Moving to Fibre and Loosing Copper Landline, who are the best VOIP providers in NZ and can I move my current phone number.

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Moving to Fibre and Loosing Copper Landline, who are the best VOIP providers in NZ and can I move my current phone number.

DeepBlueSky

547 posts

Ultimate Geek

#258707 16-Oct-2019 17:31

I'm looking to move to Stuff for my Fibre connection but in doing so I'll lose my copper phone line. I would like to understand the best providers for VOIP as the last time I tried this several years ago using Orcon the over ADSL it wasn't a great experience.

Will providers supply a box to enable using old analogue phones so we can still receive audible ringtones.

I'm okay losing the landline but my better half has relatives living overseas so its still kind of needed for us.

And what is the process do I call the VOIP provider when I pull the pin on moving to Fibre so I can retain the original phone number, I'm guessing timing is everything.

Any learnings from you guys is really appreciated, if you have gone through this.

Linux

11435 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2338322 16-Oct-2019 17:35

ISP provided VoIP is world class these days why not go with 2degrees for broadband and home line?

SirHumphreyAppleby

2851 posts

Uber Geek

#2338324 16-Oct-2019 17:38

There have been several threads discussing VoIP providers recently, a search will bring up lots of relevant information.

If you're using an ISP-provided solution, they typically require the use of their own hardware. Providers with more of a VoIP focus (2talk, Hero etc.) allow you to use your own hardware and typically don't provide anything other than the basic information you need to get your own equipment connected. Yes, you can port your number to them - do this before you disconnect the analogue service.

dklong

167 posts

Master Geek

#2338363 16-Oct-2019 18:40

If you want to keep all your old analogue phones going then it's probably easier just to go with a Fibre + Landline solution. We have that with Spark and, because I had a phone jack near where the ONT and router were installed, all I had to do to get my old phones going again was to connect the phone port on the ONT to the nearby phone outlet with an RJ11-BT cable (like we used to use on modems). After that the old phones just worked like they used to on copper. Did also need to disconnect the output from the VDSL splitter so that there wasn't a disconnected beep on the line! :-)

Just a thought!

hio77

12999 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

#2338365 16-Oct-2019 18:45

dklong:

If you want to keep all your old analogue phones going then it's probably easier just to go with a Fibre + Landline solution. We have that with Spark and, because I had a phone jack near where the ONT and router were installed, all I had to do to get my old phones going again was to connect the phone port on the ONT to the nearby phone outlet with an RJ11-BT cable (like we used to use on modems). After that the old phones just worked like they used to on copper.

Just a thought!

We recommend you do this using Integrated wiring rather than like that.

the key step to remember if you DYI it like this, is to disconnect from the street. Otherwise you will get weird faults like double dialtones and voice issues from the cabinet.

#include <std_disclaimer>

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

K8Toledo

1014 posts

Uber Geek

#2338366 16-Oct-2019 18:46

DeepBlueSky:

I'm looking to move to Stuff for my Fibre connection but in doing so I'll lose my copper phone line. I would like to understand the best providers for VOIP as the last time I tried this several years ago using Orcon the over ADSL it wasn't a great experience

You won't lose copper unless Stuff send someone over with a shovel to dig up the lead in. :P It might be disconnected though :)

Once Fibre is installed there's no point keeping copper connected because you'll be using one service (Fibre) but paying for two (Fibre & Copper).

Your analogue phone should plug into the router (assuming ISP supplied router??). VoIP over ADSL might have suffered from bandwidth/latency issues not present with Fibre.

SirHumphreyAppleby

2851 posts

Uber Geek

#2338369 16-Oct-2019 18:55

dklong:

...I had to do to get my old phones going again was to connect the phone port on the ONT to the nearby phone outlet with an RJ11-BT cable

Keep in mind not all providers support voice on the ONT, so this may requiring connecting to the router or an analogue telephone adaptor (ATA).

Just because your phone has always been near an existing analogue connection doesn't mean it needs to stay there. I wouldn't buy an ATA today. Grandstream, Yealink, Siemens, Panasonic and probably others all sell DECT phones in NZ with a VoIP-connected base station. Connect that to your LAN and install handsets around the house as required.

DeepBlueSky

547 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2340682 19-Oct-2019 17:48

Thank you guys,
Sorry for the late reply, been head down with life happenings.

Thanks guys this has saved me a lot of time and I guess some grief.

Okay getting Stuff 200 / 20

For VOIP I'm still debating getting Stuff landline option for receiving calls initially then migrating to the likes of 2Talk once the fibre is setup, just dont want to have an issue in the migration from my current ISP and keeping my current number.