Digital Voice and 'free' phone or adapter

[Thespudman]

Same here - link didn't work, but I sent a SMS to the number (which was the same number that I received updates from about my FTTP setup) and after a few days got a response. Arrive about a week later.  Free digital handset is all set up. 

My activation date is the 7th September as well 🙂

Problem I have is where can I order further handsets?   I like the idea of the Alexa handset....

Yup - Aware I can plug in my old hand set, but I've deliberately moved my hub away from my cordless phones as loads of websites / help says "keep the hub away from other cordless or electronic devices" - and now we are being told to plug it into the hub!!  (Plus my existing handsets are getting a bit tired now - 2 of the 4 are no longer holding their charge for as log as they should (yeah could just replace the rechargeable batteries) and the screens are beginning to show signs of use!!!)

On that note - the BT HD Voice handset doesn't appear to have a removable battery(ies)....  Is it Lithium Ion now rather than the old AAA NiCd batteries?

[JeffGrimes]

Interesting info.
If you look at the advanced phone manual https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/digital-voice/advanced-phone/BT-Advanced-Digital-Home-Phone-U... it shows how to open the phone and replace the batteries.
I find things that are sealed and can only be thrown away when the batteries have worn out very annoying! Electric toothbrushes are one of the culprits but with a bit of searching and simple soldering the batteries can be changed can be changed!
It looks like the dv handset uses two AAA Ni-MH
800mAh rechargeable .

[imjolly]

this post shows how to replace batteries and it works tried myself

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Replacement-batteries/td-p/2179697/page/2

[Barnacle_Bill]

The BT organisation is certainly dysfunctional and inconsistent in customer support.

We were told we would be switched to DV in April.  At that time BT were promoting on their web site two important things as far as I was concerned.  1) You would be eligible FOC for a choice of either 2 basic digital voice handsets or 1 advanced handset.   2) Customers at risk of power cuts and with no mobile service (me) would be eligible FOC for battery back up units.

I called the Fibre Team and requested the two free handsets and these arrived within 24hours.  I also requested the battery back up units and these were ordered for me, although it took many months, numerous phone calls and eventually the support of my local MP to actually get them.

Also the link to the choice of a DV handset or adapter worked for me and I was able to order another handset for just the price of the postage.

Much of the above seems to have disappeared from any web information I can find but its worth pushing with customer support for it.

One difference I think is if BT decided to switch you rather than you requesting to be switched.  If BT decided to switch you then you shouldn't be forced into replacing your handsets at your cost.

[Keith_Beddoe]

What BT do not always make clear, is that you can continue using your existing phones, by simply plugging them into the socket on the SH2. The new "free" phones are more likely to appeal to people who have conventional wired phones, and want a wires free alternative.

If you already have an existing DECT system that does what you want, then there is no need for the new phones, unless you want to be able to make more than one outgoing call at a time.

[JeffGrimes]

Keith

Of course I'm aware I could plug in an existing phone to the back of the hub, but as a pointed out earlier our hub is in an uderstairs cupboard with a low ceiling height and not readilly accessible.

Anyway this is not addressing the fact that the BT admin system for the free phones/adapter is flawed and needs to be put right. It should not be for the customer to have to compromise because the DV switchover admin and free phone offer is not working properly. Bear in mind it is not my decision to switch to DV.

Also look at the number of others posting about this and the varied response from BT.

BT need to look at the underlying programming of the relavnt part of the web site and put that right and not rely on customers to have to work round the error.

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@JeffGrimes wrote:

Keith

Of course I'm aware I could plug in an existing phone to the back of the hub, but as a pointed out earlier our hub is in an under stairs cupboard with a low ceiling height and not readily accessible.

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That is why they offer the DV adapter.

I admit, its going to be confusing for many people, so perhaps BT should be offering free visits from one of their approved contractors, to assist those who are not capable of making the change. There must be many thousands of people who are going to struggle, especially those with extensions that are teed into the main copper line. (star wiring).

[JeffGrimes]

I can understand that, but in my case i won't have either dv adapter or dect phone until after Ihave been switched on Tuesday.
But I still think they need to be aware and willing to change the web site to work properly. I spent my last 30 years before retiring developing, programming and supporting personnel in a major government ministry. We always had out programming checked by the bug finding team that tried to break the system (using an internal version of data(bases) so that we could be sure that our work was fit for purpose.

[Frank1947]

My openreach engineer set up the new digital phone but it said it couldn't send or receive calls and help said no internet connection. Copper still worked. Went out, came back to e-mail saying I was ready  to go. Copper didn't work, but new phone still couldn't make or receive. On to CHAT, wasted an hour and was told it could take 48 hours to resolve. 48 hours later, back to CHAT. Just give me a minute, phone works. They'd obviously disconnected the copper but not connected the digi.

Now a question. My old phone is 4 station Panasonic, only the base station was directly wired to the copper, and is now plugged into the back of my hub. Caller ID works fine on the digi phone but no longer works on the Panasonic sets. IF I buy the £15 adaper does caller ID and my own message taking system with my own mesage to the caller work again?

[JeffGrimes]

We had an old 4 handset Panasonic phone and when our Digital Voice was activated I experimented with one of the phone handsets: I unlinked it from the panasonic base unit and then used the DECT phone option built in to the smart hub 2 without plugging anything into the phone socket on the back of the hub.
Ringing the home phone from my mobile the linked handset rung, but it just rung continuously which was exrememly annoying. The display on the handset displayed that it was my mobile calling, but apart from that no other details. When not being used the screen was blank.
I was told that third party DECT phones would 'work' with the DECT base built in to the smart hub 2 but that there was no guarantee that other features of the panasonic system would work.
In the end we took up the offer of a free 'Advanced Digital Phone with Alexa' which works well.
In the end we removed the Panasonic system and putrchased two more of the Advanced Digital phones.
It is annoying that the old reliable Panasonic phones would only work bery basically, bu the new Advanced Digital phones work fine but cost us extra.
.When we were converted to DV we were offered a £15 adfapter OR An advanced digital phone with alexa OR two basic digital phone handsets.
Jeff