Peter wrote:

> It looks like when I asked Voda for the VOIP credentials today, they
> changed the PPPOE login credentials!

Had a similar issue a few years back, when dad phoned plusnet (I think
regarding his email password) they changed it without letting him know
it would also change his FTTC password, so chopping him off from the
internet, of course they left me to sort that little problem out for him ...

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

>Peter wrote:
>
>> It looks like when I asked Voda for the VOIP credentials today, they
>> changed the PPPOE login credentials!
>
>Had a similar issue a few years back, when dad phoned plusnet (I think
>regarding his email password) they changed it without letting him know
>it would also change his FTTC password, so chopping him off from the
>internet, of course they left me to sort that little problem out for him ...

Back on the phone with Voda again this morning. 1st bloke could barely
speak English, so I hung up and called again (the usual procedure;
with Voda one used to get an English call centre eventually but not
any more). 2nd one said he can't find a fault.

3rd call got me a woman!! So, hope, finally. She found the problem -
exactly what I thought. Apparently the porting request didn't actually
get cancelled so Voda pulled a plug on the whole thing. They are now
trying to re-create the whole order. So I will probably get all new
login credentials and new "fixed" IP so have to reconfig everything
yet again. Completely disorganised.

On the phone since 9am, and it is now 11:50.

Peter <occassionally-confused@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
> 3rd call got me a woman!! So, hope, finally. She found the problem -
> exactly what I thought. Apparently the porting request didn't actually
> get cancelled so Voda pulled a plug on the whole thing. They are now
> trying to re-create the whole order. So I will probably get all new
> login credentials and new "fixed" IP so have to reconfig everything
> yet again. Completely disorganised.

That sounds similar to the problem I've been dealing with. Customer
requested ADSL+PSTN port to VF, VF were a confusing mess about moving to
FTTC+VOIP and keeping the number. Customer cancelled the port and decided
to move to BT. Every time an order went in to BT it was cancelled within 24
hours. Seems that VF caused 'pending cease' on the line and this blocked
any attempts to port elsewhere. Of course VF customer services deny they
did such a thing.

Had to wait 6 weeks for the 'pending cease' to timeout and the BT port
has now been accepted on the 6th attempt.

Theo

Peter wrote:

> the usual procedure; with Voda one used to get an English call centre
> eventually but not any more

Calling a welsh-language support number used to be a way to avoid
getting off-shored with some companies?

Theo wrote:

> Customer requested ADSL+PSTN port to VF, VF were a confusing mess about
> moving to FTTC+VOIP and keeping the number.

Yesterday someone mentioned voda's prices for FTTP/FTTC so I tried out
their website, one of the Q's it asked was whether I wanted to migrate
existing voice number or "get a new voice number", so I presume they're
using that as a way lo ditching analogue PSTN voice facility and
providing VoIP with a phone socket on router?

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

>Theo wrote:
>
>> Customer requested ADSL+PSTN port to VF, VF were a confusing mess about
>> moving to FTTC+VOIP and keeping the number.
>
>Yesterday someone mentioned voda's prices for FTTP/FTTC so I tried out
>their website, one of the Q's it asked was whether I wanted to migrate
>existing voice number or "get a new voice number", so I presume they're
>using that as a way lo ditching analogue PSTN voice facility and
>providing VoIP with a phone socket on router?

Yes; you get a 20 quid router with a POTS socket on the back.
various VPN etc services on my router.

Another hour wasted; some afro caribbean type telling me all kinds of
BS about doing a new "upgrade", even though acknowledging that the old
service is still working and has merely been disconnected.

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
> Theo wrote:
>
> > Customer requested ADSL+PSTN port to VF, VF were a confusing mess about
> > moving to FTTC+VOIP and keeping the number.
>
> Yesterday someone mentioned voda's prices for FTTP/FTTC so I tried out
> their website, one of the Q's it asked was whether I wanted to migrate
> existing voice number or "get a new voice number", so I presume they're
> using that as a way lo ditching analogue PSTN voice facility and
> providing VoIP with a phone socket on router?

It's not possible* to order analogue PSTN from any ISP as it's past
Openreach's stop sell date (5 September). Hence any migration includes a
migration to VOIP. It seems like the discussion of whether there would be a
new number or a port of the PSTN number was a confusing mess, which is one
thing that caused the customer to back out.

* except for exceptional exceptions

Theo

Theo wrote:

[snip]

>
> It's not possible* to order analogue PSTN from any ISP as it's past
> Openreach's stop sell date (5 September). Hence any migration includes a
> migration to VOIP. It seems like the discussion of whether there would be a
> new number or a port of the PSTN number was a confusing mess, which is one
> thing that caused the customer to back out.
>
> * except for exceptional exceptions

To quote:

"We have had extended talks with both Openreach and BT. As a result we
have been assured that there was no chance of connection to any digital
pathway but that our copper line would remain available even after the
general cut off date. "

This is on the north Norfolk coast, not that far from Holbeach.

