Giganet Home Phone FAQs

Home phone numbers 

Can I keep my existing home number? 

Usually, yes.  There are some circumstances where this is not possible so we can’t guarantee this for every number, but we will allow you to cancel without penalty if this applies to you.  We will always be able to provide you with a new number. 

How long does it take to transfer my home number? 

This depends on your current provider but could take 4 weeks from the point you give us authority to make the transfer. 

What happens to my phone number if I move? 

You can take your home phone number with you, even if you move out of the area usually associated with your dialling code (although we don’t recommend this!) 

What if I don’t already have a home phone number? 

If you don’t have a home phone number but would like one, we can provide you with a shiny new number either with the dialling code for your area or a national number. 

 

Virtual landline 

What do you mean by “Virtual landline”? 

You keep your existing home phone number, but we whisk it away into the Internet, so you don’t need an old copper phone line or any telephones at home.  Any calls made to your home phone will be redirected to your nominated mobile phone, they can leave a message on your mobile voicemail too.  Clever eh!? 

Will I be able to see who is calling? 

By default, calls will appear to be from your home phone number, so you know they called this rather than your mobile number.  In our portal you can change this to show the calling number instead, so unless the caller has withheld their number, yes - you will then also be able to save callers as contacts on your phone and then do whatever you usually do – screen calls, block calls or wait for them to leave a voicemail. 

Do I have to be at home for it to work? 

No – calls are forwarded using your mobile network, so if you have signal where you are, your mobile will ring. 

Will it work if my broadband isn’t working, because of a power cut for example? 

Virtual landline doesn’t use your fibre broadband, so it will work even when there is no power – if your mobile has a signal and some battery charge, of course! 

What if my phone is out of signal, or switched off? 

The caller will be able to leave you a voicemail on your mobile as usual.  Once your phone is connected to the mobile network again you will be able to return the call, if you want to. 

Does it cost me money if people leave me voicemails? 

The call to your voicemail is charged by duration, in the same way and at the same rate as a call that you answer.  Voicemails can be listened to on your mobile as usual, for no charge. 

Do I get charged when people call me? 

Yes - with our standard package, we charge 5p per minute for you to receive a call, or for the caller to leave a message.  You can avoid this by upgrading to Virtual Landline Inclusive. 

Why should I choose Virtual Landline Inclusive? 

Because it also includes 600 minutes (that’s 10 hours!) of calls per month for a fixed monthly fee so you shouldn’t have to worry about how many calls you are getting. If you do receive more calls than this in a month you will only be charged 2 pence per minute for them. 

How can I tell when a call is being made to my home number and not direct to my mobile? 

By default, calls will appear to be from your home phone number, so you know they called this rather than your mobile number.  You can change this in our portal to show the calling number instead. 

Do I need to install an app on my mobile? 

No.  The call to your home number gets directed to your mobile like a standard call, so it will work on all types of mobile handset without any software or setting up 

How do I change the mobile number the calls are diverted to? 

You can change this via the portal at any time.  We validate your mobile number for your security.  Virtual Landline works with all the major UK mobile network providers including EE (also used by Virgin Mobile and Asda), O2 (also used by Tesco), Three and Vodafone.  

Will it all still work if I am abroad? 

Yes, provided your mobile provider has a roaming agreement with a carrier in that country and you have enabled roaming on your phone. If not, the caller will reach your voicemail just as if your phone were switched off or out of range. 

Will I be charged more if I am abroad? 

No.  If your mobile provider has a roaming agreement with a carrier in that country and you have enabled roaming on your phone the cost of the call will be the same as if you were in the UK.  If not, the caller will reach your voicemail just as if your phone were switched off or out of range. 

 

Home Phone 

How is this different from my old phone line? 

We’re glad you asked!  You keep your existing home phone number, but we whisk it away into the Internet so you don’t need your old copper phone line any more.  People call you in the same way, so you won’t lose touch with anybody.  You can keep all your existing telephones as well and they should all work exactly as they did before. 

Will I need new telephones? 

No.  You can keep all your existing telephones and all the usual stuff should work the same. 

Does my computer need to be on for my phones to work? 

No.  Phones plug into your Giganet router (hub), so provided this is on your phone(s) will work and you will be able to make and receive calls. 

Can I call people who have copper phone lines? 

Of course!  You can call anybody with a phone number anywhere in the world. 

Will it work if my broadband isn’t working, because of a power cut for example? 

No.  Calls are connected over your fibre broadband connection, so if there is a power cut (for example) you won’t be able to make calls and your phone(s) won’t ring, although callers will be able to leave voice messages for you. 

What about calling emergency services (999)? 

