This topic

Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

Bertybond — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:01:47 GMT

We have just been transferred over to digital voice and have had some new phones supplied which is all well and good but I understand there may be in issue with being able to make emergency calls if there is a power cut? I asked the guy who supplied us with our new handsets if by connecting through the hub we would maintain a 999 link and he said yes but reading up on it I am starting to question this.

My mother in law who lives alone has heard about this and is worried they will force her to change over and leave her without an emergency contact line.

She is registered disabled and has a phone by her bed and her chair. She does not have a mobile phone and is frankly terrified of them. Is there any provision to be able to remain connected in order to maintain emergency connection?

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

jac_95 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:02:06 GMT

Hi Bertybond,

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.

To learn more about the nationwide change to this Internet based voice service visit landlinesgo.digital

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: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:59:02 GMT

@Bertybond

I had similar concerns about contacting 999 in an emergency during a power cut when BT said that they were moving our exchange area over to Digital Voice. The only solution that I could come up with was a UPS, (Uninterruptible Power Supply), to back up the BT Hub, (and fibre ONT if broadband is FTTP). This would have to have enough capacity to power the equipment for the duration of any power cut. What you will also be reliant upon is how long the bac-up batteries in your cabinet last for if you are on FTTC.

I ended up moving to a different ISP, who currently seem to have no plans to introduce a "Digital Voice" type service.

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

licquorice — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:10:38 GMT

You are only postponing the inevitable, the PSTN will be switched off in 2025 and all suppliers will have to provide a VoIP service or no service at all.

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:26:57 GMT

@licquorice

Hopefully I will be able to get Openreach FTTP by then and bypass the street cabinet and possible battery issues in the cabinet. I don't have a problem with buying a UPS for my router and ONT, but obviously the batteries in the Openreach cabinet are out of my control!

Unfortunately Openreach seem to keep pushing back their build date for FTTP in my area. If it isn't available to me by the time PSTN switches off then I'll have to jump to a CityFibre based ISP. CityFibre has been available here for about 3 years.

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

garybs29 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:56:04 GMT

There's always the backup of a mobile as well where the networks allow usage over any for emergency service calls where there's no signal on one/some

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:49:45 GMT

@garybs29

Does that only work if there is no signal at all from your own network, or is the best signal available selected by the phone when making a 999 call?

For example, I am currently with Plusnet mobile, (it was the same with BT Mobile and EE who I know all use the EE network). My signal at home has never been great and seems to have significantly deteriorated over the past year or so, such that the OFCOM signal checker shows this for my address:

I can still make and receive calls at home, but positioning is key for a good call. Would my phone select one of the other three networks if I were to make a 999 call?

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

jac_95 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 18:26:23 GMT

A mobile can use any available network provider to make a 999 call.

See https://landlinesgo.digital/powercut for more information on how to make calls in a powercut

Re: Have I lost my 999 connectivity now I have been moved to Digital Voice?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 19:17:54 GMT

@jac_95

Thanks, I haven't seen that page before - it looks very interesting.

I've bookmarked it to have a proper read through later.