This topic

Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

jonstatt — Mon, 31 May 2021 11:46:28 GMT

I have an alarm system in a coat cupboard with hard wired power and telephone connection. BT are forcing my migration to Digital Voice as the dial system on the alarm is to family members and not to emergency services.

I can't use an adapter as there is no power socket nearby being in a coat cupboard. The only way is to disconnect the incoming copper to the master socket and re-enable all BT sockets in the house to somehow connect to Digital Voice.

Is there a right way to do this?

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 31 May 2021 12:42:08 GMT

@jonstatt

There is nothing to stop you linking the phone socket on the back of the SH2, into your existing phone wiring.

You just need a lead like this. Ignore the reference to the ONT on the picture

Lead to link ONT TEL port to phone socket

Farnell Telephone Modular Cable, BT631A Plug to BT631A Plug

There are other places.

Ebay have the 4 wire one, which works just as well.

BT 4 Wire 431A Plug to Male Plug Telephone Cable Lead

You would need to disconnect the existing master phone socket, from the external network.

That would then extent the phone connection to all of the existing sockets.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

imjolly — Mon, 31 May 2021 13:16:10 GMT

if you try @Keith_Beddoe suggested solution please post back as it will more than likely help others wanting to do the same thing maybe for different reasons. not sure how many phones the hub will support assuming this works

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Starwire2 — Mon, 31 May 2021 14:59:56 GMT

There is a Digital Voice Faceplate for the NTE5c BT Consumer can supply.

Only problem is though the Router needs to be next to the NTE, unless you buy or make up and extended BT631A to BT631A phone cord.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

imjolly — Mon, 31 May 2021 15:19:19 GMT

I tried searching for a specific digital voice master socket faceplate but could not find one so do you have a link please

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

jonstatt — Mon, 31 May 2021 15:41:52 GMT

That would be ideal. My router is right next to the master socket. I predicted this and had FTTP installed there.

Let me see if BT customer service know of this plate.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Starwire2 — Mon, 31 May 2021 18:37:29 GMT

I’ve not seen it online, not even sure if you can buy them?

I’ve only seen them when BT Consumer Customers have been sent them with their Smart Hub as part of their Digital Voice Service.

I did have a photo of one on my old work iPhone SE but recently upgraded it to an iPhone 11 so don’t have it anymore. If I see one next week at work I’ll get photo for you.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

jonstatt — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:13:19 GMT

I did speak to BT who did look into this properly and said the faceplate is no longer made. What a shame

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

jonstatt — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 09:01:47 GMT

I don't have a date for the transition yet. BT are sending letters out telling people to get ready by getting the free handset etc or advising them of an alarm. How long after this letter you get an actual order date I don't know. But I will report back on using a male to male BT cable to the master socket with street wiring disconnected after it does happen.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 09:17:19 GMT

@jonstatt

Just make sure you disconnect any internal wiring from the external network, if you do link the sockets together, otherwise your DV phone line number will be extended to the DP and cabinet, and could end up being connected to another line by mistake.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Starwire2 — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 18:14:14 GMT

Ah right, they were short lived then. Wondered why I hadn’t seen any for some time.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

gspearson — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 03:36:44 GMT

easy enough to make though? Unless there is some pair reversal or similar?

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

DavidSC — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:40:10 GMT

How many extensions does this method support? Will there be enough power in the SH2 to ring two handsets?

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

gspearson — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:46:48 GMT

Telephone bells used to need diesel generators to provide enough power to drive the clapper - I'm guessing that the REN was based on that high power demand - and I think you could have 4 one REN sets. These days, with electronic sounds from phones, the power needed must be small (although all of my 4 BT Decor 1300s have batteries - each marked REN 1 but they don't ring without batteries). In short, I guess that modern phones don't need much power.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

DavidSC — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:53:01 GMT

Thanks for that - it'll be interesting to see. Otherwise I shall use a DV adapter. I have a supplementary question. If I plug a conventional phone into the back of the SH2, will I get a dial tone? I know that in the new digital world it's only a sound effect, and not a "real" dial tone, but it's still a reassuring sound that the phone's working and not on open circuit.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

gspearson — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:57:57 GMT

More importantly, is the sound any better than the burble/swish/stutter noise you get from a mobile or a DECT set? You know the sort of thing you get from a VOIP call with a bank or helpdesk.. I'm sticking with copper until the bitter end by which time I will be deaf and it won't matter.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:10:03 GMT

@gspearson

If you have FTTP or FTTC, you will have no choice but to move to Digital Voice, as those customers are going to be the first to be "disconnected" from the PSTN equipment in the exchange, as part of the PSTN shutdown scheduled to be completed by 2025.

What is going to happen to ADSL customers, its not clear at the moment, but I suspect that they will be sent a SH2, or similar, assuming that they want to keep their phone service, and the service will be delivered over ADSL, just as the old Broadband Talk service was.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

gspearson — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:14:47 GMT

I do have FTTC now and OpenReach came last year to prepare the way to take fibre to our street telephone pole (it's on an embankment covered in trees). The blue rope hangs marking the route. Meanwhile City Fibre is digging up adjacent streets. It's all go here.

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

Stevek1311 — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 20:54:20 GMT

@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@jonstatt
There is nothing to stop you linking the phone socket on the back of the SH2, into your existing phone wiring.
You just need a lead like this. Ignore the reference to the ONT on the picture

Lead to link ONT TEL port to phone socket
Farnell Telephone Modular Cable, BT631A Plug to BT631A Plug
There are other places.
Ebay have the 4 wire one, which works just as well.
BT 4 Wire 431A Plug to Male Plug Telephone Cable Lead
You would need to disconnect the existing master phone socket, from the external network.
That would then extent the phone connection to all of the existing sockets.

Thanks for that as I'm contemplating doing something similar

A question though: do you or does anyone know please what REN (Ringer Euivalence Number) load the SH2 output can support? If someone has multiple phones on their current BT sockets they might easily have an REN load of 2 or higher so there could be a problem.

A variant of the 'plug a double male' cable into the SH2 might be to use the Digital Voice Adapter BT offer so again if anyone knows what REN load that can support I'd be glad to know the answer please

Re: Correct way to enable all BT sockets after Digital Voice

licquorice — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 16:22:57 GMT

@Starwire2 wrote:

I did have a photo of one on my old work iPhone SE but recently upgraded it to an iPhone 11 so don’t have it anymore. If I see one next week at work I’ll get photo for you.

Just found this on a Draytek site. https://www.draytek.co.uk/information/blog/the-end-of-analogue-phone-lines-pt2