Can you keep your landline number with Starlink?

Arrange the number transfer with the new phone provider

Ask whether it can take your existing number, work over your Starlink connection and support the handset or adapter you want to use. Give it your current provider, number and address, then agree the transfer date and charges. Keep the old service in place while the arrangements are confirmed. If you have already cancelled, contact the new provider promptly: Ofcom says you can still ask to keep the number for free within one month of cancellation.

Check what happens to bundled broadband

Moving a phone number can also affect the broadband attached to the old account. Ask the current provider exactly which services will stop and on what date. If you want to keep both internet connections briefly while testing Starlink, agree that before the number transfer starts. Ordering a Starlink kit does not make those arrangements for you.

For mobile calls, check Wi-Fi calling support

Wi-Fi calling lets a compatible mobile make ordinary calls through a broadband connection when indoor mobile reception is poor. Check support for your handset and plan with your mobile provider, then follow its setup instructions. It uses your mobile service and number; it does not move your landline number. Call charges still depend on the mobile plan. For example, EE says its usual call and text allowances apply over Wi-Fi.

Try incoming calls as well as outgoing ones

With Wi-Fi calling enabled, check for the phone’s Wi-Fi calling indicator and ask someone to call you. Make an ordinary outgoing call from the rooms where you use the phone, including during busy household internet use. If calls fail while websites still work, note the handset, mobile provider, time and error message. Starlink’s guidance recommends contacting the mobile or VoIP provider first, then Starlink with the case details if the problem remains.

Plan calls during a power cut

Calls over Starlink need the dish, router and any phone equipment to stay powered and connected. A charged mobile relying on the same Wi-Fi is not an independent backup. If you depend on a landline and lack a usable mobile alternative, tell the receiving phone provider before switching. Ofcom says the landline provider must offer a free backup solution supporting emergency access for at least one hour in a power cut. Agree what equipment it covers and how it will work with your connection.

Ask how emergency calls and location are handled

Ask the phone or mobile provider how emergency calls work on the service you intend to use and how it establishes your location. EE, for example, supports 999 over Wi-Fi calling but says automatic location information is not guaranteed on some older phones. A working video-call app is not evidence that you have the same emergency-calling facilities as a phone service.

Arrange a separate check for alarms and telecare

If a care alarm, health pendant or security alarm uses the old phone line, tell both the phone provider and the device supplier before changing it. Give the supplier the device model and explain the proposed Starlink and phone setup. Ask it to confirm compatibility, arrange any changes and complete its test procedure before the old service ends. A normal voice call does not establish that an alarm can reach its monitoring centre.

Sources and further reading

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