This topic

Phasing out landline phones

Roadhawks — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 22:32:06 GMT

Hi,

I have a major concern that apparently BT will be phasing out traditional landline phones by the end of 2025, and customers phones will be supplied by broadband.

My concern is my elderly parents don't have broadband but their landline phone is their lifeline.

The issue I have with this is if there is an electricity power cut there will be no broadband as broadband requires a router, and routers are supplied by electricity.

Plus will customers lose area codes, or numbers that the properties might have had for generations.

Personally I can see no end of misery from phasing out landline phones. And I would like to know how is this all going to work.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 07:32:19 GMT

@Roadhawks

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

Openreach do have a proposed solution for this.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/11/openreach-prep-alternative-uk-analogue-style-phone-product.html

Re: Phasing out landline phones

-Richie- — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 11:50:28 GMT

@Roadhawkswrote:
I have a major concern that apparently BT will be phasing out traditional landline phones by the end of 2025, and customers phones will be supplied by broadband.

On the Openreach network there have been 3 ways to provide a voice service:

FVA (Fibre Voice Access) - This has already been phased out.
PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) - The most common and the service being discontinued with the switch off prediced by 2025
DV (Digital Voice) - The new all IP way of providing the service, it rerquires a broadband connection

Regardless of what way you recieve the phone service, the price is the same and nobody is being charged anything more, if your parents don't have broadband, a slower broadband SLT (service line type) has been created which is more than adequate to provide a phone service.

@Roadhawkswrote:
My concern is my elderly parents don't have broadband but their landline phone is their lifeline.

As previously mentioned, your parents will be supplied a Smart Hub and broadband package that supports their needs, at no extra cost.
Alternative ways are also possible, such as providing the service over the mobile network, still using the same landline telephone number.

@Roadhawkswrote:
The issue I have with this is if there is an electricity power cut there will be no broadband as broadband requires a router, and routers are supplied by electricity.

The same could be said now if the exchange lost power, the network requires electricity so if any part fails, it would stop working for the end user.
BT do have battery backup units, there is a cost but vulnerable customers are supplied free of charge or alternative solutions are available such as a handset that uses the mobile network if the service fails, BT do not provide electricity supply and have no control over the reliability, there are however priority repair services for vulnerable customers, you're parents would need to speak with their supplier to see what support is available.

@Roadhawkswrote:
Plus will customers lose area codes, or numbers that the properties might have had for generations.

No they won't, infact the new Digital Voice removes the exchange limits, previously the numbers are tied to an exchange, if you moved home that was served by another exchange, you lost the number and were issued a new one, now you can retain the same number if you move to another area.
Moving to Digital Voice will see customers retain the same number, the technology providing the service is changing but the number you have remains the same, the cost remains the same, you can use the same handsets you previously used.

@Roadhawkswrote:
Personally I can see no end of misery from phasing out landline phones. And I would like to know how is this all going to work.

Several million customers have already been migrated to Digital Voice, all new provisions are done using Digital Voice, yes things can go wrong but not more than issues from the previous methods of providing a telephone service.

It's worth noting that BT's Digital Voice is not new technology, Europe have used this method for years, we're just late adopters to the technology, the old analogue copper PSTN network is old and outdated, it's expensive to run and maintain, so Openreach decided way back in 2015 that it was being switched off, the industry has had almost a decade to prepare for this, so alarm companies and other services that use the phone network can be ready.

When BT do migrate customers, a process exists that a friend or family member can be given the update on the switch and any other support needed when the migration comes, your parents can choose you for the updates so you can see key dates and any steps needed when the switch comes.
I would also advise looking at www.bt.com/hereforyou to see what other help and support BT can offer your parents, there will be things not needed at this time, it's still useful to know for future reference.

I hope that helps and answers your concerns, reply back with any questions 🙂

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Roadhawks — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 11:59:37 GMT

Thanks for your help.

So in a nutshell with the new changes and if the property lost electricity, there would be no phone?

Whereas now if theres a powercut they can still use their phone.

