This topic

Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payments

CarolUK — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:39:56 GMT

Since I switched over to BT Voice I am no longer receiving the spoken text messages which give authoristion codes for online payments through my landline. As I am in an area with no reception for mobile phones I do not want to give my mobile number to my bank as an option. The bank fraud department which I had to use to authorise my last payment thinks that BT may be blocking the type of number that sends these authoristaion coades and I may need to get it unblocked. I can't find any way to contact BT about this and speak to an actual person. Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

licquorice — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:48:50 GMT

Unfortunately, the text service doesn't work with Digital Voice.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 17:00:26 GMT

@CarolUK

Who is your mobile phone service with, and do you know if they support WiFi Calling?

What mobile phone do you have, and do you know if it is compatible with WiFi Calling?

WiFi Calling is a facility that routes mobile calls, (and texts I believe?), via your home broadband - or any WiFi network that you connect to.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

gameinn1 — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:10:33 GMT

Can you give more info on how wifi calling would help in this regard? If you mean in the sense that the op could enable wifi calling on the phone then sure but that's simply a band aid. One of the few reasons to have a landline number is this exact scenario.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 10:30:26 GMT

@gameinn1

My reply was a suggestion as to how to possibly solve the symptom of the issue that @CarolUK is experiencing: that they can no longer receive "spoken text messages" from their bank etc since moving to Digital Voice.

By setting up WiFi Calling, the OP could then change the number registered with their bank to their mobile number, and then receive SMS text messages for the authorisation codes.

AFAIK, WiFi Calling routes SMS text messages via the internet, as well as voice calls?

WiFi Calling works well for me - I don't see it as a "Band Aid". Why do you say that it is?

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

gameinn1 — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:14:33 GMT

It's a band aid because you have to jump through like 3 hoops just to continually receive the same service as you did previously.

With something like digital voice it should at the bare MINIMUM allow the exact same functionality as previous but with extra features. Here it's even worse.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

licquorice — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:33:57 GMT

I wonder what percentage of the BT customer base use text on their landline? It might possibly be as high as 0.0001%

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

iniltous — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:36:50 GMT

Text to speech on a BT landline was never charged for , so if it’s removed, the consumer has not been financially disadvantaged , removing free stuff isn’t something that can be complained about.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

gameinn1 — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:03:59 GMT

By that logic receiving a call was never charged for, so the consumer should never complain if they can't receive a call and are also not financially disadvantaged. You can still make calls so all is good.

Getting 2fa codes or similar on an "always on" landline is pretty common. Especially in op's case when mobile coverage is spotty.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Tim123 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 23:55:09 GMT

@iniltous
Text to speech on a BT landline was never charged for , so if it’s removed, the consumer has not been financially disadvantaged , removing free stuff isn’t something that can be complained about.

Text-to-speech for inbound messages still works on Digital Voice. It's outbound text messaging that doesn't work on Digital Voice.

See Moderator's responses here and here.

I'm sure people who bought high-end BT phones capable of sending text messages (paying 10.5p per message sent) won't be happy. It's a backward step, particularly for hard-of-hearing customers who value this facility. It can't be technically impossible to implement on a VoIP-based system, so axing it must be a commercial decision from BT.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Tim123 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:10:12 GMT

@gameinn1
With something like digital voice it should at the bare MINIMUM allow the exact same functionality as previous but with extra features. Here it's even worse.

Several other useful features are being discontinued with Digital Voice: Call Sign (already gone), Reminder Call, Ring Back When Free, Anonymous Call Reject, Choose to Refuse... BT are being very tight-lipped about this, insisting that very little will change for customers. I suspect that most will not find out they've lost those features until they've been switched over.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:13:17 GMT

@Tim123

"sending text messages"

"It can't be technically impossible to implement on a VoIP-based system, so axing it must be a commercial decision from BT."

Do you have any relevant experience to back up these assertions - or are you making assumptions?

I have no idea how easy or difficult it would be to implement. However my guess would be that it is possible, but not easy to do - but BT have data to show that previous use of the facility, (and possibly the others that you mentioned in your next post), did not make development of them in to Digital Voice commercially viable?

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

gameinn1 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:28:53 GMT

If inbound texts still work then why is the op not able to receive inbound texts? Unless I'm missing a key difference here.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

pddco — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:29:18 GMT

@Tim123 Just trying to see how inbound texting (for Bank verifications in this case) works in practice. Following the links it does indeed say that inbound text is supported. But apparently it’s sent / left as a Voicemail. I don’t use it myself but, should anyone ask, how do I access voicemail? Is it associated with my landline number or my mobile? And how will I know that a voicemail message has been left? Sorry, I’m a bit confused.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 08:37:53 GMT

@pddco

"And how will I know that a voicemail message has been left?"

I think that the fact that you have a Voicemail message is signified by Interrupted Dial Tone when attempting to make a call.

Our phone doesn't have any visual indication of a Voicemail message waiting, so unless we remember to lift the handset and listen regularly, we would be unaware of a message waiting.

We had Voicemail turned off many years ago, and use our own answering machine - specifically because of this.

Re: Since switching to BT Voice I am not receiving text messages on my landline to authorise payment

Tim123 — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:31:18 GMT

@Anonymous
Do you have any relevant experience to back up these assertions - or are you making assumptions?
I have no idea how easy or difficult it would be to implement. However my guess would be that it is possible, but not easy to do - but BT have data to show that previous use of the facility, (and possibly the others that you mentioned in your next post), did not make development of them in to Digital Voice commercially viable?

My 'assumption' is based on the fact that BT keep telling us that fibre (Digital Voice) is technically superior to the 'outdated' copper. If such an antiquated system can cope with SMS, surely a super-fast digital one can?

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people use BT Text. Does BT not have a duty to them, regardless of commercial interests?

BT charge an extortionate amount for their calling features on PSTN. They are raking it in, so I doubt those features are commercially unviable.