This topic

Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

Robhuk — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:00:19 GMT

We have 2 phone numbers, one ends in 3 and the other ends in 8. They both work from the same cable coming into the house.

The phone with the number ending in 8 is at the other end of the house from the router, on an extension cable and we need to move this number to VOIP. We only have a traditional phone socket for the number ending in 8.

We can move the VOIP handset for the number ending in 8 nearer to the router and plug it in but how will we differentiate between the two numbers? Is this a job for Openreach?

Sorry if that sounds confusing ...

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:05:47 GMT

There is absolutely no connection between the 2 numbers, they are completely separate and will be dealt with separately. They can't both be served from the same router.

They may work from the same cable, but not the same wires within the cable. There will be 2 wires for each service.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

Robhuk — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:11:19 GMT

Thanks very much for the prompt reply. We only need one number now, the one ending in 8. How can we prioritise this through the router?

Alternatively, could we swap the traditional socket on the extension to one with an ethernet port? Thanks.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:16:58 GMT

You simply need to cease the unwanted number, call BT to cancel the contract. No idea what you mean about swapping the socket.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:20:12 GMT

Can you clarify what services you have on both lines. Are they simply phone lines or do one or both also have broadband?

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

Robhuk — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:22:51 GMT

We need to change the phone to a VOIP phone, so we need a new socket with an ethernet port. Will the existing cable to the existing socket also need to be changed?

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 18:31:32 GMT

Sorry, you are completely misunderstanding how VoIP works.

Are you actually a BT residential customer or are you a BT business customer?

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

Robhuk — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:00:33 GMT

Both lines currently have broadband. This is the crux of our problem. We are paying for 2 broadband lines unneccesarily. We want to keep the phone number but not the broadband.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

Robhuk — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:01:50 GMT

Residential, with 2 broadband lines, one of which is no longer required but the phone number is still required.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:23:23 GMT

Then as already stated, simply call BT to cease the line not required.The other line will be converted to Digital Voice as and when.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

friendly1_uk — Tue, 05 May 2026 06:04:33 GMT

The Hub3 supports 4 phone numbers. So you have one fiber into the property, for the router, that can provide for 4 different phone numbers. If you don't have a fiber yet, you will have this year anyway.

I can't see prices for each of the extra numbers. Only that the router supports this.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

chrisjp — Tue, 05 May 2026 10:50:19 GMT

"If you don't have a fiber yet, you will have this year anyway."

Not necessarily - there is no commitment from Openreach to make full fibre (Fibre to the Premises, FTTP) available to everyone by the end of 2026.
I think you may be mixing this up with the commitment to get everyone onto digital voice (DV) by the end of 2026. This will allow the Public Switched Telephone Network to be retired but will NOT result in all the copper cables being "retired", as BT misleadingly claims in some of its promotional stuff.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

imjolly — Tue, 05 May 2026 11:06:22 GMT

@friendly1_uk

the hub 3 is a business product and no use on a residential line. this is a residential forum maybe you should post of BT business forum https://business.forums.bt.com/

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

friendly1_uk — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:45:29 GMT

Before correcting someone, check your own facts. I have now made more effort mopping up your mess, than I did offering the OP proper advice.

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/Meet-our-next-generation-Smart-Hub-3/td-p/2460307

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:56:07 GMT

I have no idea where you get the idea that the Hub3 will support 4 phone numbers.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

gg30340 — Tue, 05 May 2026 15:12:01 GMT

@friendly1_ukwrote:
The Hub3 supports 4 phone numbers. So you have one fiber into the property, for the router, that can provide for 4 different phone numbers. If you don't have a fiber yet, you will have this year anyway.

I can't see prices for each of the extra numbers. Only that the router supports this.

Can you point out where it states that the Smarthub 3 can support four phone numbers?

It has already been pointed out that your comment "If you don't have a fiber yet, you will have this year anyway" is not correct so I won't cover that again with more detail.

Different types of BT Hub | BT Help

Help for BT Hubs | BT Help

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

friendly1_uk — Tue, 05 May 2026 15:39:02 GMT

Is it incorrect, or is that wishful thinking.

This isn't what I came for.

BT business is a couple of quid more than residential, to get better service. It's a lot cheaper than having two domestic lines. But you don't need business to get the hub 3, it's a domestic product. Which if ordered to a property without fiber, will trigger a fiber install in the extremely vast majority of cases. Only the OP can run the postcode based checks though. Shall we have a wager that my arrival here has sorted them out.

Speaking of out...

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

licquorice — Tue, 05 May 2026 15:47:25 GMT

What a complete load of nonsense

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

gg30340 — Tue, 05 May 2026 16:09:57 GMT

@friendly1_ukwrote:
Is it incorrect, or is that wishful thinking.
This isn't what I came for.
BT business is a couple of quid more than residential, to get better service. It's a lot cheaper than having two domestic lines. But you don't need business to get the hub 3, it's a domestic product. Which if ordered to a property without fiber, will trigger a fiber install in the extremely vast majority of cases. Only the OP can run the postcode based checks though. Shall we have a wager that my arrival here has sorted them out.
Speaking of out...

What on earth are you talking about. Best laugh I have had today.

Re: Move to digital with 2 phone numbers in the house

chrisjp — Tue, 05 May 2026 19:08:53 GMT

"Which if (SH3) ordered to a property without fiber, will trigger a fiber install in the extremely vast majority of cases."

I really don't think it will.
The SH2 is perfectly capable of being used with Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) but these installations rely on Openreach's plans. If an area is not on Openreach's plan for installing FTTP, no amount of BT dishing out SH3s will make any difference!