This topic

Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

Balderdash — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 10:26:18 GMT

Hi all,

I’ve been reading a lot about the FTTP installation process and the equipment provided - my interest being mainly how the phone service is provided.

With a Full fibre order there seems to be ambiguity around whether the phone service will be provided over existing copper wiring to the house, or if it will be provided via the fibre connection over voip. Which then leads to questions around what happens in a power cut etc.

The FAQ https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Fibre-broadband/Full-Fibre-from-BT-Your-questions-answered/td-p/2002509 says nothing will change with the existing copper line.

But when I go through the order process on the bt.com website I see this text regarding phone service:

“You’re getting digital voice, our next generation home phone service giving you better quality calls” and then the offer of keeping existing phone and plugging it into Smart Hub 2, or getting Free 1x Advance digital phone or 2x essential digital phone.

This implies the copper line will be retired?

The reason for this question is that my elderly parents get a pretty bad FTTC service at present, and FTTP is available from the pole near the house (which also carries power...hence the concern about phone service during power cuts - they get quite a few!).

It would be great for then to get onto fibre but I fear the change in landline service, plus the lack of emergency backup in the event of a power cut would stop them from going ahead with this.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jim

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

licquorice — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 10:37:10 GMT

I'm not sure what the criterion is for deciding whether voice is provided by existing copper or Digital Voice (VOIP) for FTTP installs, it doesn't appear to be universally one or the other. Given that your order process specified Digital Voice, I suspect that is what will be provided in this instance.

I appreciate that it shouldn't be necessary to incur extra expense, but in the absence of a BBU a third party UPS would maintain power.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

iniltous — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:26:52 GMT

AFAIK , if the property has a copper connection, when FTTP installed the telephony remains over copper, unless at the application stage there is an option for digital voice and that is selected , then telephony is over the ‘fibre’ and the phone will need to be plugged into the router, and the copper pair becomes redundant

Something to have in mind, is within the next few years, as PSTN is switched off, all telephony will be over ‘broadband’ FTTP or FTTC .

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:35:27 GMT

@iniltous You are almost correct there. If there is a copper connection then that will remain for the phone line. Once the PSTN is retired then everyone will have to go digital voice on BT services. As the superhub will then become the base station for dect phones then it means you are tied to using the BT hub. Not good for customers IMHO as it ties you into the hub.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

Balderdash — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:36:30 GMT

I don’t get any options... “you’re getting digital voice” it says whether you want it or not 🙂

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:47:36 GMT

Then up to you if you take it. You don't have to have it but if you need a home phone that is your only option.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

garybs29 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:51:46 GMT

All it means is if you take digital voice all the equipment is supplied & maintained by BT FOC so as far I can see there's no downside

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:01:10 GMT

@garybs29 Unless you want to use a much better third party router of course. There's always the choice of a VoIP supplier for the phone connection as an alternative.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

licquorice — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:57:25 GMT

As the OP posted,the downside is lack of service in the event of a power cut.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

imjolly — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:01:03 GMT

anyone with just cordless phones has that problem already if there is a power cut

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

garybs29 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:05:10 GMT

@pippincpI honestly don't get why people hate so much on the BT router which is supplied. I've had the smarthub 2 since day dot (part of the testing in the trial to begin with) & it's been absolutely fine with no issues.

Also on the digital voice there is a battery backup which at the minute lasts for 60 minutes but I'm sure they're looking to improve the timing on as they know it needs to be better

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:08:49 GMT

I didn't think this was coming in until next year. It looks like they are accelerating getting people off the PSTN service. It's understandable as they want it retired by 2025.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

Balderdash — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:14:40 GMT

Try to think about this from the point of view of an elderly person who doesn’t understand the technology...

o they know historically that the landline phone works during a power cut, and even if they have cordless phones they will (should) have a wired/line-powered phone to use in emergency.

o It’s also much easier for them to dial “999” on a big button phone than a mobile device.

o They may also have an alarm or care monitoring system which relies on the current landline.

These are the main reasons why I would prefer my parents stayed on copper for phone rather than be forced onto a voip service.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:19:24 GMT

@garybs29wrote:
@pippincpI honestly don't get why people hate so much on the BT router which is supplied. I've had the smarthub 2 since day dot (part of the testing in the trial to begin with) & it's been absolutely fine with no issues.
Also on the digital voice there is a battery backup which at the minute lasts for 60 minutes but I'm sure they're looking to improve the timing on as they know it needs to be better

I don't hate the BT supplied hub, it is a "one size fits all" for the majority of customers and works well. When it comes to more advanced settings for advanced users it is not all that good. I haven't used an ISP supplied router for over 10 years. But that is because of my needs which aren't the same as the majority of users.

I don't use a home phone but felt I had to point out that as the BT hub becomes the base station for digital voice the hub has to be used.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

pippincp — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:22:48 GMT

@Balderdashwrote:

Try to think about this from the point of view of an elderly person who doesn’t understand the technology...
o they know historically that the landline phone works during a power cut, and even if they have cordless phones they will (should) have a wired/line-powered phone to use in emergency.
o It’s also much easier for them to dial “999” on a big button phone than a mobile device.
o They may also have an alarm or care monitoring system which relies on the current landline.

These are the main reasons why I would prefer my parents stayed on copper for phone rather than be forced onto a voip service.

I agree entirely but like it or not the copper service is being withdrawn. Even with a low battery a mobile will still be able to call the emergency services and will use whichever network is available, not necessarily the network subscribed to.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

Balderdash — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 13:51:29 GMT

That’s a good point about any available network being used...

I just wish this topic of copper vs. fibre for landline was more transparent to the end customer - before and during the full fibre ordering process...

And what the implications are for each type of service...

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

Beejay51 — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 21:10:00 GMT

I recently got FTTP installed from pole to house.Existing copper line is still to same pole and both are run in tandem to pole at road.The copper line is still in use for phone and fibre for broadband with no issues raised,may change in future though as lines get updated /renewed etc.Saying that we have no phone connected and our phone tariff is PAYG because all our calls are by mobile,forgot to mention our broadband includes line rental which seems to include the phone copper line as well.

Re: Confused about phone line with Full Fibre FTTP package

ZaphodBeeblebrox — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 01:39:48 GMT

Hi,

We had Fibre To The Premises installed couple of weeks ago. Before that we had Fibre To The Cabinet, which was about a mile away, and then copper to the house. As part of the deal we got 2 new VOIP handsets. These work really well.

The old copper wire was taken down from the poles, I watched the installer roll it all up and put it in the van. So we now only have a fibre connection.

I have just tried plugging one of our old telephone handsets into the 'Phone' socket on the back of the new BT Home Hub. It works as well as it ever did. Its a very old phone, complete with a chrome dial and pulse dialling, possibly a GPO 332 from the 1950's similar to this one

Bakelite Phone 332L with drawer, antique British GPO dial ...worcesterantiques.co.uk

So pulse dialling isn't dead yet!