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Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

picamanic — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:14:16 GMT

I have been told to expect my BT landline will be switched to digital, anytime up to 2025. I have ADSL broadband with Zen Internet. I am in the dark about what will happen during switch-over. Does my current FritzBox 7530 router get used by BT engineers to connect a phone with VoIP? Do I keep my current phone number? If there is a power cut [I get about one each year], will I have been given a battery backup for the router? Do the street-level [OpenReach?] boxes also have backup power?

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

wkirkman — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:18:41 GMT

Hello,

The VoIP telephony solution is provided by your provider. If you are not a BT customer, you will not be provided this service by BT - you need to contact Zen as to whether they will offer you a VoIP solution or whether you will either have to lose your landline, or change to a provider who is offering that solution.

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:23:44 GMT

@picamanic

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

Its uncertain what will happen with your phone service, as BT do not provide your broadband.

You may like to read this thread, as forum members are waiting for an update on this.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Dad-has-received-a-letter-stating-that-he-will-be-moving-over-to/td-p/2334658

If you do not pay BT Retail for your phone line, then the above thread will not apply, and you will have to ask Zen, or ask on their user forum.

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

picamanic — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:24:57 GMT

I had not intended to leave BT for my landline. You are implying that I will be forced to leave BT, and get VoIP with Zen.

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

iniltous — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:29:31 GMT

As stated , if BT are not your provider for telephony, you won’t be migrating to BT DV , whatever solution Zen will use is upto them , if they currently use a WLR product, although WLR is no longer sold , there is no forced removal from it yet .

If you do pay your telephone bill to BT , and pay Zen separately to provide your broadband, you have a ‘line share’ arrangement, at some point you will need to consolidate to one provider , that would be for you to decide, BT or Zen , but not both .

Do you pay 2 separate bills ?

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 11:39:14 GMT

@picamanic

You may have to leave Zen, and move to BT Broadband, if you want to keep your phone service and number. There seems no definite answer at the moment.

Have you asked Zen what will happen?

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

picamanic — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:08:25 GMT

Yes, I pay BT and Zen separately. My situation is even more complicated: an unresolvable issue with ADSL means I might be forced to ditch Zen and use EE, Three or Vodafine for 4G broadband, at which I would lose my landline number anyway.

Re: Digital Switch-over: broadband not with BT

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:15:28 GMT

@picamanic

Its possible that ADSL is no longer available.

Use the address checker for your address, on the link below, and post the results, but edit out your address details first.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

That should give you an idea of what is available.