Questions & answers

VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol". It simply means your phone calls travel over your broadband connection instead of the old copper telephone line. You still pick up a phone, hear a dial tone and dial numbers in the usual way.

The UK's old copper telephone network is being retired and replaced with digital lines that run over broadband. Every home phone in the UK has to move to a digital service. The switch-off is due to finish by January 2027, so it's worth moving before the deadline rather than in a rush.

Yes – My Chat works through a broadband connection. Most home broadband is more than fast enough. If you don't have broadband, tick the option when you sign up or give us a call and we'll help you get connected.

You have two choices:

• A new phone from us – we set it up before it arrives, so you just plug it into your broadband router.
• Keep your existing phone – we send a small adapter that lets your current phone work with My Chat.

Not sure which is best? Call us and we'll talk it through.

In most cases, yes. A small adapter connects your existing phone to your broadband router. Let us know when you sign up and we'll check your phone will work.

Plug the phone or adapter into a spare socket on the back of your broadband router, then plug it into power. That's it – there's no engineer visit and no wiring. If you get stuck, call us and we'll talk you through it.

Yes. Moving your number to us is called "porting". Just give us your number and your current provider's name when you sign up, and we arrange the rest. You don't need to contact your old provider to move the number – but do check whether you have any contract end date or early cancellation charges with them.

We plan the move so your number switches over on an agreed date, keeping any gap as short as possible. We'll let you know the date in advance.

Yes. If you'd like a new number, just choose that option when you sign up and we'll give you one with your local area code.

Yes, you can call 999, 112 and 111 from your My Chat line. Make sure the address we hold for you is correct, so emergency services know where you are.

Because the phone works through your broadband router, it will not work during a power cut or if your broadband goes down – including for 999 calls – unless you have a battery backup. Keep a charged mobile phone handy if you can.

If you rely on your landline, for example for a telecare or personal alarm, or because there's no mobile signal at home, please tell us. We'll talk you through the options to keep you connected.

Some older alarm and telecare systems were designed for copper lines. Please tell us about any alarm, telecare pendant or similar device before you switch, and check with your alarm provider too, so we can make sure it keeps working.

No. All My Chat plans are month to month. You can cancel anytime, and we'll even help you move your service to a new provider.

On the Basic plan, calls cost 1p a minute to UK landlines (01, 02 and 03 numbers) and 2p a minute to UK mobiles (07 numbers). The Medium plan includes 250 minutes a month, then the same rates apply. The Unlimited plan is for people who make lots of long calls. Ask us for rates to other numbers, such as international calls.

No. Voicemail, caller ID, call waiting and call forwarding are included at no extra cost.

Yes, if your needs are simple – for example a couple of phones. For larger or more complex setups, our sister company IKON ICT provides tailored business phone systems.