Notification of change to your phone service
Why have you written to me?
Your current phone service is based on technology that’s now obsolete and will be withdrawn from use from 31st July 2021. This means that your existing service will no longer work after this time.
Do you have an alternative phone service?
Yes, we have an alternative solution available using newer technology but we do need to speak with you first to ensure that this will be compatible with any other devices you may currently use alongside your existing phone service.
Do I need to take any action first?
Yes.
We’re planning on migrating your current phone service to our newer Voice over IP (VoIP) solution but there are a number of key differences between this service and your existing phone service.
Firstly, as the phone service is provided over our broadband network, if you have a local power cut, your phone service will also not work and you will not be able to make or receive calls, even to emergency services.
Secondly, if you have any connected devices that you use currently with your phone service (such as payment machines/EPOS terminals or security alarms etc.), you’ll need to check that they will work with VoIP. If you need the device to operate 24/7, including during any power outages, then you’ll need to ensure they have their own battery and network back-up. The best way for you to check this is to call your device provider and speak with them directly.
Once I know this information, what should I do?
- Please call us on 0800 052 0800 (selecting option 2, then 1, then 1 again) to tell us the outcome. If the devices are compatible a member of our team will run through a few additional questions and a serviceability check with you. Our Customer Care team will also check if there are any vulnerable end users based at this site, to ensure that any equipment they may use is compatible with the new service. Although this product will be withdrawn from use in July, we’d love to get you set up in advance. Therefore please call us by 4th June 2021. If we don’t hear from you by this time, we’ll send you a reminder.
- Your details will then be passed to our Order Management team who will contact you to arrange a mutually convenient date for the install of your new service. On the agreed install date, an engineer will visit your office. Please note: our engineer will complete the physical installation of your phone service but you’re responsible for ensuring, in advance, that your associated devices (payment machines/EPOS terminals/alarms) are compatible with the new service. If you need to re-arrange the install date for Covid-19 reasons (such as you are self-isolating), then please call us to re-arrange 48 hours before your scheduled date (if possible) on 0800 052 0800 (selecting option 1).
How are you operating during the Coronavirus pandemic?
We appreciate that you may have concerns around someone visiting your site at this time, so for more information on how we’re operating during the Coronavirus pandemic, please visit www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk/help-and-advice/.
What’s changing?
Providing that your devices are compatible with the new VOIP service, then you’ll see the following changes.
- Your handset and number will remain the same
- When we upgrade your service, not only will you benefit from your telephony running on our fibre network, but if you have our broadband service, we’ll automatically increase it to speeds up to 350mbps (if your speed is lower than that currently). There will be no additional charge for this
- If you have a phone only service from us, you’ll receive a new router (at no additional charge) to support your upgraded fibre phone service. The cost of your service won’t change and you’re under no obligation to purchase any broadband services from us
- N.B. Once connected to our VoIP service, you’ll need to ensure that if there is a power cut, any associated devices linked to your phone service (such as EPOS terminals or security alarms) have their own battery/network back-up. In this event, you would be unable to make emergency calls. This is because your phone service will be connected via a router
What happens if I don’t want to take out a new service?
As your current phone service is based on technology that’s now obsolete it will be withdrawn from use from 31st July 2021. This means that your existing service will no longer work after this time.
We need to let you know that if the alternative solution outlined above isn’t suitable for you, you have the right to cancel your service without penalty.
Feature list of Voice over IP (VoIP)
Feature list of Voice over IP (VoIP)
| Description | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
Making Call features |
Basic Calls | Making a call |
| Number Present per call | If you have permanent number restricted on outbound calls, you can present your number on per call basis |
|
| Emercency Services | Making calls to the emergency services, and providing your location |
|
| Number Restriction per call | Ability to restrict presenting your number on a per call basis (if permanent number restriction is not enabled) |
|
Receiving call features |
Basic Call – Receive Call | Receiving a call |
| DTMF – Send / Receive | Ability to interact with call centre voice menu systems (press 1 for ...) – requires a phone with buttons of course | |
| Call Hold | Ability to place a call on hold | |
| Last Number Announcement | Tells you about the number that last called | |
| Caller Display | If your phone supports this, you will see the number of the incoming call displayed on your phone screen, unless they are not presenting their number |
|
Other |
What is my number? (Line identification service) | If you have forgotten what your number is you can use this feature to find out |
| Howler | A loud noise will be played from your phone if you leave the phone off the hook |
|
| Check your setup (Interrogate All Features) | Allows you to check what features have been activated on your phone line |
The following features below are optional extras. If you need them, please call our Customer Care team to enable them on your service. These features are chargeable except for voicemail which is a standard feature of your service.
| Feature Bundle | Features included in the bundle |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| Get calls to the right place | Call Divert | Divert your calls to the destination of your choice (excluding 999 / 111) |
| Hunt Group | Distributes calls across your lines | |
| Manage Incoming Calls | Anonymous Caller Rejection | Blocks callers who withhold their number |
| Call Waiting | Let’s you know someone is trying to get through | |
| Manage Outgoing Calls | Call Barring | Helps you stay in control of costs by allowing you to limit the types of numbers you can call |
| Last Number Redial | Call the last person you called again | |
| Multi-Party Calling | Get things done faster by getting everyone on the same call (Max 10 people) | |
| Number Restrict Permanent | For when you want your number withheld on a permanent basis | |
| Additional Services | Automatic Dialling (Hot Line) | Pre configure a number to be dialled the moment you take the phone off the hook |
| Automatic Dialling (Warm Line) | Similar to Hot Line, however gives you 5 seconds to dial before placing a call after taking the phone off the hook |
|
| Reminder Call | Use your phone as an alarm to help remind you of important appointments |
|
| Quick Dial | Store up to 90 numbers and assign short codes for those frequent calls | |
| Voicemail | Business Voicemail | Never miss important leads |
| Call Divert – Voicemail | Ability to divert all calls, or just when you don’t pick up the phone / or are on another call | |
| Message Waiting Indicator | When you pick up your phone, you’ll hear a tone letting you know you have a message, and on some phones, the message waiting light will turn on |