Can you plug a VoIP in anywhere on your network?

[d000hg]

I'm considering changing ISP to a fibre (FTTP) provider. This would free us from BT/OpenReach but mean if we want a home-phone, we need VoIP.
I was chatting to an advisor about how their installation has fibre terminating to an NTE, which you then can plug in your ethernet and regular phone to (I think). I had some concern how much flexibility they'd give me where this is installed since our house is large and old. It's also an opportunity to be flexible where the 'modem' and phone go, right now it has to be in the hallway where the master phone socket is and I would rather it wasn't.

So the question I didn't think to ask was, could my phone only plug in to the NTE they provide, or can I bung an adapter into any available ethernet socket and use my existing phone that way? We need an actual phone number and a phone that works like a regular phone and I've never used VoIP except on the PC.

[eek]

We have the older version of Gigaset C430HX Cordless DECT Handset & N300 IP PSTN & VoIP/SIP DECT Base Station (Three Handset Pack) (broadbandbuyer.com) using a legacy sipgate personal account that doesn't have a monthly fee.

Once configured it just works - and it allows me to answer business calls on my mobile if desired.

[d000hg]

So does the base just plug into ethernet? And then the handsets don't even know they are using VoIP, i.e. they're not VoIP handsets just handsets?
We have a nice antique phone so ideally we'd be able to plug that in and it would 'just work' but I'm not sure what you plug it in to. Can do just buy a little phone/ethernet adapter rather than a base station?

[eek]

So does the base just plug into ethernet? And then the handsets don't even know they are using VoIP, i.e. they're not VoIP handsets just handsets?
We have a nice antique phone so ideally we'd be able to plug that in and it would 'just work' but I'm not sure what you plug it in to. Can do just buy a little phone/ethernet adapter rather than a base station?

Yep the base station just needs an ethernet cable (in our case it sits next to the network switch in my office).

Pass - we were used to Dect phones so I bought a solution that came with dect phones.

Grandstream HandyTone HT801 ATA : Amazon.co.uk: Stationery & Office Supplies may work but it will still require your phone to have a fairly modern US (rather than UK) phone jack but you may be able to find an adapter.

[d000hg]

If we sign up (YouFibre as you probably guessed) it might be easier just to try and see since we'd keep our current provider for a while first. They seemed to suggest whatever they provided let you plug your existing phone right in to their little NTE box and if so it's highly unlikely this is anything proprietary or special, unless it is a phone->fibre adapter rather than phone->ethernet.

If I find out I'll share, if I remember.

[tazdevil]

VOIP just requires a network connection so plug your VOIP router into any available RJ45 socket. I've been using VOIP only for about 10 years now and its perfect because you can have multiple lines, numbers and use the account wherever there's a suitably fast internet connection. Free WiFi connections are great for making free VOIP calls as if you were on your home phone whilst abroad, much cheaper than mobiles