--
Graham J

And now the Voda bastards tell me I will not have any connection for a
minimum of 10 days.

And this is where there is no signal on, guess what, Voda GSM ;)

Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP. A&Arnold are in the
same ballpark; I use them at work and they are good.

Peter wrote:

> Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
> do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP.

Plusnet £27.45/month here includes POTS, which is now unavailable, so I
can "upgrade" to the same broadband I have without POTS for an
additional 54p/month.

Still £13/month cheaper than zen, you could get VoIP from e.g. voifone
and still be better off ...

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

>Peter wrote:
>
>> Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
>> do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP.
>
>Plusnet £27.45/month here includes POTS, which is now unavailable, so I
>can "upgrade" to the same broadband I have without POTS for an
>additional 54p/month.
>
>Still £13/month cheaper than zen, you could get VoIP from e.g. voifone
>and still be better off ...

How do ZEN, and A&A, manage to charge quite a bit more?

Are call centres in India really a big cost factor?

The problem is that everybody says "10 working days" so I may as well
sit tight and wait for Voda.

Bizzarely, Voda own the service already (FTTP+number) so they could
just "turn it back on" internally. But they won't.

Peter wrote:

> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>>
>> Plusnet £27.45/month here
>
> How do ZEN, and A&A, manage to charge quite a bit more?

Theoretically my contract will rise to £54.39/month after 24 months, in
practice another discounted option is likely to be available, not even
necessary to threaten to leave ... unless Plusnet has morphed into EE
broadband by then?

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

>Still £13/month cheaper than zen, you could get VoIP from e.g. voifone
>and still be better off ...

Apparently Voipfone can do FTTP also.

Superfast Fibre 2
£32 per month

35.7 - 80 Mbps
Estimated download speed

6.5 - 20 Mbps
Estimated upload speed

Unlimited data
30 day rolling contract

Tempting... can anyone see a problem?

Peter wrote:

> Apparently Voipfone can do FTTP also. Superfast Fibre 2 £32 per month
> 35.7 - 80 Mbps Estimated download speed 6.5 - 20 Mbps Estimated upload
> speed

Sounds like FTTC rather than FTTP at those speeds?

Peter wrote:
> And now the Voda bastards tell me I will not have any connection for a
> minimum of 10 days.
>
> And this is where there is no signal on, guess what, Voda GSM ;)
>
> Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
> do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP. A&Arnold are in the
> same ballpark; I use them at work and they are good.

I get 100mbits/sec down and 20 mbits/sec up using FTTP from Zen at the
same £35/month that you quote. Worth ringing them to establish that
they really are offering FTTP at your location, because those figures
look like FTTC.

Why integrate the VoIP with the broadband? Better to keep them separate
so that changing one does not break the other. Learn from your bad
experience with Vodafone.

--
Graham J

Peter wrote:
>
> Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
>
>> Peter wrote:
>>
>>> Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
>>> do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP.
>>
>> Plusnet £27.45/month here includes POTS, which is now unavailable, so I
>> can "upgrade" to the same broadband I have without POTS for an
>> additional 54p/month.
>>
>> Still £13/month cheaper than zen, you could get VoIP from e.g. voifone
>> and still be better off ...
>
> How do ZEN, and A&A, manage to charge quite a bit more?
>
> Are call centres in India really a big cost factor?
>
> The problem is that everybody says "10 working days" so I may as well
> sit tight and wait for Voda.
>
> Bizzarely, Voda own the service already (FTTP+number) so they could
> just "turn it back on" internally. But they won't.

This is why nobody should ever deal with Vodafone.

--
Graham J

Peter wrote:
>
> Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:
>
>> Still £13/month cheaper than zen, you could get VoIP from e.g. voifone
>> and still be better off ...
>
> Apparently Voipfone can do FTTP also.
>
> Superfast Fibre 2
> £32 per month
>
>
> 35.7 - 80 Mbps
> Estimated download speed
>
>
> 6.5 - 20 Mbps
> Estimated upload speed
>
> Unlimited data
> 30 day rolling contract
>
> Tempting... can anyone see a problem?
>

"Superfast Fibre 2" usually describes FTTC, "Superfast Fibre 1" being
the same service capped at 40 Mbits/sec for a reduced price.

FTTP is usually described as "Full Fibre".

Worth asking what they really mean ...

--
Graham J

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

>Peter wrote:
>> And now the Voda bastards tell me I will not have any connection for a
>> minimum of 10 days.
>>
>> And this is where there is no signal on, guess what, Voda GSM ;)
>>
>> Time to look at another ISP. Looking at ZEN but horrible website. They
>> do 60mbps down, 10 up, for £35 plus £6/m for VOIP. A&Arnold are in the
>> same ballpark; I use them at work and they are good.
>
>I get 100mbits/sec down and 20 mbits/sec up using FTTP from Zen at the
>same £35/month that you quote. Worth ringing them to establish that
>they really are offering FTTP at your location, because those figures
>look like FTTC.
>
>Why integrate the VoIP with the broadband? Better to keep them separate
>so that changing one does not break the other. Learn from your bad
>experience with Vodafone.

