About Broadband Phone and how to get it

1. What is Broadband Phone?
2. Activating your Broadband Phone Service
3. Using Broadband Phone
4. Features
5. Call Limitations
6. Hardware

1. What is Broadband Phone?

Broadband Phone is a Voice over IP (VoIP) service brought to you by Plusnet in partnership with Gradwell. VoIP is a system that allows phone calls to be made and received over a broadband connection.

As well as being able to call other Broadband Phone and VoIP users, you can make and receive calls to and from landline, mobile and international numbers. Once your account is activated you will be asked to choose a UK geographic (01/02/03) number. This will be used to receive incoming calls on your Broadband Phone account.

Broadband Phone is available to all Plusnet residential and business broadband customers. The number of inclusive minutes you get depends on what broadband account you have.

*Product no longer available, either to buy or as an upgrade option.

Residential Subscription-based Broadband Phone

Do you want more minutes than comes with your account as standard? You can also pay for Broadband Phone as a subscription service. We have these products:

• Broadband Phone Evenings & Weekends (2000 Off-Peak minutes to 01/02/03 numbers).
• Broadband Phone Anytime (4000 Anytime minutes to 01/02/03 numbers).

Choose a subscription-based Broadband Phone service.

Got any questions about Broadband Phone? Just raise a Ticket to us using the Help Assistant.

Go to Sales & Orders > Home Phone & VoIP Sales > Broadband Phone (VoIP) Information & Sales

2. Activating your Broadband Phone service

You'll need to activate your Broadband Phone service to use it. Activation can take up to two working days to complete.

To do this go to Account Details in the Member Centre and select 'Activate Broadband Phone'.

You'll be sent full details on how to complete the activation process to your registered email address.

3. Using Broadband Phone

To make calls using Broadband Phone you will need a headset, microphone or a SIP compatible USB phone.

You can also use a standard telephone handset connected to a suitable router or ATA device.

4. Features

Broadband Phone offers a number of features including:

Voicemail with custom answer messages

Broadband Phone offers a fully featured voicemail facility which allows for custom answer messages.

SMS voicemail notification

Store a list of your contacts with the web-based phone directory.

Customisable call divert

Divert your calls to a geographic or mobile number after a specified number of rings.

Maximum spend per day

Limit the amount that can be spent on calls. This is especially useful as a parental control.

Free calls to other VoIP providers

Make free calls to customers using VoIP services from other providers.

Withhold Number

Choose whether or not to withhold your number on outbound calls.

Fring compatibility

Allows you to use your mobile phone with the Broadband Phone service.

5. Call Limitations

With Broadband Phone you can call:

• UK Landline numbers (01,02,03)
• International Numbers
• Mobiles
• Directory Enquiries (118 ***)
• Emergency Services (999, 112)

You can't call:

• Premium Rate Numbers
• The Operator (100)

As Broadband Phone uses your broadband connection, it won't work if you have a power cut or broadband fault.

6. Hardware

We don't support any SIP-enabled hardware, but we do have range of hardware settings provided by our Community Site members.

This page last updated 27th October 2009