Last Updated on September 24, 2023 by Tim FitzGerald
There are several options for getting VOIP phone service in preparation for the shutdown of the PSTN phone system in the UK.
There are options because the mobile phone market is well developed and there are numerous packages that include unlimited and cheap phone calls to both landlines and mobiles.
At this time (Apr 2022) the VOIP marketplace has not developed in the same way; I expect it will. develop and more players will enter the market with innovative pricing.
Users may wish to retain their landline number, even if they have a mobile phone.
The term ‘landline’ refers to having a phone number with 01 or 02 prefixes. These options are for outgoing calls to the UK only. If you need packages for calling abroad then you may wish to seek further advice for the cheapest options.
Let us consider 4 options:
- Have no landline phone and rely on mobile phones
- Have landline for incoming calls only – rely on mobile phones for out-going calls
- Have landline for calls to landlines – rely on mobiles for calls to mobiles
- Have landline for both incoming and out-going to both mobiles and landlines
Rely solely on mobiles
If you are prepared to discontinue your landline number then this is perhaps the easiest option. Seek out the best network provider that enables you to get good phone coverage in the places you use your phone. Home and work are two such places. Obtain a SIM which offers unlimited outgoing calls. This should cost about £6.00 per month. If you require to have a significant amount of data then that will cost extra.
Cost £6.00 per month
Rely on mobiles for all outgoing calls
This option is really for those who wish to retain their old 01 or 02 prefixed number for incoming calls from friends, family and business. Obtain a SIM as above for mobile calls. For VOIP service sign up with Sipgate for their basic VOIP service. Sipgate basic is free for incoming calls but costs for outgoing calls. Note that calls to mobiles cost £0.10 per minute – a one-hour chat will cost £6.00 which is as much as it costs for unlimited calls on a mobile SIM.
Cost £6.00 per month
Rely on mobiles for calls to mobiles and landline for landline calls
Sipgate offers an unlimited landline calls package for £10.00 per month. You will need to be careful not to make calls to mobiles on the landline as these will cost £10.00 per minute.
The total cost is something like £16.00 per month
Have both landline and mobile with unlimited calls
Vonage offers call packages with unlimited calls to landline and options for unlimited calls to mobiles. The combined cost for unlimited landline and mobile calls is about £13.00 monthly with one-time setup costs of £15.00.
So for unlimited landline and unlimited mobiles that is £19.00 per month
Porting your existing number to a VOIP provider
It is possible to transfer your existing phone number to a VOIP provider. However, the process is far from easy and will incur some costs. Care needs to be taken to time the porting of the number to the VOIP provider because the process may cause the existing phone line (phone and broadband) to be terminated. Phone companies need to refine their processes for number porting so that existing lines are not ceased inadvertently.
If moving from ADSL/VDSL to fibre to the home (FTTH) service then the timing is best left until the FTTH service is running, the VOIP service is running and the ADSL/VDSL service is no longer needed and can be ceased.
If going to VOIP and retaining the ADSL/VDSL line then great care is needed.
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