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RonAKA

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Porting Phone Number to a VoiP Service - Any Issues?

Are there any issues in porting an existing Telus assigned phone number to a VoiP service like Ooma? It will be running on my Telus Internet. There is a warning at the Ooma site that porting may interrupt internet service if you have DSL service.

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NFtoBC

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A few things to watch for:

You will lose the bundle discount. Your internet costs would increase by the bundle amount.
There may be a charge for a 'dry loop'; internet without phone - if available.
I understand there are some areas from which numbers cannot be ported to VoIP. Apparently the VoIP supplier does not have presence in the local switch (or something similar). If a local number is not available, local callers would have to call a long distance number.
Porting a landline to VoIP can take quite a few days to weeks.

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RonAKA

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Thanks for the comments.
You will lose the bundle discount. Your internet costs would increase by the bundle amount.
I seem to be getting $5 off each of phone, Optik TV, and Internet. I assumed I would lose the $5 discount associated with the phone, and the phone charge of course. I will maintain the TV and Internet, and would expect to keep the bundle discount for those two.
There may be a charge for a 'dry loop'; internet without phone - if available.
I will have to call about that possibility.
I understand there are some areas from which numbers cannot be ported to VoIP. Apparently the VoIP supplier does not have presence in the local switch (or something similar). If a local number is not available, local callers would have to call a long distance number.
I already have a new number which came "free" with the Ooma. It is not long distance. That would be the worst case, having to keep that one. But, I want to keep my original Telus number.
Porting a landline to VoIP can take quite a few days to weeks.
Yes, I've heard anything from 4 days to 6 weeks.

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If you have Optik TV, then you don't have DSL, and the Dry Loop wouldn't be required. You can simply install your Ooma service on your home network.

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RonAKA

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Yes, the Ooma is running now off the Actiontec T2200H. Well actually off the ZyXEL switch connected to the router, as all the ports are full. My last step is to get my existing phone number ported to Ooma so I don't have to go through the hassle of letting everyone know my number has changed. And then cancel my land line with Telus.

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RonAKA

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Just to sum things up for this thread, it is possible to run VOIP, like Ooma, over a Telus DSL internet. If you have two lines into your house and are only using one, it is simpler to make the switch. But, even with a bonded router and both lines being used, they still seem to make it work without interrupting your service. So if you are considering it, it will work.

One minor issue that has come up is getting service from Telus for your Optik TV or just internet while using a VOIP phone. When they reboot your router, or you do it, quite obviously your phone service drops during the reboot. I found that out the hard way! There are a few limitations to VOIP besides the 911 issue to consider.

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RonAKA wrote:
Just to sum things up for this thread, it is possible to run VOIP, like Ooma, over a Telus DSL internet. There are a few limitations to VOIP besides the 911 issue to consider.

RonAKA Care to share more of what you have learned in another post?

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RonAKA

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Here is what I posted on a review of the Ooma Telo 2 at Costco where I purchased it.

Had the product for about a month now and it works. Voice quality is good, but not anything special, and I would say a notch below a standard land line. I use it with a Costco purchased Panasonic DECT 6 cordless phone system. I found the sound quality when you are put on hold and they play music over the phone, was particularly bad. The Panasonic system seems to support the optional features of call display, missed call, call announcement etc. However in hands free mode, the tendency of hands free to cut voice transmission when there is background noise at either end, seems to be exaggerated. You have to be close to the phone to make it work reliably. I find myself avoiding hands free more than I used to. There are a few issues to think about:

1. The 911 issue which I don't think is too serious, and is well explained by Ooma
2. The savings may not be as big as you initially estimate. There is the cost of $40 to port your existing phone number. And, you will likely find when you call your phone provider, they will cut your existing rate to try and keep you. My provider, Telus, cut my rate in half. Thanks Telus for continuing to charge me double the rate you were really willing to accept!
3. There is a bit of a minor issue with porting and discontinuing a phone number when you have a phone company DSL type internet service. It can complicated the switchover, but at least in my case it worked. The total time for porting was 2 weeks.
4. And again remember that your phone needs the modem on all the time. If you have internet and potentially TV (Telus Optik) over the modem as well, and do any troubleshooting, or let the internet provider do it, and the modem resets you loose your phone call. Not a big deal, once you understand it.
5. Oooma does tend to pester you a bit to opt for the $9.99 Premier service, but I suspect they will give up on that after a while.
6. The installation took more time than I expected. The Ooma description of the flashing light system for start up was inaccurate, and I was convinced my hardware was defective. The fact is that it takes a long time to start up after the power to the unit is turned on -- perhaps up to 10 minutes. You have to wait it out while leaving it alone. I was about to give up on it and send it back, when the logo finally turned blue and it gave me a dial tone.

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Kolby_G

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My experience with the consumer grade VOIP providers has been...meh, I tried a couple for a while, never really liked them. Prices weren't that great, no advanced features, and call quality was laggy. I switched to VOIP.ms 2 years ago and couldn't be happier.

Number porting is $8.75 and takes anywhere from 5 minutes to 4 weeks, the monthly DID fee is only $0.85 in most areas, and everything else is pay as you go ($0.006-$0.009 per min for within Canada), or you can also get an unlimited package for $4.95/mo. e911 is also available for $1.50/mo extra.

I paid $40 for all of last year for my VOIP line, thats 1/10 of what I was paying with Telus. Not only that, but you get all the features you can expect from a proper VOIP solution. IVR, ring groups, internal extensions, and unlimited simultaneous calls, etc. Their call quality is excellent (provided you use PCMU/PCMA), they have many servers scattered around the US and Canada.

The only requirement is that you live in a fairly populous city, they don't have numbers available for every city and if you live in a very rural area, you will have to use a number that will appear to be from another city (resulting on LD charges if someone on POTS calls you).

One point about the required network connectivity you mentioned. Running VOIP on a basic consumer router (such as the POS Telus gives you) is not a good idea. You will want a proper router with QOS so that your call quality doesn't get destroyed if someone is downloading something or streaming video.

Porting Phone Number to a VoiP Service - Any Issues?

RonAKA

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