This topic

Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 15:45:34 GMT

I HATE digital voice but was forced to migrate last year.

My mobile only works in half of my home so isn't reliable in an emergency. It's utter rubblish that previously I could not use my phone if there was a power cut. Clearly BT does not understand about good old-fashioned phones that plug into the wall, requiring no electricity, and have served me well as a back-up, partcularly when the power was off for 48 hours. Fat chance of a mobile doing that.

So I am stuck with a useless landline and have already had 2 power cuts since my landline was cut off.

Today I dicovered that one of my dect phones, plugged straight into the electricity supply, is ringing and has a dial tone but when I speak no-one can hear me the other end. I think also that it hasn't been ringing all the time either as I missed a call a few weeks back.

Has anyone experienced this? I only have the landline as I care for an elderly mother and absolutely need it for emergency calls. I am very close to ditching BT as I don't see any advantage with staying with them atm.

Can anyone help please?

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

jac_95 — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 15:47:39 GMT

Hi Lila,

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.

Got some questions or want to learn more about BT’s Digital Voice rollout? BT are running localised events as part of the regional rollout of Digital Voice - Click here to view the Digital Voice events

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: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 15:50:39 GMT

Couldn't find anything there of help. Lots of propaganda about the joys of Digital Voice but nothing about why my dect phone is ringing but nobody can hear me.

I wish I could have my landline back.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

imjolly — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 18:54:40 GMT

Is your phone a BT digital voice phone? Is your phone paired to the SH2 so it can make/ receive calls? you will see phone in hub manager if paired

Have you complained to your power company about the power cuts?

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

licquorice — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:11:27 GMT

@Lila No propaganda, just facts.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:30:38 GMT

I plugged the main phone into the hub, as told to do so. It works fine.

The other one now does not.

Why would I complain to the power company when they are the ones who switch the power off? LOL

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:31:12 GMT

Yet the roll-out has been stopped...

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Anonymous — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 20:39:13 GMT

For emergency mobile, consider buying an old style "feature phone" such as the Nokia 105. As well as much longer battery life than a smart phone they also tend to have better reception on 2G, at least while it's still available. Also research all four network providers to see who has the best coverage & buy a cheap PAYG SIM from a virtual operator using that network. Or you could just swap the SIM when needed.

As for your DECT issue, you haven't provided much to go on. How is the base station connected to the Hub & how many handsets are affected?

It's really not helpful going off on a tangent on another thread. But yes, all ISP provided services will require a direct connection to their router. AFAIK, BT are the only one's to also provide a DECT facility.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

jac_95 — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 20:50:36 GMT

@Lila

Just to clarify the Digital Switchover to Digital based phone lines is happening in phases. The original closure date has been moved to January 2027 from December 2025 to provide vulnerable customers with care alarms/telecare devices extra time for these alarms to be upgraded and to ensure they are compatible.

To note that if you move to another provider or regrade your package the analogue phone line stop sell policies that came in from September 2023 will mean you will need to be moved to a Digital Phone line such as Digital Voice as part of the new package.

Speak to your provider about the solutions to make calls in a powercut. BT consumer have different solutions available based on the situation of the customer.

There is also another interim product coming out that's being trialed for existing customers that do not have broadband today. This product will be interim product until digital based solutions become available for them. It's expected to last up to 2030.

BT's own timeline for moving customers to Digital Voice is below

A gradual approach to switching

April 2024, BT Consumer resumed non-voluntary migrations for customers who have not used their landline in the last 12 months, who do not identify as vulnerable or have additional needs, have not contacted an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in the last 24 months and live in an area where a data sharing agreement - which identifies vulnerable customers and detects alarm numbers is in place with the Local Authority or Telecare provider. Switching them to a digital landline provided over full fibre where available on an opt out basis initially.

From Summer 2024, BT Consumer will ramp-up non-voluntary migrations for customers who do not identify as vulnerable or have additional needs, in areas where data sharing agreements have been signed with the local authority or telecare provider.

........

From Spring 2025, BT Consumer will contact customers who identify as vulnerable or with additional needs about the switch in areas where data sharing agreements with Local Authorities or Telecare companies are in place and in-home support for telecare users is available.

All customers will be contacted at least four weeks in advance before making the switch, to ensure they are ready to move to a digital landline. Engineering appointments will be made ahead of the switch and additional support will be provided on the day to ensure that customers are left with a working telecare device.

https://newsroom.bt.com/bt-group-refines-its-digital-switchover-programme-for-the-uks-full-fibre-future/

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 20:58:02 GMT

I don't see how they arr providing a dect facility.

I'm not going off at a tangent - someone posted the list of BT promo about the wonders of digital voice but I have yet to find anyone who agrees. Why I got saddled with it when my neighbours haven't, I have no idea. I have been with BT, when in the UK, for about 30 years and am appalled at how they are treating their customers.

One phone is plugged into an electrical socket (the thing that doesn't work when the power goes down). Nobody can hear me on it - cue panic when someone called at 1:00am and they couldn't hear me answering them. It is paired to the phone plugged into the BT hub - as BT told me to do.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:01:57 GMT

They moved me before Christmas. I did not have a choice. I called someone and told them the issues but they couldn't care less. The timeline then is meaningless to me. It is here.

I will leave BT's broadband though so basically what you are telling me is I can never have a landline and will never be able to use the phone in a power cut.

I think what you are referring to is the battery hub? Again, pretty useless as it gives an hour's service.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:07:42 GMT

A cheap nokia will not help with the coverage. Even the Ofcom site says limited coverage for 3 out of the 4 providers, and we all know that likes to stretch the truth a bit. EE has no coverage at all!

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

jac_95 — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:19:08 GMT

@Lila

BT will be providing more information about battery backups that have longer battery life.

Thinkbroadband have also done some tests of different battery backup solutions which maybe of some interest: https://www.thinkbroadband.com/guides/how-to-stay-online-if-uk-experiences-rolling-power-cuts

Today they also offer a hybrid phone that automatically switches to use the mobile network when it can't use the digital phone line:

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice-phones/hybrid-phone

https://store.ee.co.uk/products/bt-fw500-hybrid-back-up-phone-117693-HGJL.html

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:24:04 GMT

I can't get a mobile signal - not in all parts of my home. That's the point. Even if my mobile were fully charged, and the fire brigade advises against charging overnight, I wouldn't hear it at night as I get no signal.

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

jac_95 — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:31:41 GMT

@Lila

The hybrid phone can be positioned in an area of the house where you have mobile signal. You can use the digital voice adapters to aid with that.

There is also a method of re-enabling your internal telephone extension sockets of you have any. See the FAQs: https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Digital-Voice-FAQs/td-p/2207485

Re: Digital voice and DECT phone

Lila — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 21:38:21 GMT

Still not going to help with hearing a phone in half of my home. I can hear the phone attached to the hub - if I'm by the hub. If I'm not, then I can't. I can't see why a hybrid phone would work with that. I'd just like my phone to work, as it did perfectly well until I was forced to endure digital voice.

The master socket is not in the same room as the hub so I don't see how extensions can be enabled - not that they have been used for years so I don't even know if they work. I could test them - oh no, wait, I have no landline so I can't.