This topic

Getting ready for Digital Voice

brianavid — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 12:44:45 GMT

I have just received advance warning about the Digital Voice switchover and I want to be confident that my current wiring arrangement can cope or be adapted to work.

The Smart Hub is in the middle of the house in order to get good Wi-fi coverage in all rooms. I already have a Smart Hub 2 still in its box and understand that I will need to switch to using that.

Question 1: Is is fair to assume that all my Smart Hub configuration (DHCP reservations, port forwarding and dynamic DNS) can also be set up on a Smart Hub 2?

The copper phone line comes in by the front door and is split to my DECT base-station in the hall, and a DSL signal that is carried by CAT 5 cable (with a pair of RJ11/RJ45 adaptors) to the Smart Hub. That then acts as a Wi-fi access point and a wired Ethernet switch to the other parts of the house. This arrangement has worked well for 12 years.

Question 2: Where will the Smart Hub 2 need to be situated for changeover?

Question 3: If that has to be in the hall (for cable length limitations, or for the DECT phones to work), can I continue to use the existing Smart Hub as a wired switch and Wi-fi access point, ignoring its DSL capability?

Question 4: Or can the new digital signal be carried 15m on the cable from the hall to the Smart Hub 2 in the middle of the house - and I should treat this as an opportunity to ditch the land-line??

This may be a more complex setup than most domestic customers, but I don't think it's too strange.

Re: Getting ready for Digital Voice

jac_95 — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:42:06 GMT

Hi brianavid,

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: Getting ready for Digital Voice

licquorice — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:17:09 GMT

@brianavid wrote:

I have just received advance warning about the Digital Voice switchover and I want to be confident that my current wiring arrangement can cope or be adapted to work.

The Smart Hub is in the middle of the house in order to get good Wi-fi coverage in all rooms. I already have a Smart Hub 2 still in its box and understand that I will need to switch to using that.

Correct

Question 1: Is is fair to assume that all my Smart Hub configuration (DHCP reservations, port forwarding and dynamic DNS) can also be set up on a Smart Hub 2?

Correct

The copper phone line comes in by the front door and is split to my DECT base-station in the hall, and a DSL signal that is carried by CAT 5 cable (with a pair of RJ11/RJ45 adaptors) to the Smart Hub. That then acts as a Wi-fi access point and a wired Ethernet switch to the other parts of the house. This arrangement has worked well for 12 years.

Question 2: Where will the Smart Hub 2 need to be situated for changeover?

Wherever you like, nothing changes except the Smart Hub2 becomes a DECT base station for digital phones and an ATA if you wish to plug your existing DECT base station into the rear of the hub.

Question 3: If that has to be in the hall (for cable length limitations, or for the DECT phones to work), can I continue to use the existing Smart Hub as a wired switch and Wi-fi access point, ignoring its DSL capability?

Yes

Question 4: Or can the new digital signal be carried 15m on the cable from the hall to the Smart Hub 2 in the middle of the house - and I should treat this as an opportunity to ditch the land-line??

This may be a more complex setup than most domestic customers, but I don't think it's too strange.

Not really complex. If you wish your current DECT base station to remain in the hall and the hub in the middle of the house, simply run a 2 wire cable from a new phone socket adjacent to the hub and connect it to the hub with a male to male lead and the other end to another phone socket.

Edit. As you only need 2 wires for the broadband signal and another 2 wires to backwire the phone signal from the hub, you can utilise the spare conductors in the cat5e cable

Re: Getting ready for Digital Voice

brianavid — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 15:22:18 GMT

Thanks for this. I am relieved to understand that I will not need to change my internal wiring.

I now need to think about whether I will need a voice landline. But if I do, it can still be accommodated.