BT Callsign or Virtual Number

[spiderman]

Hi All.


Has anyone been faced with this situation before?


We are a small two person business downsizing and relocating our office from our current business premises to one of our homes. We need to maintain our business telephone number and are trying to work out the best cost effective solution.


We've looked into adding the number to one of our residential lines with BT Callsign and though BT say they can do this, they claim they cannot guarantee porting our current number, which of course is not reassuring.


We've also looked into having a 'virtual' line, but the companies we have discussed this with so far, have stated they cannot port our number.


If anyone has been faced with this predicament and found a solution, we'd be grateful if you could share this with us...

 

[the locksmith]

Have you spoken to www.voipfone.co.uk ? He's a member on here "CJD".


Had something of a similar situation and have ported my BT Business line over to them.
All went pretty smoothly and the nice bit is.... a hell of a lot cheaper than BT !

 

[Focused Comms]

Spiderman

Yes your right no body can guarantee your number porting there is reason for this to do with the exchange that the number is currently running from.

We provide 08 numbers and 01 number these numbers can be diverted to any other number mobile or landline.

if you would like some more info on this please PM me your contact details and i will give you a call

Thanks

Gavin

 

[cjd]

Spiderman

Yes your right no body can guarantee your number porting there is reason for this to do with the exchange that the number is currently running from.

That's not true actually.

BT can't move his number because their numbers are physically attached to his local telephone exchange and he can't keep the number if he moves out of its catchment area.

With VoIP the numbers can be moved anywhere. We can port any BT number to anywhere.

Info here:

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/PB_Porting_Numbers.php

 

[stugster]

Yes your right no body can guarantee your number porting there is reason for this to do with the exchange that the number is currently running from.

We provide 08 numbers and 01 number these numbers can be diverted to any other number mobile or landline.

What this looks like to me is that you've given the poor guy the wrong information purely to try and sell him an 08 or 01 number that he doesn't really need.


My advice would be go just port your number to Voipfone (cjd) and bobs your teapot

 

[NetwiseHosting]

That's not true actually.

BT can't move his number because their numbers are physically attached to his local telephone exchange and he can't keep the number if he moves out of its catchment area.

With VoIP the numbers can be moved anywhere. We can port any BT number to anywhere.

Info here:

http://www.voipfone.co.uk/PB_Porting_Numbers.php

Hello mate,

Well you learn something everyday! I never knew you could port PSTN numbers from BT to a VoIP service - may I ask how this is performed? Does the number leave the local exchange and become property of VoIPPhone for example?
Kind regards,

Matthew

 

[spiderman]

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. For information our homes are connected to the same exchange as our office, so you would think the transfer would be simple?
I obviously need to consider all options to evaluate which is best suited for our business. Has anyone experienced Callsign? - I have read a couple of horrific tales of numbers lost by BT...
I'll be in contact with CJD and any other recommended companies to discuss it further...
Thanks again - impressed with the forum, hopefully I may be able to contribute information for others in the near future. Spiderman

 

[cjd]

Hello mate,

Well you learn something everyday! I never knew you could port PSTN numbers from BT to a VoIP service - may I ask how this is performed? Does the number leave the local exchange and become property of VoIPPhone for example?

Matthew

All numbers are actually owned by Ofcom but are allocated to various telcos. The numbers themselves are held in databases and given routing instructions in software (it used to be mechanical, clockwork of course.)

So if the number is ported from BT to us, BT simply labels it as ours - and vice versa - nothing physically changes except the routing of the call.

 

[cjd]

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. For information our homes are connected to the same exchange as our office, so you would think the transfer would be simple?

Yes, it's simple and done very day by BT. That doesn't mean it will be cheap, quick and easy

 

[stugster]

BT will still do a cease and re-provide even if they just have to select a drop-down on their system to move it across. By calling it something really cool and technical, they can take 7 days (if you're LUCKY!)

 

[DotNetWebs]

Have you spoken to www.voipfone.co.uk ? He's a member on here "CJD".


Had something of a similar situation and have ported my BT Business line over to them.
All went pretty smoothly and the nice bit is.... a hell of a lot cheaper than BT !

Ditto

I was previously using a Callsign number as a business number and ported it Voipfone.

Would highly recommend Voipfone over Callsign.

Regards

Dotty

 

[Ian-M]

A minor issue with CallSign is that it is supposed to make a different ring tone so you can identify which number has been dialled, but this does not always work with a cordless phone. Something to bear in mind when cosidering your options.

If you ported the number to a Voip provider it should give you far more flexibility. As an example, as you are both working from home you could make an incoming call ring in both your homes so either of you could answer, but if not answered the call can seamlessly overflow to a telephone answering service. It would give callers the impression you still have an office.

Ian

 

[KeithDrop]

That's not true actually.

BT can't move his number because their numbers are physically attached to his local telephone exchange and he can't keep the number if he moves out of its catchment area.

With VoIP the numbers can be moved anywhere. We can port any BT number to anywhere.

Info here:

Hi cjd,

When you say any number do you include ISDN30 main numbers or DDI ranges within? Not really looking at porting number at the moment, more downsizing from ISDN to PSTN but would like to keep same number, BT advise this is not possible.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

KD

 

[cjd]

When you say any number do you include ISDN30 main numbers or DDI ranges within? Not really looking at porting number at the moment, more downsizing from ISDN to PSTN but would like to keep same number, BT advise this is not possible.

You can't move ANY non-VoIP BT geographic number beyond it's own area code I'm afraid.

The only way to move say, a Brighton number to a Manchester office is to port it to a VoIP system.

But you can dump an ISDN number and use it on an ordinary PSTN line so long as you stay in area - that sounds more like what you want to do (unless you're moving office too?)

 

[KeithDrop]

Yes, in effect that's what we want to do, we have moved the main office functions out of the area but want to retain the existing numbers (within area) but not pay the rental associated with ISDN30 as this is overkill for what is required now.

What complicates the situation is that some of the numbers that have been publicised are in the middle of DDI ranges that are associated with the main ISDN number. From what BT have said they "may" be willing to convert the main number from ISDN to PSTN but not take DDI numbers from within their ranges and convert them.

Thanks for you quick response.

 

[cjd]

I'd be tempted to tell them that you don't appreciate being held to ransom paying for services that you no longer need just because BT is 'unwilling' to release the number you have owned with them for x years.

Tell them that if they can't accommodate you, you'll be forced to port ALL your BT numbers to a modern VoIP system (which will cost you a massive one off £20 per number or £100 for 5+ numbers, do more for you and cost much less per month anyway) and then they'll lose ALL your business.

(BT still rely on anti-competitive practices to exist at all.)

 

[KeithDrop]

Ok, thanks for that - sounds like it can be done and time to get more heavy handed now.

Will look at VoIP at some point but at the moment business has just gone through a lot of change and need some time settling down

Thanks again.

 

[smo]

Well after reading this thread on porting i have moved across our old redirected number from BT to Voipfone - saving me £123+VAT per year instantly

 

[mechmech]

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