconnected very quickly. I plan to keep my landline number from my current place also.

adventdesigns: 1. Sign up for a standard VFX account (I don't have a device atm but am buying one when I move in, is that a problem?).
2. Change my number to Customer Link

adventdesigns: However this all means I have to wait until ndsl is avalible, which I hope isn't as late as jan..? I don't really wan't to go without internet not knowing how long I'm going to actually wait to have my ndsl connected.

adventdesigns: Lets hope I can get ndsl soon or I might end up staying with the old fassion phone line :(

At least you won't have to pay an unnecessary connection fee