This topic

Copper landline "old and outdated".

kervoas — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:00:15 GMT

Received a message from BT to say we need Digital Voice because our copper landline is old and outdated.

I don't understand why, if this is necessary, our broadband service is expected to continue using the same "old and outdated" copper landline. Mobile signal in the house is very weak. I'm nervous about the update if the landline is not updated first!

Can anyone explain?

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

Kimberlin — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:22:23 GMT

@kervoas

I’m assuming that you are currently supplied your broadband via Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC)? FTTC is where fibre optic has been laid as far as a green cabinet in a street or road nearby and then you have copper cable from the cabinet to your home. You’re clearly not connected as yet to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

As part of a nationwide update, all households with a landline are being changed over to Digital Voice. You cannot stop this from happening. If you wish to continue using a landline, you have to accept the upgrade or you lose access to your landline, it’s that simple. See the following link and read through:

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice-migration

One would hope that eventually, FTTP will be available to your home and that will be the end of a copper line to your premises anyway.

As far as the changeover is concerned, it has been publicised by BT enough over the last couple of years. The old telephone exchange network is being decommissioned because it is no longer fit for purpose.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

iniltous — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:29:47 GMT

You misunderstood what the communication said , it’s the PSTN (telephone) equipment within the telephone exchange that is old and outdated and being retired, and why you will need to connect your phone to the broadband router (when advised to do so ) , the copper pair ‘line’ into your home isn’t being retired yet .

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

WSH — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:56:03 GMT

It sounds as though you are on FTTC (or Part Fibre).

I was on FTTC when upgraded to Digital Voice two and a half years ago. It was fine. The phone works just the same as it always did. Four months ago I was finally upgraded to FTTP (Full Fibre). The phone didn't even notice.

The only potential problem is that Digital Voice through the broadband won't work in a power cut, but there are battery backup units you can get.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

kervoas — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:00:42 GMT

This is what the BT message said:

"It's time to get ready to move to Digital Voice, your new home phone service. Keep an eye out for further updates.

The existing landline has become old and outdated, and that's why it's being retired by all telephone providers across the UK and upgraded to a digital service"

No mention of exchange update. So far as I'm aware, we do not yet have fibre to cabinet, just the old equipment and a broadband service which is often unstable.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

Kimberlin — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:07:53 GMT

@kervoas

Do you live in a fairly residential area, or are you in a more remote location?

If you are for instance in a fairly busy urban locale, chances are, you’ll be on FTTC, you probably may not even be aware that you are.

Irrespective, you will be provided with the necessary equipment to ensure your landline connection. Please read the earlier link fully to appraise yourself of what’s involved.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

kervoas — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:42:27 GMT

So far no answer to my question, to put more simply, why is it necessary to switch to digital voice if the old and outdated copper landline is good enough for the broadband service ?

We do live in a rural area with poor mobile coverage. Fibre has been installed in a hamlet about 1.5 miles away and in a village 2 miles distant. Open Reach give no date for fibre installation at the three properties in my little patch.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

iniltous — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:53:37 GMT

What is it you don’t understand, in this context ‘landline’ is not the physical medium the service is delivered over , but the service itself , that is landline telephony , and its delivered from equipment in the exchange that is around 40 years old and way past its useful life …it’s replacement in BT’s case is called Digital Voice and is delivered over broadband that already uses copper pairs as well as fibre , in your case the existing copper pair that is delivering your broadband will also deliver your broadband once you are on Digital Voice

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

WSH — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:53:45 GMT

The copper wires are not the problem. Digital Voice will run quite happily over copper or fibre optic.

The problem is the equipment that operates the PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network). It is outdated, dropping to bits and difficult to get spares for, as no one makes them any more.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

kervoas — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:02:07 GMT

Thank you, I get it. To me (and any dictionary you care to mention) landline meant a wire or cable that connects a phone to an exchange, not the exchange itself. How can a telephone exchange or its equipment be referred to as a landline???

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

Kimberlin — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:10:03 GMT

@kervoas

Whilst you may not be familiar with the context of the term ‘landline’ for telephony equipment, it is a term that has literally been used for decades.

There’s frankly little point of continuing the conversation. You’ve been provided with an explanation. You either accept the change, or you don’t. It’s called progress whether you choose to accept it or not.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

chrisjp — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:12:58 GMT

"You misunderstood what the communication said , it’s the PSTN (telephone) equipment within the telephone exchange that is old and outdated and being retired"

Actually it's BT that is causing this confusion.
In its communications (both email and mailings) telling people that they're going to be migrated to DV they say that is because they need to retire the "old and updated copper cables".
They don't say that all that is being retired (for the significant number of its customers still on FTTC) is the PTSN equipment at the exchange.
That is why so many people assume that migration to DV will also be accompanied by getting a full fibre service

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

kervoas — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:17:29 GMT

Thank you Chrisjp, that's a helpful and polite explanation, unlike the previous post.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

WSH — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:40:06 GMT

I think the expression dates from the first world war when communication in the trenches was based on a telephone “land” based “line” as radio was comparatively new and uncommon.

But you are right, it should refer to a cable not a communications system.

My personal favourite is ethernet. Everybody today seems to think that is a cable type. Nope. It’s the name of a transmission format and ethernet can be passed over may cable types, including twisted pair, coaxial and fibre optic. So what exactly is an “ethernet cable”?

Misuse of terminology is rife in home IT these days, so I’m not surprised confusion arises.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

licquorice — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:19:04 GMT

Nowhere in the communication is the word 'copper' mentioned.

Unfortunately the term 'landline' means many things to many people. Equally unfortunately, correct terminology also baffles many people, ergo you can't win.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

Kimberlin — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:22:00 GMT

Equally, this forum is littered with posts in threads where folks just refuse to accept what is being said and they then turn the whole thing into an argument. You can’t win.

Re: Copper landline "old and outdated".

gg30340 — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 17:44:39 GMT

The bottom line is your landline phone service will be changing to a VOIP system which BT call Digital Voice.

Your only choice with BT in regards to that is to accept that or do without a BT landline phone service.

Assuming you do not want to just use a mobile phone service you can of course arrange your own landline phone service through an other provider but I doubt you will find one that will be using anything other than a VOIP service.