You can use your phones to call emergency services as usual, your location may be identified based from the address the broadband is installed at.  Note that your Giganet home phone will not work in the event of a power cut and you should always ensure that you have alternative ways of making these calls, for example by using a mobile phone. 

How many calls can I make at a time? 

Like with a copper phone line, you can only make or receive a single call at a time. 

Can I still opt out of taking a Giganet router? 

Yes – but we will need to send you a device to connect into your own router to provide a socket for your telephone.  We will provide this, if needed, free of charge. 

Can I have more than one phone number or line on a single broadband connection? 

Yes – you can have 2 services with our standard router and more if you need them by changing the router – your broadband connection can cope with lots! 

 

Calls and Call Saver packages 

How do you work out the charge for a call? 

Whilst rates are quoted in pence per minute (ppm), to be fairer to you we charge calls per second, rounded to the second, with a minimum length of one second. Not all providers do this, so check when comparing us to anybody else. 

• For most calls, we calculate the charge by multiplying the call duration in seconds by the rate including VAT.  We add a call setup fee if that applies. 
• For calls to service numbers and fixed fee calls, we charge the advertised service charge plus our access charge based on the duration of the call.  There is no call setup fee. 

Finally, we round the charge for each call up to the nearest 1p. 

What do you mean by Included? 

Exactly that!  There is no charge, either one-off or pence per minute, for making calls where the tariff states “Included”. 

Does Included mean unlimited? 

Yes – make as many calls as you like.  To be fair to everybody we offer Included call packages to provide great value for reasonable use.  If, however, we believe that you are taking unreasonable advantage of Included calls via any means we may decide to stop offering these packages to you.   

Why has my account has been blocked from making outgoing calls? 

We monitor monthly charges and may temporarily block outgoing calls (that aren’t free) to protect you and Giganet from potential fraudulent use of the service.  Please contact us to discuss your account and removing the block – calls to Giganet are always free. 

What are service numbers and premium numbers? 

Service numbers typically begin with 08, 09 and 118.  These are sometimes called premium numbers as the charges can be higher than those for ordinary phone numbers.  Your cost for accessing these is the service charge plus our access charge based on the duration of the call.  You should check you are aware of the cost before making your call. 

What is a Service Charge? 

The organisation you are calling decides the service charge and must advertise the cost and whether this is fixed or based on the call duration.  

What is an Access Charge? 

The access charge is what we charge you, per minute, for connecting you to service numbers.  Like our calls, the access charge is per second, rounded to the second, with a minimum length of one second.  

What is a Call Setup Fee? 

This is a one-off fee per call, charged once the call is connected. 

What does UK Landline mean? 

All UK numbers starting 01, 02 and 03 and includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Guernsey, Jersey and Gibraltar too! 

What does UK Mobiles mean? 

Calls to major UK mobile network providers including EE (also used by Virgin Mobile and Asda), O2 (also used by Tesco), Three and Vodafone.  

What does Europe Plus mean? 

Calls to most European and surrounding countries, including most mobile networks in those countries (but not all of them!) as well as some commonly called destinations and their mobile networks too. 

 

Cancelling your service 

How do I cancel my service? 

If you really have to cancel then please let us know by e-mailing us at enquiries@giga.net.uk or via post to our offices Giganet, 3 The Belfry, Solent Business Park, Fareham, Hampshire. PO15 7FJ.  We will reply to you to acknowledge your request and give you any additional information about ceasing our service to you, including returning any equipment for recycling as well as any early termination fees. 

Are there any early termination fees? 

We charge an early termination fee of £10 including VAT if you cancel the service in the first 3 months, to contribute to the cost we pay to transfer your home phone number.  There are no early termination fees if you cancel in the first 14 days. 

Are there any termination fees at all? 

We charge an early termination fee if you cancel the service in the first 3 months, but not after that.  There are no termination fees if you cancel in the first 14 days. 

What if I change my mind? 

Individuals or small businesses with 10 or fewer employees can request cancellation of orders placed online or over the phone within 14 calendar days, without the need to provide a reason and without any penalty. This does not apply to businesses with more than 10 employees. 

• If your service is live, we may charge you the activation fee and a pro-rata amount for any days the service was live, even if you haven’t used it 
• If we have provided you any equipment, you must return this to us at your own cost.  If you fail to return the equipment or return it in a condition that it cannot be re-used, then we shall charge you a fee to replace it. Please see our fees section for further details. 

Can I keep my phone number if I cancel with Giganet? 

Usually, yes.  Whilst we do not limit this ourselves, it may not be possible for you to keep your phone number if the broadband service is cancelled.