This topic

New Broadband / DV / own Router

cah1982 — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:31:26 GMT

So later this month Openreach will be installing fiber into our house.

They have mentioned removing the old copper cable house phone, but as elderly people live at this address, they need to be able to use the phone in a powercut, I understand BT offer a cordless/mobile style handset, but tbh old people arent great with new tech and in a emergency situation, it would be easier for them to use a standard corded phone.

I also use a custom router on openwrt, which runs certain DNS updates and VPNs, so I can access the network remotely for work. All devices are mac addressed to IP, with allot of port forwarding, so theres quite allot of intergrated things on the openwrt, and this connects also to 3 AP

I did thought this would just be a case of the ONT would have the Digital Voice phone socket and the ONT would have a battery backup, but I have been advised both of these are obsolete, and now all DV now goes through the router, but I cant have the router in bridge mode as this disables the DV. and not doing this would mean my network will have double NAT, which could cause issues with other things on the network

So is there a solution to this?

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

iniltous — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:45:52 GMT

BT DV (telephony) is via the phone port on the SH2 router , and that needs to be connected to the ONT , so your router can only ever be connected to SH2 , if your requirement is that only your own router be connected , instead of the SH2 , you won’t have DV telephony , so a few inherent problems you are aware of with two routers connected .

Obviously with DV , no power means no telephone, so a battery back up would be necessary should maintaining telephony during a power outage be necessary, these are only supplied free by BT to those that have qualifying needs , they are not free just because someone wants one , but can be purchased separately by the customer if they feel they need a BBU/UPS.

The copper cable may or may not be removed during a FTTP installation but irrespective it will be redundant.

There is no need to have any special telephone handset with DV , regular corded or cordless phones are fine , BT DV handsets have some features specifically for the DV service, like single button for voicemail , but are not necessary to use the service, they are no longer supplied for free.

As far as solutions, not to sure what you mean, if the service doesn’t match your requirements, don’t order it .

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

imjolly — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:43:13 GMT

If you get digital voice then the first connection to the ONT must be the BT SH2

this is covered numerous times on forum and also how to connect your own router to the SH2 just use search facility

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

cah1982 — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:53:34 GMT

tbh I oly wanted the internet, but they just said phones are digital voice, I thought there would just be a box, or something that goes on lan to phone lines, not use the router, as i never had any intention of using the SH2

Yes parents qualify for needing what ever is FOC, but the router plugged in first I think will cause some issues, along with them not been able to use mobiles or cordless hand sets.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

licquorice — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:10:55 GMT

They can use a normal handset. The SH2 has a built in ATA presented as a normal phone socket at the rear of the hub. However, as has been stated already, to use DV the hub needs to be directly connected to the ONT.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

iniltous — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:16:39 GMT

It’s not clear , you either need telephony or you don’t , if you don’t need telephony but your parents do , then who is paying for the service or whose needs take priority ? ….’they’ (BT) are correct , if you take Openreach FTTP and also want telephony from BT , its via the SH2 router , but it’s not compulsory, don’t want telephony from BT using DV , you don’t have to take it, but that’s all that’s on offer ….

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

pippincp — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:23:48 GMT

There are many 3rd party DV providers that don't need the SH2 for connection. Why mobile would be affected is beyond me.

Like it or not DV is the way telephony is going. You don't have a choice.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

cah1982 — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:43:10 GMT

For me I dont care about having a house phone, I always have a mobile on me

But for old peple its easier to dial 999 etc, when you have people who dont think i need to press the green button for it to dial, change is hard for them

I have been looking at other DV where they connect to LAN,

but its this what i dont get the bellow

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/whats-an-openreach-modem-ont

it shows NEW ONT and has a Telephone port on it, so i was thinking this was the solution that solves it all

it even states

TEL 1: Digital voice customers can use this to plug in a telephone.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

pippincp — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:49:59 GMT

Pity you didn't check the year that was issued.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

chrisjp — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:56:44 GMT

The BT webpage: "https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/whats-an-openreach-modem-ont" is clearly obsolete but why haven't they removed it?
It's highly confusing for those without detailed knowledge of current DV arrangements for it to still be accessible.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

cah1982 — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:16:42 GMT

This is thing, when I have seen installs at other peoples houses, I thought oh it wont matter, then seeing youtube of installs I was like well it seems random which ONT was shown, so thought maybe some are special requests etc. Like in this case for parents needing to use a standard phone line

When you look at other VOIP services like Vonage, you just get a box that plugs into router. obvs this doesnt help in a power cut.

Even when you look at the BBU then the like UPS style BT sell on line, this seems to be obsolete now and the new handset with built in sim. again great for people who could use it, but still doesnt help us who use our own routers, so cant really have the SH2 as a router,

Wouldnt be bothered if u could set that as modem/voip, its just the fact it needs to be a router to work on voip, or if that could plug into my router

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

licquorice — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:20:36 GMT

Oh for goodness sake, just get broadband from BT without voice and then get voice from a third party VoIP supplier.

Re: New Broadband / DV / own Router

HHGTTG — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 19:18:19 GMT

Oh dear, yet another 'go' at we old people as you call them. I'm 87 and have no such problems and am fully versed in such matters or at least as far as I need to be. We all haven't got one foot in the grave although I acknowledge that I have not got many years left before I go doolally.
Grrrrrhh

I wonder how old the OP is, late teens or early twenties?