This topic

What changes with BT new voice over internet?

blackprince — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:30:05 GMT

Anyone know where I can find a definitive list of everything that will change for my landline-only mother when BT force her onto their internet voice service later this year?

I haven't been migrated yet, but would like to understand what issues she is likely to face.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

c64z86 — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:35:08 GMT

Hi Blackprince,

Here are a list of useful sites all about DV:

Digital Voice | Digital Home Phone | BT

What is digital voice and how can I get it? | BT Help

Moving to Digital Voice | BT Help

Digital Voice | BT Help

Landlines are going digital - Landlines Go Digital

If you have any more questions we are happy to help.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:36:18 GMT

@blackprince

Nothing is going to happen for landline only customers, any time soon.

There are plans to deal with this issue, by the installation of equipment in the exchange, which will present the same service as the existing PSTN network, including a line power feed from the exchange.

This would not be available for new phone only customers, only to existing ones that have no broadband.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

blackprince — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:38:13 GMT

Thanks for that. I was more looking for a definitive list of everything that will be different for someone moving from landline-only current service to voice-only new service. Is the only way to find that out for each of us to work through those 4 links and work it out for ourselves?
I was kinda assuming that someone, somewhere already knows.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

blackprince — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:39:31 GMT

Thanks, Keith - so, is that definitely the plan now? And, as a result, existing customers without broadband will see no difference at all?

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

c64z86 — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:44:30 GMT

Ahh ok, gotcha!

There are also DV events held by BT that you can attend in person to ask them directly, here's a list of dates where and when they are showing up. This site is constantly being updated, so best to bookmark it and keep coming back for updates:

Digital Voice Events | Digital Home Phone | BT

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

iniltous — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:46:37 GMT

No phone only customer has been changed to IP telephony yet ( as far as anyone knows ) and it’s most likely to be closer to December 2025 than later this year , the deadline is still well over 20 months away .
There are two potential ways a phone only customer could use IP telephony , either given a ‘free’ low bandwidth broadband service, that only has telephony capability, or as stated , one where the ‘broadband’ and the ATA equipment is within the exchange building and nothing changes at the the customer premises.

BT have not made it clear yet , but the second solution is probably the one that will be rolled out.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:47:38 GMT

Yes, that is the plan, and I think its due to be trialled later this year. There was some information posted about this recently, but I would have to search for it, as it has a service designation.

The idea is to provide a seamless changeover. There may be a few issue with certain customer equipment that uses modem type signalling, as its still a VOIP quality service I believe.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

blackprince — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:47:11 GMT

Super, thank you for the clarity.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Jane2018 — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:06:04 GMT

I have been trying to make mky own list but may forget some of the things as not been moved yet.

1. Assuming you also have BT broadband you may need to be sent a new router Hub 2 (I don't have one) - my current hub will not take a landline plugged in the bag so I will need a free new hub 2. There are then consequences fr that - new router means new wifi log ins on all devices or to copy over old passwords etc etc.

2. You will plus the corded landline I have into back of new hub 2.

3. When you dial eg from here in London instead of just 8 (I am outer London) I must add 020 before the 8, I am not sure if people dialing me after the change also have to use the longer code or not if they are within London and how I go about telling them all

4. I tihnk the dialing tone may sound different.,

5. If you have BT call minder for which I pay with a customised voice recording of your own that requires a few steps and deciding number of calls before your own message cuts in - you kind of have to stop the BT new voicemail if you want to use your own.

6. You cannot do what I do every day of the year - take phone off hook resulting in its going to voicemail when I pop out into the garden. Instead it will have to be left on whatever number of rings before voicemail you have it on - so I lose an option I use a lot there.

7. The screeching sound when you take phone off hook will go

8. If you lose electric power you can't use phones so it is much less resilient particularly in times of national disaster ie worse.

[I fear it will be less reliable as my internet cuts out every day as do neighbours and no one can fix it yet my landline has never broken once in 30 years !!!!]

In general terms for everything I want it will be worse and of course the price won't go down either.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

licquorice — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:23:53 GMT

@Jane2018 wrote:

I have been trying to make mky own list but may forget some of the things as not been moved yet.

1. Assuming you also have BT broadband you may need to be sent a new router Hub 2 (I don't have one) - my current hub will not take a landline plugged in the bag so I will need a free new hub 2. There are then consequences fr that - new router means new wifi log ins on all devices or to copy over old passwords etc etc.

Which part of landline only in post 1 was it that you didn't understand.

2. You will plus the corded landline I have into back of new hub 2.

As the arrangements for landline only customers are yet to be finalised, this is unknown

3. When you dial eg from here in London instead of just 8 (I am outer London) I must add 020 before the 8, I am not sure if people dialing me after the change also have to use the longer code or not if they are within London and how I go about telling them all

You mean just how you do with mobile calls

4. I tihnk the dialing tone may sound different.,

Wow, I'm sure the OP will cope

5. If you have BT call minder for which I pay with a customised voice recording of your own that requires a few steps and deciding number of calls before your own message cuts in - you kind of have to stop the BT new voicemail if you want to use your own.

