This topic

Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:39:38 GMT

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from BT to say I would soon be switched to the Digital Voice service. In the email it states 'You can order either one adapter or a Digital Voice home phone free of charge from bt.com/DVequipment or TEXT the word ADAPTER or HANDSET to 61998'

I have tried this link in both Firefox and Edge and in both cases I get a popup where i enter my phone number but all I then get is the message 'The number entered is not eligible for this offer. Please check you have entered your number correctly'

I received a second email today telling me that my switchover will be within 48 hours of 7th September.

I have logged into my BT account and it shows an open order with an order number and an 'activation' date of 7 Sept for transfer to Digital Voice

I have also sent HANDSET to 61998, but had no reply yet - I don't see how they will link my (GiffGaff) mobile number to my BT account!

Any idea how I can claim my free phone?

TIA

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

-Richie- — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:58:31 GMT

Ring 0800 800 150, speak with the connections team, explain you tried texting with no success, ask if they will raise an order manually.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 11:08:34 GMT

@JeffGrimes

Remember, you can still connect your existing phones to the phone socket on the back of the BT Smart Hub 2, once you have been moved over to DV.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 13:56:24 GMT

Well! I rang the number and spoke to the Digital Voice team and was told that there was nothing noted in my account about the offer of a free phone but that they didn't expect to see anything until the transfer to DV had been activated!

I commented that it was odd to send me the link if it was not relevant.

Anyway, they have noted all my info on my account and said to ring back after activation if the link didn't then work and they would then sort out the free phone.

To me this could leave some customers without a home phone for a few days at change over time. Also why send an email with a link to the offer if it is not going to work until the system has been swapped and not mention the fact that this will not work until after the change over day.

I expect to be back on the phone to them on the 7th (pessimism or realism on my part - I'm not sure which!)

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

-Richie- — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:13:21 GMT

@JeffGrimeswrote:
To me this could leave some customers without a home phone for a few days at change over time.

You can use your existing phone if you prefer, you'd have to plug it into the Smart Hub to work, instead of the old stlye sockets, so nobody will go without service when switching over due to handsets 🙂

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

licquorice — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:21:56 GMT

@-Richie- wrote:

@JeffGrimeswrote:

To me this could leave some customers without a home phone for a few days at change over time.

You can use your existing phone if you prefer, you'd have to plug it into the Smart Hub to work, instead of the old stlye sockets, so nobody will go without service when switching over due to handsets 🙂

@JeffGrimes As already pointed out in message 3 by @Keith_Beddoe

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:40:01 GMT

Fine, but our phone plugs into sockets in the hall and lounge, BUT the Hub and networking stuff is in an understairs cupboard clautrophobic and with only 4ft of headroom - especially great if you're in your 70's like we are!

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

hammers7359 — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 15:38:35 GMT

Hi,

We've had FTTP since mid-June, but only recently (1st September) switched to DV. We had a card in the post, on the day of switch over, showing what to do and how to order "one free adapter or a Digital Voice home phone free of charge". We had the same problem as the OP. The box pops up and enter my number and it says "The number entered is not eligible for this offer. Please check you have entered your number correctly".

So either there's a problem with the web page, or, maybe we have to wait for the service to register for the box to accept the number.

Any comments?

Rob

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Will168 — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 15:52:15 GMT

I had this today. Got the message "The number entered is not eligible for this offer. Please check you have entered your number correctly.". Called customer services and explained to them that already had notice of DV being activated on 9 September 2021.

The nice lady said no problem, asked if I wanted the adaptor or the Alexa phone. I said phone. She placed the order there and then and said it would be charged on the next bill, but also immediately raised a credit onto the account for the same amount. Had the order confirmation email and the account credit email. Phone should arrive on Monday. So there are ways around it.

Oddly, on the other account which has had no notice for moving to DV, the number works on the website and can successfully generate the code for ordering the free phone or adaptor.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 19:49:43 GMT

So it looks like the process for getting the free phone or adapter is flawed. Also there is no consistency with BT response to being phioned to query the problem - Will168 gets it ordered and the cost covered before switchover day while I have to wait until switched - when I expect I'll have to phone again to get my Alexa phone.

They also need to have the system correctly respond to customers warned of upcoming switch to DV rather than erronoeusly displaying the "The number entered is not eligible for this offer. Please check you have entered your number correctly" message.The BT database system must hold the data of the upcoming swap to DV so it should be simple to check for due activation and then allow ordering of the phone or adapter.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Thespudman — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 09:47:40 GMT

Same here - link didn't work, but I sent a SMS to the number (which was the same number that I received updates from about my FTTP setup) and after a few days got a response. Arrive about a week later. Free digital handset is all set up.

My activation date is the 7th September as well 🙂

Problem I have is where can I order further handsets? I like the idea of the Alexa handset....

Yup - Aware I can plug in my old hand set, but I've deliberately moved my hub away from my cordless phones as loads of websites / help says "keep the hub away from other cordless or electronic devices" - and now we are being told to plug it into the hub!! (Plus my existing handsets are getting a bit tired now - 2 of the 4 are no longer holding their charge for as log as they should (yeah could just replace the rechargeable batteries) and the screens are beginning to show signs of use!!!)

On that note - the BT HD Voice handset doesn't appear to have a removable battery(ies).... Is it Lithium Ion now rather than the old AAA NiCd batteries?

