This topic

Swap back

marco63 — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:34:38 GMT

I recently upgraded to the latest Halo and as part of this package I opted for Digital Voice without fully understanding what it meant. I don’t like the idea of the landline being dependent on the hub/broadband. Can I switch back?

Cheers

Mark

Re: Swap back

jac_95 — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:35:25 GMT

Hi marco63,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

If you have already looked for the answer to your question and have not found anything that can help, then please ignore this message. One of our Community members will be along shortly to help you further.

Re: Swap back

licquorice — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:51:15 GMT

@marco63 wrote:

Hi

I recently upgraded to the latest Halo and as part of this package I opted for Digital Voice without fully understanding what it meant. I don’t like the idea of the landline being dependent on the hub/broadband. Can I switch back?

Cheers

Mark

Afraid not. Everybody will be transferred to Digital Voice by 2025 in any case.

Re: Swap back

gg30340 — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:53:01 GMT

You can ask but I doubt it will happen. Every landline phone user in the UK will be switched over eventually because the copper system is being closed down by 2025.

Re: Swap back

Les-Gibson — Thu, 05 May 2022 14:16:09 GMT

Has the Digital voice been implemented yet? if not then it probably won't be for the foreseeable future as the rollout has been suspended pending a method to maintain telephony in the event of a power cut

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:03:22 GMT

They won’t revert it. They say it’s not possible, which is nonsense even if they put it back then do it again in 2025 when they have fully considered and allowed for the downsides

Here’s my issue:

It endangers life. If there is a power/broadband outage and no mobile phone available, for whatever reason, you could be put at serious risk. The old landline has it’s own power supply

They should provide battery backup as included, not charging £85 as if it were a nice extra. They are out of stock until the end of the year anyway so I am informed

This is a serious health and safety breach, which makes it a legal issue too.

I won’t be leaving it at that, believe me

Re: Swap back

imjolly — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:13:31 GMT

@marco63

do you actually have a mobile phone in your home? in case of emergency your mobile will connect to any network not necessarily your actual network

Re: Swap back

licquorice — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:37:44 GMT

@marco63 wrote:

They won’t revert it. They say it’s not possible, which is nonsense even if they put it back then do it again in 2025 when they have fully considered and allowed for the downsides

Here’s my issue:

It endangers life. If there is a power/broadband outage and no mobile phone available, for whatever reason, you could be put at serious risk. The old landline has it’s own power supply

They should provide battery backup as included, not charging £85 as if it were a nice extra. They are out of stock until the end of the year anyway so I am informed

This is a serious health and safety breach, which makes it a legal issue too.

I won’t be leaving it at that, believe me

So how does your old landline work when somebody knocks a pole over/cuts through the cable/goes faulty for other reasons etc etc. Is that also a threat to life and limb?

Re: Swap back

gg30340 — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:57:05 GMT

@marco63 wrote:

They won’t revert it. They say it’s not possible, which is nonsense can you explain for those of us who don't know why it's nonsense, why you say it is possible. even if they put it back then do it again in 2025 when they have fully considered and allowed for the downsides

Here’s my issue:

It endangers life. If there is a power/broadband outage and no mobile phone available, for whatever reason, you could be put at serious risk. The old landline has it’s own power supply What would happen if the pole or cable was brought down in say storm or for whatever reason, would it still work or if the telephone cabinet was destroyed by a vehicle crashing into it, would that endanger life?

They should provide battery backup as included, not charging £85 as if it were a nice extra. They are out of stock until the end of the year anyway so I am informed If you want a BBU you do not need to buy the BT one. Any BBU from other suppliers will work but keep in mind they generally only have enough power for an hour or so and out of interest do all your other electrical appliance manufacturers supply you a BBU per chance your power supply goes off?

This is a serious health and safety breach, which makes it a legal issue too. Unless you can point me to the law that covers this making it illegal to install a Digital Phone system without a BBU I would say you are talking rubbish.

I won’t be leaving it at that, believe me Out of interest what are you going to do?

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:01:17 GMT

I don’t appreciate the smug reply. I’ve recently had a heart attack and was very lucky. There is still copper to my house btw

Re: Swap back

gg30340 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:06:27 GMT

I am not being smug. I am being realistic with my replies to your post and while it is unfortunate that you have had a heart attack the reply I gave to your points still applies.

It matters not they way your phone system is delivered, if there is a power outage on either system for what ever reason your phone won't work.

Re: Swap back

licquorice — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:07:27 GMT

Sorry to hear about the heart attack, but the answers given are not 'smug' they are a fact of life.

The availability of a copper line is no better than the availability of Digital Voice. Both are susceptible to faults.

In the 50 odd years I've lived at this address (out in the sticks both electricity and phone delivered overhead), the longest we have been without power is a matter of a few hours at a time, however, when a rotten pole decided to fall over we were without a copper phone line for over a week.

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:11:10 GMT

There is still copper connected to my house. There are no backup batteries until the end of the year. I recently had a heart attack. I’m not having a hissy fit or a hypothetical argument. My service has been downgraded, putting my life at risk. There are many reasons I might not be able to make a mobile call, like I can’t find it. There are options like going to the ombudsman, leaving BT without penalty, you think about all this if you care to. I haven’t got time to fight with keyboard warriors

Re: Swap back

gg30340 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:14:55 GMT

Please keep this thread updated with how you get on with Ombudsman or leaving BT without penalty.

Meanwhile I hope your condition improves and you keep well.

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:19:26 GMT

We’ve had several power outages and no telephone line down

Copper phones carry their own power supply so are not affected by power outages, that’s the whole point of what I’m saying here

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:25:23 GMT

It hasn’t been solved

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:33:24 GMT

It’s possible because there’s copper to my house and everyone else’s in this village. Hell will freeze over before fttp gets here

Power outages happen a good deal and no pole or cable have been brought down in the 10 years I’ve lived here. Anyway, because one issue has no satisfactory answer that’s not a reason not to bother fixing another one

A freezer won’t save my life, abut a 999 call might

On the taking this forward, we’ll see won’t we? I’m not a lawyer so can’t point to anything. These things are never resolved until they’re tested. There are plenty of people without broadband in this country too and by definition almost, they’ll be vulnerable

think of this from a compassionate, humanitarian perspective rather than technical or economical

Re: Swap back

licquorice — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:42:19 GMT

So, what happens when the equipment in the exchange, which is already life expired, becomes impossible to maintain?

It's not the copper cable being ceased, it is the PSTN (public switched telephone network) that is being shut down in 2025 by the way.

Re: Swap back

imjolly — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:46:33 GMT

@marco63 wrote:
There are many reasons I might not be able to make a mobile call, like I can’t find it.

from your post you appear to have a working mobile phone so surely it is in your interest to carry the mobile phone and avoid having problems finding especially with your health problem

Re: Swap back

marco63 — Fri, 06 May 2022 16:56:43 GMT

It’s not for me to come up with all the solutions for problems caused by BT’s changes of service - that’s their job. There are, as I say, a large (enough) number of homes in the country that do not have broadband, about 3% I believe. That’s not far short of 2 million people. Being told what? Being treated how?

If you can’t imagine a situation where someone temporarily mislays their mobile phone that’s a failure of your imagination

The thrust of comments here seem to be along the lines of ‘computer says no’ or treating me (and 180,000 other people) as unworthy of consideration. That my problem is my problem. Reasons why there can’t be any help.