This topic

Using existing phone and voicemail message

Jax70 — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:35:46 GMT

Good afternoon, We are due to move to Digital Voice next week and I have 2 queries:

1. will our existing handset be compatible with Digital Voice. It is a BT Duet 500.

2. following the switchover, will our existing Voicemail message remain or will we need to record a new message.

Any guidance will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Using existing phone and voicemail message

gg30340 — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:31:21 GMT

Have a look at the FAQ in the following link and the other link which may be helpful.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Digital-Voice-FAQs/td-p/2207485

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice--how-do-i-use-my-calling-features-

Re: Using existing phone and voicemail message

chrisjp — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:01:55 GMT

Any phone that works plugged into a master socket will work just the same plugged into the DV socket on the back of the Smarthub 2.
If your outgoing voicemail message is recorded on your existing phone, it'll work just the same when on DV.
DV does however provide its own voicemail service (free). If you want to continue to use your phone's voicemail service, just set the number of rings after which the DV voicemail answers to more rings than your own phone answers after.

Re: Using existing phone and voicemail message

truCido — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:57:34 GMT

If you have voicemail provided by BT then your message wont remain. You'll have to record a new one

Re: Using existing phone and voicemail message

iniltous — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:08:22 GMT

If you currently pay BT for an answering service (so not an answer machine in your own home ) then DV provides a basic answer service for free , but you need to cancel the old ‘PSTN’ paid for answer service you currently have yourself.

TBH , the DV answer service can be basic and free , or a paid for premium version , you would need to check or perhaps someone will advise if recording a personal greeting as opposed to the standard BT greeting is on the premium or basic DV answer service but if all you want is a way for a caller to leave you a message then the free service is perfectly adequate , and will save you whatever you currently pay for the old answering service ……the BT Duet 500 doesn’t seem to have a built in answer machine so there shouldn’t be any conflict between your equipment and the DV answer service , sometimes a customers own answer machine and BT 1571 answer service ‘compete’ to to record any message left , sometimes the customer isn’t aware where the message was left (so for example check their own machine but not the BT answer service

Re: Using existing phone and voicemail message

truCido — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:02:11 GMT

You can record a greeting on both standard (free) and premium service