This topic

Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 03:32:03 GMT

Had BT in old home. Told it was "full fibre" but think it was FTTC.

BT originally told me they would connect at new home on 11/01/2024, but after nearly 2 months waiting, without landline or broadband, evnetually a BT OpenReach Engineer fitted new line and socket ealier this week.

Seemingly now do have full fibre (FTTP?). Box on wall like this

It is sompletely different from old box in old home, which had sockets to connect phone and adsl wires ( like those shown below.

The new BT OpenReach Wall box in new home does NOT use phone and adsl wires like those above. It uses ethernet to connect to BTSmart Hub 2 (the old one I was told to take from old house to reuse in new home). A second ethernet was required to connect hub to pc - NB BT did not supply this essential second ethernet cable but luckily I found an old one of my own to use.

So Broadband was finally connected ... but Landline / Digital Voice was still not! BT blamed me for setting it up wrong several times over several days via email - then eventually admitted that it was not properly set up their end. Now supposed to be (with temporary landline number) but my phones still say "Cannot Make or Receive Calls"

I think this is because my old BT Essentials Digital Home phones ... like this one ...

are not compatible with new set up?

Also only one worked - the other crackled during calls - (also lost /misplaced cradle during house move. Have requested a new one but not sent!

BT keep insisting that I plug in to the back of the Hub - but I cannot do this! As anyone who knows the phone would realise, the phone connects to the cradle / battery - and then the cradle plugs into the electric wall socket - but there is no socket to connect phone or adsl wire to hub or adaptor.

Been asking for new phones, but BT refuse and insist my old phones will work! I am also told I only need one phone and that is all that their Terms and Conditions say I am entitled to!

The most they will do is send me one DV Adaptor - but I see that you need to plug one of the phone wires (shown above) into the Adaptor so that will not work.

Pre BT Fibre installation at my old home I had decent answerphone and 2 handsets that I had purchased myself previuosy - but BT told me they would not work with new system and that I coudl only use the new DV phones they were sendin gme - so I gave the old phones and answering maching to Charity Shop. Now existing BT DV phones wil not work and BT will not send me phones that do work with the sockets / system I now have.

What do I do now?

Re: Can't Connect

jac_95 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 03:35:02 GMT

Hi Customer66,

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: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:11:18 GMT

Thanks for the link to the FAQ Post, but unfortunately it does not help me.

The most relevant part, I think , is the following,

If it really thought necessary to use corded phones in existing extension wiring, this can be achieved if broadband service is via FTTP (Full Fibre to the home) by simply disconnecting the incoming wires from the master socket and connecting the green socket on the hub to any of the phone sockets with a cord consisting of a phone plug at each end.

BUT there is NO "phone" or "adsl" socket on my BTOpenReach Wall Box, There is an ethernet socket, a power socket, a tiny on off button and a green socket of a type I have never seen before - see below. It is attached to the wire that comes in from outside and connects to the BTOpenReach Box on wall.

As well as there NOT being a phone or adsl connection on the BTOpenReach Wall thing - there is no "phone" or "dsl" socket on the telephones supplied - although there is one phone and one adsl socket on the back of my Hub - see below.

So- I still have no landline service or equipment to allow me to connect to it when BT finally get it working.

Good Advice Very Much Needed Please!

Re: Can't Connect

imjolly — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:18:46 GMT

the phone pick is an extension phone but you need to connect the base unit to the green socket on the back of the hub using the same cable as was used to connect existing base to the old style master socket

Re: Can't Connect

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:24:10 GMT

If I'm reading it right you had DV previously & are now using the same SH2 & same DV phone as previously? If so it should just work. Log onto the SH2 at 192.168.1.254 & check that DV is actually provisioned. I don't have it but I think it should show your phone number in blue. If it says not provisioned then yours is one of many that hasn't been properly configured & you need to report that.

If you have changed either phone or SH2 then they will need to be re-paired.

Shame you were fed BS previously about your DECT phones not working with DV...

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:39:47 GMT

Hi Jolly - Ta for info - but as previously explained - this CANNOT be done.

I do not have a "base unit". The phone BT have supplied me with has no socket to connect to anything other than the battery cradle!

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:29:49 GMT

Can you tell me which phone I shoudl ask BT for, please? If the one I have is only an extension phone. They never sent any other type for my old connection at old home - and have so far refused to send mew phone for this new home . new connection and are insisting that I use the old one and insisting it will work with new system - and ignoring me when I tel lthem it will not.

I do see images of a telephone that has a sort of console attached to the side of the cradle - but I do not have one of those.

