This topic

Digital Voice roll out halted.

zoltronix1972 — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:16:33 GMT

Maybe someone can shed some light on this.

Ordered BT Fibre 2 and Broadband on the 11th January 2021. Opted to keep my own number which is being moved across from Virgin Media on the 20th January 2021. At the time of order I was given all the spout about the BT network being upgraded and services were being moved over to VOIP/Digital Voice. I was told on the order my service would be Digital Voice and that in the event of a powercut I would lose Digital Voice unless the Superhub 2 had a UPS connected. I was asked to confirm this was ok.

I was then given the choice of using my own phone, or could order 1 advanced handset or 2 essential handsets, so I choose 1 advance handset.

Been notified today that BT Digital Voice will not be on package on the 20th January, when I pressed for more information I was told the roll out had been suspended due to problems with the service. However I would have thought if this was the case this forum would be crawling with problems from users, but all I see is the occasional issue which you can get with any service.

Is there truth in this, because I smell a rat.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:23:19 GMT

@zoltronix1972

Virgin Media and BT Retail are totally separate phone networks with their own unique number ranges, so I would not expect you to be able to keep your number, unless it was originally a BT Retail number.

There have not been any posts about Digital voice, but lots of posts about not being able to port numbers from Virgin media.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

RIC9380 — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:30:33 GMT

Seems and sounds a bit strange to me. I've had DV since 2019 without any problems other than a few hiccups at the start of the service and I'm very, very happy with it. Every now and again the handsets say that they can't update at the moment but then they do but overall I've honestly no complaints at all.

RIC9380

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

zoltronix1972 — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:35:16 GMT

The number being ported back is an original BT retail number.

I was originally BT retail, went to Virgin Media for 12 months, but have come back to BT due to abysmal service with Virgin Media.

But have been told point blank today, even when the number is ported BT Digital Voice is not being rolled out due to issues. Which I find hard to believe as I said this forum would be crawling if a service was so bad it had to be suspended.

Again if the number being ported was within the Virgin Media number range I could also understand, but the number is definitely our old BT number being ported back. (0121) 559 is definitely BT retail.

As I said I smell a rat and excuses from Customer Services and Activations.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Keith_Beddoe — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:38:38 GMT

@zoltronix1972 wrote:

The number being ported back is an original BT retail number.

Then there should be no problem porting it back on a copper pair, assuming you still have an Openreach master socket and are living at the same address.

Once the VM service is ceased, the number returns back to BT Retail, and you can request it back, once you have a working phone line on a new number.

There is no real advantage in BT Digital Voice if you already have a copper cable pair.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

zoltronix1972 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:44:38 GMT

Well it’s been confirmed by service activations.

Existing customers on the service will continue to be supported, but officially BT Digital Voice is dead, no more orders being taken for the service due to poor take up of the service and a lot of customer opposition.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

chrisfsi — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:14:05 GMT

This explains a lot. We had FTTP installed as part of a Community Fibre project last year. I ordered Digital Voice as it seemed sensible and received the 2 handsets. When the fibre service started, these could make outgoing calls but would not get incoming calls. After A LOT of to-and-fro with the BT fibre team, I was told that this was because my number was ported from another supplier (Post Office Telecom) when I switched to Fibre, and there were problems with porting. The Fibre team looked into cancelling and re-instating the DV service, but because the Fibre was already up and running they said they could not re-add it to an existing package. This despite the fact that when I ordered the DV service I did not have Fibre. The rep on the phone was very apologetic, and suggested we cancel the DV service altogether and look to add it in again in the future when DV was more widely rolled out.

So reading this thread, it looks like DV will never be rolled out, at least not in its current format! So I have Fibre for broadband and my old phones are still connected to the old copper network. My question - can the 2 (unused) DV handsets be used at all, or are they just more electronic junk??

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

imjolly — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:30:39 GMT

The DV handsets will pair to the SH2 as the dect base station but will not have a phone connection you can check to see if phone number highlighted within the hub manager

DV is being activated for new FTTP installs so it is far from stopped. The FVA service which was with older FTTP connections has stopped.

i have DV and it works without a problem and has done for over a Year

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

chrisfsi — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:53:52 GMT

Thanks for the reply... Both DV handsets are already registered to the SH2, and I can still make outgoing calls (which is a surprise..). But incoming calls still go to the old phone via the copper connection. Is there any way to get the DV handsets to get the incoming calls as well?