Probably applies to 0.001% of the customer base

6. You cannot do what I do every day of the year - take phone off hook resulting in its going to voicemail when I pop out into the garden. Instead it will have to be left on whatever number of rings before voicemail you have it on - so I lose an option I use a lot there.

I suspect you are the only person in the country to do that.

7. The screeching sound when you take phone off hook will go

Wow

8. If you lose electric power you can't use phones so it is much less resilient particularly in times of national disaster ie worse.

That depends whether landline only customers will be provided with an ATA in the exchange or a low bandwidth broadband solution.

[I fear it will be less reliable as my internet cuts out every day as do neighbours and no one can fix it yet my landline has never broken once in 30 years !!!!]

In general terms for everything I want it will be worse and of course the price won't go down either.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Expostiesteve — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:55:39 GMT

Recently, my elderly Aunt was forced to change to the Digital Voice service due to her buying a new build bungalow. As I do all her administration on her behalf, the first thing I noticed was that her 'Basic Essentials' BT package had now tripled in price! Old price - £5.99p/m, New Digital Voice - £15.99p/m. This she had no option but to accept due to the fact that there was no other landline service available at her new property. Secondly, after 2 weeks of trying to activate the new service (she had no phone service what-so-ever over the Christmas period), BT finally got her up and running on the 4th Jan. Now the fun really started. Her 13 year old Panasonic DECT phone worked fine once connected to the Super Hub 2 router. The issue here is that base unit has to be placed within 1.2m of the router (due to the length of the cable connection). Finally, the message system on the Panasonic DECT no longer works. Voice messages can be left on the DV voicemail but there is no longer any indication on the DECT that a message has been left. The old voice messaging service on the DECT would flash red and the number of messages left would be displayed on the base. With DV the only way to replay the messages is to dial 1571. Also with the DECT phone, as the caller is leaving the message, it could be monitored through the speaker and you then have the option to cut in on the message and talk to the caller on the line. No such service exists with DV Voicemail. So having been persuaded by the BT helpline to purchase a new DV handset, my Aunty is another £22.99 out of pocket. In my experience, these limitations of use are not explained anywhere on the BT website. I sincerely hope you don't experience the same issues when you migrate your mother over to DV. Believe me, it causes a lot of stress and worry for the elderly (analogue) generation.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:11:44 GMT

@Expostiesteve

So much wrong there:

Nothing stopping the use of a standard telephone extension chord, so no such 1.2m limitation.

Alternately a free DVA adapter is available to plug the base station into a convenient mains socket rather than the SH2.

The 1571 service can have the number of rings extended so that the DECT base answers instead. In this scenario all of the other complaints also disappear.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

licquorice — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:54:13 GMT

Any change in price had absolutely nothing to do with the change to DV. DV prices are exactly the same as analogue prices.

All your other 'problems' are dealt with in the FAQ https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Digital-Voice-FAQs/td-p/2207485

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Expostiesteve — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:12:24 GMT

Thanks @Anonymous
I accept your point about the extension cord.
Don't understand your 2nd point about the mains socket.
I spent 55 minutes on the BT helpline with him trying to get the message service to work on the DECT base unit. Not once did he mention about extending the rings on the DV. Are you saying the DECT phone will activate and operate as before if I extend or turn off the DV voicemail?

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

licquorice — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:19:40 GMT

The help desk appear to have very little understanding of Digital Voice. You can either turn off 1571 (which is not straightforward) or set the number of rings to 10 on 1571 and 7 on your analogue phone.

All is explained in the FAQ

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:52:29 GMT

https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/phones/digital-voice/digital-voice-adapter

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Expostiesteve — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 23:26:51 GMT

Thank you @licquorice and @Anonymous
I will try both of your suggestions. Very helpful.

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:20:20 GMT

@licquoricewrote:
The help desk appear to have very little understanding of Digital Voice.

Or any other BT product or service...

Re: What changes with BT new voice over internet?

Jane2018 — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:17:08 GMT

I know that most of those commenting on this issue poo poo the changes with DV which I don ot like but this thread has given me yet another one! Even though I pay for BT callminder every month will I not be able to know if there is a message which dialing 1571 and incurring a charge?

At present I pick up the receiving and listen to the sound on the line - that sound without any cost to me tells me if there is a voicemail or not. I always pick up both landlines when i get back from being out to check if there are messages.

It sounds like after I am forced into DV that facility which I use every day will disappear with yet against something much worse - involving making a call to hear messages - will be in its place. is there a single thing that is better with DV like much cheaper pricing or anything that takes less time and is much easier rather than all the other way round?