topic Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice in Broadband & Landline

Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:45:59 GMT

I was on a Plusnet Broadband + Landline contract until June 2026 when I received notice that Plusnet were terminating their landline service and I had to move elsewhere if I wanted to keep the service. But they obviously recommended EE Broadband + Digital Voice at the same monthly cost as the Plusnet contract up to the end of the original contract period (expires end October 2026).

I opted for EE +Digital Voice and all has gone well so far. But, as the contract end date approaches, I am looking at alternatives, one of which is reverting to Plusnet (better broadband prices) coupled with an independent VoIP service such as Voipfone. This would involve porting my existing landline number to the VoIP service. EE tell me that I can only do this if I transfer my whole broadband package to someone as they cannot separate my landline and broadband services, presumably as my broadband uses my landline number as an ID for both services.

Is this correct? I was under the impression that once I was switched to FTTC the ID numbers became distinct, but maybe this is wrong.

If EE is correct however, would it be possible to switch to Plusnet when the contract expires and port the landline number to the VoIP service at that stage?

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

JimM11 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:31:01 GMT

@George112026 More a question for the PN Forum, would say yes but you need to check, although i am on a FF connection it is BB only, and landline is VOIP provided by A&A. Were you transferred and upgraded to FTTC for the PN to EE change?

Partial fibre does have to be treated with some caution especially if you wish to retain the original landline number, VF messed mine up big time and lost it after 42 years, still got a VF one new as it had to be so binned there Hub which was poor anyway, got mad but nothing i could do number was gone and NO way off getting it back ever.....

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

XRaySpeX — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:03:42 GMT

If you have EE BB + DV then the BB is not dependant on your landline no. You won't have full FTTC but a variant known as SoGEA where the Fibre BB comes into the home on a copper landline that has no voice service or no. The landline is DV with its own no. Also the landline contract is just a separate monthly add-on which you can cancel at at any time w/out affecting your BB.

Therefore you can cancel your landline at any time by porting it to a VoIP provider.

What does BT Wholesale Broadband Availability Checker estimate for your phone number? Post just the whole table and the line above it, blanking out your phone number. If it doesn't recognise your phone number or you don't have one, use the Address Checker, not the Postcode Checker.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:07:32 GMT

No, I was on FTTC/Plusnet since 2019 so the only change in June/July was the ID of the billing party, and of course the router.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

JimM11 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:33:40 GMT

@George112026 Then port your number away now to a VOIP provider, voipfone should be able to tell you what they can do and any pitfalls to watchout for, i did mine all by myself but do know what i am doing. You may want to check PN can take you back for the Broadband as BT/EE/PN are all part off the BT Group of companies. Just moved my sister away from EE the other day but for different reason, EE retentions called her with a £14 less than paying now, she did not bite and told them to get lost other reason's are in play though. Link to my updated BTW if you need to look.

Solved: Re: Broadband Renewal Process - Book Installation Slot ?? - The EE Community

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:57:13 GMT

Thanks. I had to use the address checker as it didn't recognise the phone number. Attached is a screenshot of the Table.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:17:06 GMT

@JimM11 Thanks for the reply. Interesting reading.

I called PN and they confirmed they can take me back on my original 72 D/L speed package but without landline ofc.

I will contact Voipfone as you suggested - good idea as they must come across this issue all the time.

The question in the end is what the price difference is for the BB between EE and PN (or whoever), taking into account the independent VoIP cost as well. EE retentions might have a say in this if the discount is as good as what was offered to your sister!

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

JimM11 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:22:26 GMT

@George112026 It's the VOIP at the end off the day, what you need and what you wish to use it all for, i treat it as an Emergency get out off jail and it's always there available when needed, all incoming calls are free and at a cost of £1.56/month although due to go up a little it's a no brainer.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:40:35 GMT

@JimM11 You are right ofc.

I have a few quirks in that the router is at one end of the house and the master phone base is at the other end of the house so they will have to connect via WiFi . The EE set up uses its own Wifi extender/ATA and this has worked well so far.

Going independent involves using my own range extender (a Netgear Powerline WiFi 1000) and something like a Grandstream HT801 ATA plugged into the range extender. So there is an extra capital cost and "unknown" in the set up if I declare UDI.

EE has just told me that I can get their PAYG for £3pm so it's not far off your price and slightly less than the Voipfone plan I was looking at. So it may be a toss up in the end as to where I go after contract expiry.

Thanks again for your advice.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

JimM11 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:12:56 GMT

@George112026 That's the way to look at it, be sure to not make any outgoing calls unless you do take a DV package with EE, calls at around the EE costing's off 0.36p/minute against voip at way lower. Cannot get on the EE site at present to see there call rates so from memory that one.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

XRaySpeX — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:31:15 GMT

Yes, your EE BB will correspond to the top 2 lines under "WBC SOGEA Availability".

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 22:06:15 GMT

Thanks.

So I have the SOGEA version of FTTC, ie without the PSTN line, and (as a separate add on) EE Digital Home Phone with a different number. It seems very plausible that I can port my old PSTN landline number without affecting my EE broadband service if I decided to keep it.

I will see what my possible VoIP provider has to say about it as I can't be the first to want to transfer from EE to them.

Thanks again.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

Mustrum — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:02:58 GMT

@George112026 there is a 30 day quarantine period where you can port a line to a new provider, after that the number goes back to the range holder for re-issue. Some providers are better at retrieving numbers than others. A&A are good, heard a few not so good things about Voiphone!

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

George112026 — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:43:02 GMT

@Mustrum Thanks. If I decide to port the number to an independent, whichever, I think I had better instruct the porting and get it completed before terminating the EE contract!

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

XRaySpeX — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:46:13 GMT

Yes, as it will be auto terminated when your BB contract is cancelled at the end of the 30-days notice period.

Re: Porting landline from EE FTTC service which includes Digital Voice

Mustrum — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:52:44 GMT

@George112026 you say you transferred in June 26 and that EE gave you a new number, if that is correct your old PN number will not be available to port anywhere now, or have I missed something?