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Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

Nigel12 — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:53:36 GMT

With the change over we understand that when calling you need to add the area dialling code, even on what are generally termed local calls.

However, an elderly relative with cognitive and memory problems will not be able to comprehend this - she can remember our number but will not be able to remember to add the area code first. Our number is her primary contact.

I presume as part of there equality assessments BT considered this - any ideas what we can do ?

Are there and wired landlines where we can pre-programme the area code to be run when she dials just our number ?

she cant cope with wireless phones - they'll be 'lost' within minutes and thus rendered useless as a communications device. Any change causes her great stress

Thanks in advance

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

licquorice — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:10:14 GMT

https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/phones/inclusion-phones/bt-big-button-200

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

imjolly — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:15:32 GMT

has your been notified they are being changed over to DV? from your post. I assume your relative does not have broadband and has phone only which are the last group to move to DV so could be months yet.

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

Nigel12 — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:22:03 GMT

thank you

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

Nigel12 — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:23:29 GMT

thank you - "ye olde worlde landline only" 🙂

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

imjolly — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 22:15:18 GMT

You didn't say if you had been notified your relatives are being moved to DV

Re: Home phone and digital change over. Users with no cognitive ability to cope with the change

iniltous — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:55:29 GMT

Almost every landline phone instrument will have last number redial button , so enter the full number , call it, and then any future calls to that number are simply using the redial button , (even simpler than calling a 6 digit number ) if your relative doesn’t just call yourself most phones have a memory button and can save multiple numbers , enter the full national number and demonstrate that , again pressing ‘M1 - Call’ or whatever sequence is needed should not be too difficult, or provide an ‘aide memoire’ next to the phone …

if you are requesting some sort of bespoke omission from having to use the full national number , that’s impossible, many areas of the country have had to use the full national number on all calls , even to ‘local’ addresses, decades before the introduction of IP telephony…like it or not by Jan 2027 this will be in place, with the full backing of the regulator.