Advice on steps for getting rid of LandLine

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Advice on steps for getting rid of LandLine

jamesrt

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#223134 14-Sep-2017 11:43

Hi experts,

I'm considering changing my Orcon plan (currently UFB100+Homeline) to just UFB100, i.e. dropping the Homeline.

We rarely use it, and almost all incoming calls seem to be "Microsoft Support" or similar things.

However, rather than just setting my current "04" number adrift, I'm considering porting it to a VoIP provider (2-Talk, perhaps?), and configuring things so that anyone ringing that number will go straight to "voicemail", and having the voicemail recordings emailed to us.

I'm want to check that if I was to do this, I'd be doing things in the "right" order - I think it'll be something like this:

1. Get a 2Talk "free" account

2. Port my existing 04- number (will cause a one-off charge, and a small monthly charge)

3. Once port is complete, do the Orcon plan change and stop paying for a "+Homeline" I'm not going to be using.

My concern is that Step 2 may cause Orcon to do something unfortunate to my existing UFB-based connection. It shouldn't as far as I know, but I've heard horror stories...

Thoughts and/or advice?

Ta!

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1865167 14-Sep-2017 11:46

Don't know if you need to change provider to do that... just change your settings on the existing line

Porting away may cause the entire service to be cancelled, so it's a bit complicated, because if you cancel first, then you can't port out the number anymore.

I would suggest if you want to ditch the landline, just ditch the landline.

robfish

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#1865169 14-Sep-2017 11:48

This might help....

https://www.2talk.com/porting.html

Rob

kiwicam

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#1865173 14-Sep-2017 11:53

You will need to have a paid 2Talk account for this - I've got mine setup the same. The free accounts only have a 2Talk 02xxxxxxxx number.

I pay ~$11 a month for a 2Talk 10 account in order to have my 04 number there. I changed this about 6 months ago and since then I've received 3 phone calls, two of them were me calling home. I think I'll just drop the homeline soon.

robfish

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#1865184 14-Sep-2017 12:10

We do use our 2Talk number because we make a lot of "National" calls.

It is way cheaper than VOIP with your ISP and is "portable" i.e. plug it in almost anywhere onto any ISP.

Rob

jamesrt

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#1865189 14-Sep-2017 12:17

ubergeeknz: Don't know if you need to change provider to do that... just change your settings on the existing line

Porting away may cause the entire service to be cancelled, so it's a bit complicated, because if you cancel first, then you can't port out the number anymore.

I would suggest if you want to ditch the landline, just ditch the landline.

Thanks for the feedback. Some responses:

A) I'm Unaware of any facility in Orcon that will email out voicemail messages; is there one?

B) "Porting away may cause..."; Yep, that's what I want to check. I doubt it, as it's a UFB connection and not VDSL, no there isn't actually a "phoneline" as such, but one never knows....

C) "if you want to ditch" - yes, but I also want to ensure that the elderly parents can still get hold us should they forget to call the cellphone - many years ingrained behaviour is hard to modify.

Its a balance between wanting to save a little monthly $ vs keeping contactable.

jamesrt

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#1865190 14-Sep-2017 12:21

caminham: You will need to have a paid 2Talk account for this - I've got mine setup the same. The free accounts only have a 2Talk 02xxxxxxxx number.

I pay ~$11 a month for a 2Talk 10 account in order to have my 04 number there. I changed this about 6 months ago and since then I've received 3 phone calls, two of them were me calling home. I think I'll just drop the homeline soon.

I've seen suggestions that you can pay a approx. $7/month charge additional to the "free" account to have 1 local number. The actual porting fee will be additional, of course, but a once-off. Can't see that listed on 2Talk's website now; but my understanding is that is still a valid combo.

As I don't intend to have a device connected most of the time, and won't be dialling out, I don't need to pay for monthly minutes I'll never use. (See comment about "saving a little money" above; and yes, it'll be a "little" per month, but potentially $150/per annum; worth doing for that.)

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kiwicam

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#1865192 14-Sep-2017 12:23

jamesrt:

I've seen suggestions that you can pay a approx. $7/month charge additional to the "free" account to have 1 local number. The actual porting fee will be additional, of course, but a once-off. Can't see that listed on 2Talk's website now; but my understanding is that is still a valid combo.

As I don't intend to have a device connected most of the time, and won't be dialling out, I don't need to pay for monthly minutes I'll never use. (See comment about "saving a little money" above; and yes, it'll be a "little" per month, but potentially $150/per annum; worth doing for that.)

Sounds like you've done more research than I did then. I'm off to investigate that option myself now - thanks!

jonathan18

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#1865214 14-Sep-2017 12:29

caminham:

You will need to have a paid 2Talk account for this - I've got mine setup the same. The free accounts only have a 2Talk 02xxxxxxxx number.

I pay ~$11 a month for a 2Talk 10 account in order to have my 04 number there. I changed this about 6 months ago and since then I've received 3 phone calls, two of them were me calling home. I think I'll just drop the homeline soon.

My 2Talk account is $6.99, which is for my original ported phone number - not a big price to put on retaining an existing home phone, even if it's just to enable the mothers to call!

frankv

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#1865215 14-Sep-2017 12:29

jamesrt:

2. Port my existing 04- number (will cause a one-off charge, and a small monthly charge)

My concern is that Step 2 may cause Orcon to do something unfortunate to my existing UFB-based connection. It shouldn't as far as I know, but I've heard horror stories...

I fell foul of this with Spark. The people at Orcon said it wouldn't have happened with them.

dolsen

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#1865248 14-Sep-2017 13:38

jamesrt:

I've seen suggestions that you can pay a approx. $7/month charge additional to the "free" account to have 1 local number. The actual porting fee will be additional, of course, but a once-off. Can't see that listed on 2Talk's website now; but my understanding is that is still a valid combo.

As I don't intend to have a device connected most of the time, and won't be dialling out, I don't need to pay for monthly minutes I'll never use. (See comment about "saving a little money" above; and yes, it'll be a "little" per month, but potentially $150/per annum; worth doing for that.)

Yes, that's right. Have a 2talk free number and then port the new number to it. Then, $6 / month + GST instead of $10.

https://www.2talk.co.nz/voice.html?p=home

Cloud PBX Numbers
Cost: $6 + GST/mth
Cloud PBX numbers include all features, add 2000 local minutes to your account and increase your account channels by 1.
The numbers included with your monthly calling plan can be Cloud PBX numbers or New Zealand Toll Free numbers

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1865251 14-Sep-2017 13:48

jamesrt:

A) I'm Unaware of any facility in Orcon that will email out voicemail messages; is there one?

Ping me with your account# if you like I can set this up, assuming you have voicemail on your line.

B) "Porting away may cause..."; Yep, that's what I want to check. I doubt it, as it's a UFB connection and not VDSL, no there isn't actually a "phoneline" as such, but one never knows....

Let me check on this one. Maybe it is OK now Orcon offer Naked UFB.