Fucking Voda have just sent me an SMS saying they cannot restart the
process.

So I've told Voipfone to do the port of both. They already have the
porting paperwork done.

Otherwise, I would agree, but this is the path of least resistance.

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

>"Superfast Fibre 2" usually describes FTTC, "Superfast Fibre 1" being
>the same service capped at 40 Mbits/sec for a reduced price.
>
>FTTP is usually described as "Full Fibre".
>
>Worth asking what they really mean ...

Definitely I have FTTP at home. I know what it looks like :) Fibre
junction box outside, 2nd fibre run going inside to the BT OR box with
a WAN socket.

It worked (on Voda) for a week or two, too.

Copper is gone.

Most ISPs seems to do much the same speeds here.

I can get a gigabit for a lot more money.

On 25/10/2023 19:36, Peter wrote:
>
> Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> "Superfast Fibre 2" usually describes FTTC, "Superfast Fibre 1" being
>> the same service capped at 40 Mbits/sec for a reduced price.
>>
>> FTTP is usually described as "Full Fibre".
>>
>> Worth asking what they really mean ...
>

If OpenReach FTTP is available then generally that is all you can buy
from OpenReach but as you say FTTP is generally described as "Full
Fibre" but the lowest level now appears to be branded "full fibre
essentials"

> Definitely I have FTTP at home. I know what it looks like :) Fibre
> junction box outside, 2nd fibre run going inside to the BT OR box with
> a WAN socket.
>
> It worked (on Voda) for a week or two, too.
>
> Copper is gone.
>
> Most ISPs seems to do much the same speeds here.
>

Where Openreach FTTP They are generally have two offerings that match
the old FTTC Infinity 1 and Infinity 2 speeds at similar prices.

The other Fibre infrastructure providers e.g. CityFibre may have
different offerings. For example some offer symmetric rates.

> I can get a gigabit for a lot more money.

Yes I have the 500Mb

Dave

Voipfone have been absolutely brilliant.

FTTP was set up basically same day. Authorised 9am, bought from their
website 10am, and running now 6pm!

Great support too. Could not recommend them more.

We should all support these smaller firms, not script monkey t0ssers
like Vodafone.

Peter wrote:

> Voipfone have been absolutely brilliant.
> FTTP was set up basically same day.

Had never noticed they also did broadband.

Peter <occassionally-confused@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
> Voipfone have been absolutely brilliant.
>
> FTTP was set up basically same day. Authorised 9am, bought from their
> website 10am, and running now 6pm!
>
> Great support too. Could not recommend them more.
>
> We should all support these smaller firms, not script monkey t0ssers
> like Vodafone.

ADSL £22pm
40/10 £29pm (FTTP and FTTC)
80/20 £32pm (FTTP and FTTC)
115/20 £34pm (FTTP)
550/75 £45pm (FTTP)
1000/115 £50pm (FTTP)

30 day rolling contract. Use your own router or they sell a Technicolor
DGA0122 for £105. Static IP an extra £2pm.

That's actually quite respectable all things considered, especially as
you aren't locked into a contract with a price rise at the end.
(although I'd not be in a hurry to buy their router)

Theo

Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote

>Peter <occassionally-confused@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
>> Voipfone have been absolutely brilliant.
>>
>> FTTP was set up basically same day. Authorised 9am, bought from their
>> website 10am, and running now 6pm!
>>
>> Great support too. Could not recommend them more.
>>
>> We should all support these smaller firms, not script monkey t0ssers
>> like Vodafone.
>
> ADSL £22pm
> 40/10 £29pm (FTTP and FTTC)
> 80/20 £32pm (FTTP and FTTC)
> 115/20 £34pm (FTTP)
> 550/75 £45pm (FTTP)
>1000/115 £50pm (FTTP)
>
>30 day rolling contract. Use your own router or they sell a Technicolor
>DGA0122 for £105. Static IP an extra £2pm.
>
>That's actually quite respectable all things considered, especially as
>you aren't locked into a contract with a price rise at the end.
>(although I'd not be in a hurry to buy their router)

I am getting an actual 75/20.

Using my own router - Draytek 2960.

Now just waiting for the old landline number to be ported. But have
outgoing calls, and incoming calls on the funny temp number.

All this was done inside one day. Really amazing.

Peter wrote:

> I am getting an actual 75/20.

Do you mean measured by a speedtest site, or the actual line rate?

A couple of times you've said you have FTTP, but if so, I'd expect you
to get exactly the speed you pay for, there isn't any training of
frequency bins etc there is with FTTC ...