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Penybanc — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 20:50:05 GMT

I have the same problem. Selected Digital Voice following completion of our Community Fibre Project last September. To receive all incoming calls we soon found that we had to keep the old DECT phones plugged in. Only calls from some mobiles and call centres (inc BT) came through on the DV phone. Anyone calling via copper wire would come through to the old DECT phones. BT have prevaricated since September on this problem. I’m told this is down to a number porting issue. We have been asked to agree a temporary change of telephone number for two weeks whilst the number is re-ported. Why it takes 2 weeks I don’t know. BT then conceded in the same call that we might never get our original number back. If thats the case I shall ditch the landline and rely on mobiles and wifi calling.

43 households and businesses joined in our Community Fibre Scheme. 7 took digital voice and all 7 have the same problem with one exception. The exception has the same DV problem but to add insult to injury BT bills him twice and takes double the correct amount by direct debit. Going on for five months down the road and no end in sight for any of us.

I have lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman. BT are well advised to halt the rollout of DV given the problems they are having with the service.

To answer Chrisfsi directly - as far as I know there is no way that DV phone sets will receive all incoming calls until number porting issues are resolved

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

imjolly — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 21:47:32 GMT

Therè is no way BT are going to halt digital voice especially when they have just rolled out new handsets. Not everyone has a problem - mine works without a problem and still have my original number

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

IvorMac — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 20:46:21 GMT

Thanks for the update.
I am due FTTP to be completed next month, the drop has been installed.
When I speak to Sales, they do not take the order for DV.
I had to ring Customer Services and they will not confirm that I will be able to keep my original number if I go DV.
Most confusing as I want to keep my old number.
Did you just ask for your old number to be ported at the time FTTP installation or later?
Thanks for your time.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Penybanc — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 20:54:18 GMT

In my case (Sept 20) I assumed my number would be retained after transfer to Digital Voice (DV). BT are having technical issues in porting our number to DV. My case is now with the Ombudsman who tells me that BT are now advising that they cannot guarantee a number can be retained after transfer to DV. Some ports go ahead OK some don’t. Be prepared to lose your number!

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

zoltronix1972 — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 21:02:16 GMT

I eventually got mine sorted.

First BT had to cancel my order for digital voice.

Then they had to put the number port through first when the service was setup.

Then order for Digital Voice was put on two weeks after the number port went through.

It was difficult to sort out and frustrating, but I did get to keep my number and BT grudgingly did add digital voice eventually after overcoming issues.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

IvorMac — Sat, 20 Mar 2021 21:15:09 GMT

Many thanks for the update.

Seems strange in this day of electronics that an original number cannot be ported within the BT network to DV.

It might be best if I hold off until FTTP is up and running and then request DV.

At present the dropper from the pole has been installed and the twin copper pair within the fibre cable are connected to my house wiring to give me service prior to full installation next month.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Starwire — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:04:04 GMT

BT had better sort out their DV Roll Out soon because Openreach are about to stop using the FTTP/Copper Hybrid Cable in favour of a Fibre only one for use on the Underground and Overhead Network.

They’ve told Engineers to use up the last of the Hybrid Stocks they may have and then only use the Fibre only cable.

So if BT still insist on using Copper based voice services it’ll mean two drop cables up at your property if fed from a Telephone Pole.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

RIC9380 — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:10:22 GMT

Last week BT ceased my DV line without telling me. Apparently the cease was done by an offshore agent who could not be identified. It took umpteen calls on my mobile and 4 hours on it only to find out that my old number was permanently "lost" and couldn't be recovered. I was told this only affected a few of us who were on the original DV trial. Sounded a bit dodgy to me.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Penybanc — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:12:51 GMT

Sounds like you may be due some compensation...

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

RIC9380 — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:14:26 GMT

£40 credit applied to my bill.

Re: Digital Voice roll out halted.

Penybanc — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:18:33 GMT

Not a lot is it given the hassle involved - I was offered a similar amount via the Ombudsman - decision awaited. BT are not giving us the whole story on DV and do not seem to be fully accountable for errors/mistakes in porting numbers...