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:14:36 GMT

Interesting info.
If you look at the advanced phone manual https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/digital-voice/advanced-phone/BT-Advanced-Digital-Home-Phone-User-Guide.pdf it shows how to open the phone and replace the batteries.
I find things that are sealed and can only be thrown away when the batteries have worn out very annoying! Electric toothbrushes are one of the culprits but with a bit of searching and simple soldering the batteries can be changed can be changed!
It looks like the dv handset uses two AAA Ni-MH
800mAh rechargeable .

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

imjolly — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 10:22:13 GMT

this post shows how to replace batteries and it works tried myself

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Replacement-batteries/td-p/2179697/page/2

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Barnacle_Bill — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 07:51:29 GMT

The BT organisation is certainly dysfunctional and inconsistent in customer support.

We were told we would be switched to DV in April. At that time BT were promoting on their web site two important things as far as I was concerned. 1) You would be eligible FOC for a choice of either 2 basic digital voice handsets or 1 advanced handset. 2) Customers at risk of power cuts and with no mobile service (me) would be eligible FOC for battery back up units.

I called the Fibre Team and requested the two free handsets and these arrived within 24hours. I also requested the battery back up units and these were ordered for me, although it took many months, numerous phone calls and eventually the support of my local MP to actually get them.

Also the link to the choice of a DV handset or adapter worked for me and I was able to order another handset for just the price of the postage.

Much of the above seems to have disappeared from any web information I can find but its worth pushing with customer support for it.

One difference I think is if BT decided to switch you rather than you requesting to be switched. If BT decided to switch you then you shouldn't be forced into replacing your handsets at your cost.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 08:02:37 GMT

What BT do not always make clear, is that you can continue using your existing phones, by simply plugging them into the socket on the SH2. The new "free" phones are more likely to appeal to people who have conventional wired phones, and want a wires free alternative.

If you already have an existing DECT system that does what you want, then there is no need for the new phones, unless you want to be able to make more than one outgoing call at a time.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 08:42:03 GMT

Keith

Of course I'm aware I could plug in an existing phone to the back of the hub, but as a pointed out earlier our hub is in an uderstairs cupboard with a low ceiling height and not readilly accessible.

Anyway this is not addressing the fact that the BT admin system for the free phones/adapter is flawed and needs to be put right. It should not be for the customer to have to compromise because the DV switchover admin and free phone offer is not working properly. Bear in mind it is not my decision to switch to DV.

Also look at the number of others posting about this and the varied response from BT.

BT need to look at the underlying programming of the relavnt part of the web site and put that right and not rely on customers to have to work round the error.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 08:51:41 GMT

@JeffGrimes wrote:

Keith

Of course I'm aware I could plug in an existing phone to the back of the hub, but as a pointed out earlier our hub is in an under stairs cupboard with a low ceiling height and not readily accessible.

That is why they offer the DV adapter.

I admit, its going to be confusing for many people, so perhaps BT should be offering free visits from one of their approved contractors, to assist those who are not capable of making the change. There must be many thousands of people who are going to struggle, especially those with extensions that are teed into the main copper line. (star wiring).

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 09:16:00 GMT

I can understand that, but in my case i won't have either dv adapter or dect phone until after Ihave been switched on Tuesday.
But I still think they need to be aware and willing to change the web site to work properly. I spent my last 30 years before retiring developing, programming and supporting personnel in a major government ministry. We always had out programming checked by the bug finding team that tried to break the system (using an internal version of data(bases) so that we could be sure that our work was fit for purpose.

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

Frank1947 — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 23:47:22 GMT

My openreach engineer set up the new digital phone but it said it couldn't send or receive calls and help said no internet connection. Copper still worked. Went out, came back to e-mail saying I was ready to go. Copper didn't work, but new phone still couldn't make or receive. On to CHAT, wasted an hour and was told it could take 48 hours to resolve. 48 hours later, back to CHAT. Just give me a minute, phone works. They'd obviously disconnected the copper but not connected the digi.

Now a question. My old phone is 4 station Panasonic, only the base station was directly wired to the copper, and is now plugged into the back of my hub. Caller ID works fine on the digi phone but no longer works on the Panasonic sets. IF I buy the £15 adaper does caller ID and my own message taking system with my own mesage to the caller work again?

Re: Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

JeffGrimes — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 07:04:41 GMT

We had an old 4 handset Panasonic phone and when our Digital Voice was activated I experimented with one of the phone handsets: I unlinked it from the panasonic base unit and then used the DECT phone option built in to the smart hub 2 without plugging anything into the phone socket on the back of the hub.
Ringing the home phone from my mobile the linked handset rung, but it just rung continuously which was exrememly annoying. The display on the handset displayed that it was my mobile calling, but apart from that no other details. When not being used the screen was blank.
I was told that third party DECT phones would 'work' with the DECT base built in to the smart hub 2 but that there was no guarantee that other features of the panasonic system would work.
In the end we took up the offer of a free 'Advanced Digital Phone with Alexa' which works well.
In the end we removed the Panasonic system and putrchased two more of the Advanced Digital phones.
It is annoying that the old reliable Panasonic phones would only work bery basically, bu the new Advanced Digital phones work fine but cost us extra.
.When we were converted to DV we were offered a £15 adfapter OR An advanced digital phone with alexa OR two basic digital phone handsets.
Jeff