If thats the case it will leave lots of people without vital communication.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

imjolly — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:05:58 GMT

many people of the older generation are quite capable of using mobile phone which could be used in an emergency. mobile phones will connect to any network if using for emergency numbers

as one of the older generation it is very annoying when people post assuming that we are incapable of using mobile phones

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Dode — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:50:28 GMT

@Roadhawks

Many people now use Digital Cordless Phones and have done for years. They’re often given to elderly parents by their children so they don’t have to leap out of the chair when the phone rings and to keep in touch. These phones also need electricity to function and I don’t remember there being much of a concern about them if there was a power cut.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

licquorice — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:54:05 GMT

@Roadhawks The subject has been done to death on the forum. It's going to happen, just as the analogue TV switch off happened.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:55:18 GMT

@-Richie-wrote:

"The same could be said now if the exchange lost power, the network requires electricity so if any part fails, it would stop working for the end user."

Except that the current exchanges have backup batteries and generators. In the exchanges that I worked in many years ago, the fuel tanks were capable of storing enough to run the exchange for many days, weeks even, without mains electricity - and were kept near full.

These buildings were mostly built and specc'd in the 1950's - during the Cold War.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

licquorice — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:27:44 GMT

Whilst that was the case for larger exchanges, many small rural exchanges don't have generators.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

-Richie- — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:38:21 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
Except that the current exchanges have backup batteries and generators. In the exchanges that I worked in many years ago, the fuel tanks were capable of storing enough to run the exchange for many days, weeks even, without mains electricity - and were kept near full.

I had a fault several years back, my exchange had no backup generator, I was without phone and broadband for several days, I had power in my home because the power cut wasn't impacting my street.

I have given you several options regarding power cuts, the switch off is going ahead because Openreach have made the decison and announced it almost 10 years ago, alternative solutions exist

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Roadhawks — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:43:48 GMT

The problem my parents have with mobile phones, is they are both 90, and end up touching a wrong button, both me and my sister have been trying for years to help them learn mobiles. Plus Dads fingers are stiff and he struggles that way.

We ended up buying landline phones with giant keys, and put one in nearly every room for their convenience so they dont fall over rushing to answer the phone.

I'm all for modern technology, I repair computers, but progression sometimes is steps backwards for older people who get left behind and alienated.

My biggest concern is the power cut issue and the fact they would need communication at a time when they could be in darkness in their home. Plus they don't live near neighbours, its a big cottage in the country. So a phone that works could mean life or death.

But thanks again

Re: Phasing out landline phones

c64z86 — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:51:33 GMT

There are big button mobile phones too, like the Doro series. Some of them even have fall detection.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:54:12 GMT

You can get a desk type phone that used the mobile network. Costs about £50.

BW 2.4'' Wireless Quadband GSM Classic Desk TelePhone telephone handset For Business or family (especially for older folk) - Black

Re: Phasing out landline phones

countrypaul — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 14:32:22 GMT

@Roadhawks One thing that does not appear to have been mentioned (although I might have missed it) is that you can plug in your existing phones to the router (it will have green socket on the back to allow this. It is also easy to obtain a lead to go from your master socket ,once disconnected from the pstn but still connected to your extensions, to the router. Your parents can therefore retain their existing handsets.

Re: Phasing out landline phones

Clarkatron — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:26:17 GMT

Hi Roadhawks, I know your post is several months old but I certainly echo all your concerns. My mum was the same. I struggled with a DORO phone showing her what to do but she just couldn't grasp it. I'm in the same situation just with landline only. So my understanding is we will be ok? We will still be able to retain number and phone? But with some sort of adaptor?

Re: Phasing out landline phones

chrisjp — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 23:58:41 GMT

Your phone number will automatically be migrated to digital voice - you will not lose it.
And if your existing phone handset currently plugs into the BT socket on the wall, all you will need to do is unplug it and plug it instead into the green socket on the back of the Hub that BT will send you. There is no requirement for any type of adapter