Re: Can't Connect

imjolly — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:32:44 GMT

if you go to hub manager the select your phone number then you should be able to pair your phone to the SH2 which acts as a phone base unit. it connects using DECT not wifi. no cables are needed to connect phone and all you need is small charging unit to charge phone

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 14:23:20 GMT

Thanks to all for replies 🙂

Seems I might need a "Hybrid Connect"? My home is going to be looking like some old BT warehouse with all the equipmentand connections etc. At the moment I liked my old system better!

YES - it is also possible / probable that BT has STILL not connected my Digital Voice Service.

BT did give me BS about my old phones (answering Machine and 2 phones I coudl pluc into any electrical socket) not working - had a lot of BS from BT and feel like a Human Guinea Pig for thier new system - and hate the arrogant way they deal with me and tell me black is white etc - then it turns out that what they were telling me was wring after all!

And they have still been charging me for service since they cut off old phones mid January to now!

I doubt that this is the end of this - so I will prbably be back - see you again later 🙂

Re: Can't Connect

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:54:27 GMT

You don't need Hybrid Connect, you just need someone at BT to understand that your service still isn't fully provisioned. as confirmed in your screen shot.

Re: Can't Connect

imjolly — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:57:33 GMT

until your hub shows your phone number and connected you cannot make/receive any DV calls. once activated you can connect/pair the DV essential phone as I posted and you can connect you existing phone base unit with same cable you used to connect to wall socket into the green phone socket on back of hub

Re: Can't Connect

chrisjp — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 14:11:15 GMT

The "Not Configured" message on the Hub Manager webpage shows that DV has not been activated for your account, so you will not be able to use ANY phone, DECT connected or old school corded at the moment.
The problem seems to be with BT's woefully under-trained customer "service" agents, who seem to be incapable of understanding this, or too lazy to bother checking up on it.
I think your best course of action is to raise a formal complaint - this seems to be the only way to get any positive action from BT. I think you can do this online, but another way is to use the "Chat" function. I did this when I had trouble with them provisioning my DV service. I initially only wanted to get information on when I was going to be migrated but after persisting with the Chat, the Agent said the best thing is to raise a complaint, so I did so via the Agent and my issue was resolved within a couple of days.

Re: Can't Connect

Les-Gibson — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 14:22:10 GMT

The picture you posted in message 1 is of a DV phone so you already have all the equipment you need but the "Not Configured" message shown in message 9 shows that no phone service has been provided.

In short, all you need is for BT to pull their finger out and provide you with the service for which you're paying

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:03:34 GMT

"you can connect you existing phone base unit with same cable you used to connect to wall socket into the green phone socket on back of hub"

NO!!!

Phone has only a charging point and NO hole,socket or connection point!.

Perhpas what I need - AND HAVE NEVER BEENGIVEN FROM BT - is a "Base Unit"?

They have been so determined NOT to send me new phones and keep repeating what you are repeating - ie plug phone into hub - IMPOSSIBLE!!

I wish people would listen to me! Ihave been describing my set up to many people many times - and everyone EXPECTS me to have some kind of base unit you can plug things into - but BT NEVER GAVE ME ONE!

I am a women in her 60 who lives alone and has health issues and has moved into a little pensioners sheleterd house! I do not need all this hassle - cracking up and waited 2 months¬

Have suspiscions that BT don't care too much because I am on "Social Tarriff".

I just want a working landline to call my other old lady pals who also still use landlines!

Re: Can't Connect

imjolly — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 16:54:43 GMT

You already have a phone that will work on DV but you need to get DV activated before any phone including your existing phone will work

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 16:56:02 GMT

NO I CAN'T!

As I wrote and provided images above to describe - the phone I have from BT only connects to the Battery Charging Cradle.

THERE ARE NOT OTHER HOLES / SOCKETS / CONNECTION POINTS ON IT.

Re: Can't Connect

chrisjp — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:01:43 GMT

Yes you can! but only after BT has turned on your DV service.
Then you can connect your phone that "only connects to the battery charging cable", by pairing it with your Smarthub 2. This uses DECT (radio connection) so it DOESN'T need any cable connection.

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:05:10 GMT

GOODBYE!

Re: Can't Connect

Customer66 — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:23:27 GMT

oh - new info - everyone else has been telling me to connect it to hub via non-existant cable plugged into non-existant socket - thanks

Re: Can't Connect

Les-Gibson — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 19:02:09 GMT

You can have all the leads in the world and boundless equipment but you still won't be able to make a phone call because, as I said in message 13, you have no telephone service, it has not been provided!!