Bell FTTP Migration FAQ

I received a letter or call from Bell saying I must migrate my phone (landline) service to their fibre (FTTP) network. Will this impact my DSL service?

Bell is in the process of migrating their landlines from the copper line (POTS) to their fibre network (VOIP) which is not compatible with DSL. Members with wet line DSL who choose to migrate their landline to fibre will need to change their service to dry line to avoid loosing service upon migration. A wet to dry line change order must be scheduled at least 5 business days in advance, and the standard activation fee would apply.

However, Bell has told NCF that any landlines with wholesale DSL (DSL from NCF) are to be excluded from their migration at this point, and that any such letters to our members have been sent in error. Bell sent an apology letter to explain this, but NCF has received reports that Bell is still sending migration letters in error, and their technicians are also not all aware of the exclusion.

As long as members do not schedule migrating their line to fibre with Bell, they can continue using their landline and DSL without interruptions. Members who are contacted by Bell should inform Bell they do not want to migrate (or to cancel the migration if scheduled), citing that they currently have wholesale DSL on the line.

My DSL stopped working after migrating my landline to fibre. Can I continue to get DSL service on the new system?

Bell's new landline service runs over their fibre network which is not compatible with DSL, but we can continue to provide service on the copper network by ordering a "dry line" service. Normally, we charge a one time activation fee of $49.95 for the order to switch to dry, however we are currently waiving the installation fee for members who unexpectedly lost their wet line service because of migrating their landline. A dry line does come with an added $5/month fee associated, as bell charges NCF a higher rate for dry DSL lines.

Can I revert my landline back to the copper network?

As far as we know, Bell will not reconnect any landline service on their copper network. Members who have had their line migrated will need to order dry line service to continue using our DSL on their line. For the time being, we are not charging the activation fee, but we do need to change the $5 monthly dry line fee after the installation.

Does dry line DSL work any differently as compared to on a wet line?

No, the internet service works exactly the same, and no changes to the DSL modem are required. The modem will be connected to the same copper line as before, and not through the new Bell landline which works over fibre. As there will be no longer be other devices on the same line, you will no longer need to use any DSL filters, and it's possible the DSL signal will be stronger with no other devices connected.

Why does it cost more for dry loop DSL, given it's the exact same service as a wet line?

Bell charges NCF a higher rate for DSL on lines without an active landline (POTS) service which we pass on as a monthly dry loop fee. Although these fees vary based on location, we normalize it to $5 so as to be fair to all members.