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Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:17:13 GMT

Problem is that our Broadband entry point/ BT Hub2 is at one (upstairs) corner of the house, and our main (old)phone line connection is at the opposite (downstairs) corner. Its an old stone-built house, and the walls are very thick. The main base unit for our DECT telephones was plugged in at that ground floor socket, and its signal was sufficient to reach 2 other phones and one right at the top of the stairs - but not as far as the room where our broadband/Hub2 sits, where we made do with another telephone plugged into another phone line socket. Now, with our DECT phone main base plugged into our Hub 2, the DECT signal reaches only to the top of the stairs - leaving the 2 phones downstairs unconnected. Our BT Digital Voice Adapter arrived today and was paired successfully - but does not work on either of the downstairs phones. We had the same problem with getting broadband around the house, and needed 5 BT Mesh Hubs to get full coverage. Since the BT Digital Voice Adapter hasn't helped, I presume buying some BT Digital Voice handsets wouldn't help either. Apart from moving our broadband entry socket downstairs, is there anything else I might try?

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

jac_95 — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:22:06 GMT

Hi Hoverstop,

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

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Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

licquorice — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:27:03 GMT

As described in the FAQ, you can re-purpose your existing phone wiring.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:40:35 GMT

@Hoverstopwrote: Our BT Digital Voice Adapter arrived today and was paired successfully - but does not work on either of the downstairs phones.

Not sure what you mean by that. The function of the DVA is to plug the DECT base station into, not to link to handsets, if that's what you were expecting? So you locate the DVA as central as possible while retaining a good signal to the Hub, & plug the base in there. Then hopefully the handsets can all connect.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Crimliar — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 16:43:47 GMT

You may well already have tried this, but with any booster, many people place them in the wrong location. Generally, they want to be about halfway between the router and the place you use the most distant phone. This can be complicated when you have solid stone walls though. As a result, the best placement may be in the room below where the router is, but as central to the floor plan as possible. The reason for this is that radio waves tend to pass through floorboards in solid stone houses better than they pass through walls!

I hope this helps!

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:59:08 GMT

Thanks. I assume this the bit you mean: " It will require a new extension socket to be fitted adjacent to the master socket and the extension wiring transferred to it. This new socket can then be connected to the green socket on the hub as with FTTP." I'll give it a try, once I have procured the necessary cord with a phone plug at each end.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:02:47 GMT

I understand that. However, when placed in a central position (such that the handsets will connect with the base station), the DVA loses the signal from the Hub.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:06:06 GMT

I have tried the room below, but no luck, thanks.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:34:07 GMT

@Hoverstopwrote:
Thanks. I assume this the bit you mean: " It will require a new extension socket to be fitted adjacent to the master socket and the extension wiring transferred to it. This new socket can then be connected to the green socket on the hub as with FTTP." I'll give it a try, once I have procured the necessary cord with a phone plug at each end.

It's not clear if your on full fibre or FTTC. You can only repurpose the original extensions if on full fibre.

No additional sockets needed, you just disconnect the incoming wiring from the master socket.

Although if you're on full fibre the SH2 can be relocated simply with a longer ethernet cable to the ONT. Same with FTTC using a longer RJ11 cable.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:00:57 GMT

I'm not yet on full fibre - but the bit I cut and pasted from the FAQs followed the sentence saying: "This is more complicated if broadband service is still delivered via the copper pair as the incoming wires cannot be disconnected and the hub still needs to connect to the master socket..." So are you saying that will not work?

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:34:12 GMT

@Hoverstopwrote:
So are you saying that will not work?

That was what I was saying but I was wrong (heat's fried my brain!). 😓

As you say, the extension wiring can be transferred to a new socket & the original setup restored.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

licquorice — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:37:23 GMT

Indeed it can

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

Hoverstop — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:58:52 GMT

OK; thanks very much for your help.

Re: Just been converted to Digital Voice, and only 2 of our 4 BT Freestyle 750 phones work.

licquorice — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 17:10:45 GMT

As my hub is located adjacent to my master socket, I have simply unplugged the faceplate, connected the hub to the test socket for broadband and connected the hub green socket to the dangling faceplate (hidden by a desk) to extend the phone wiring by a double ended cord.