I want my analogue phone line back - urgently

[MarmadukeTheEighth]

My wife and I are both over 70 and vulnerable.  Last week we were forced by BT to unplug our analogue phone land line and plug it into the internet hub.  Today we had a power cut so we were unable to contact ANYONE about our predicament.   In the event of a crisis during a power cut (not unknown down here with so many overhead power lines), how do we summon help from friends, family or the emergency services?????

We live in a village in Cornwall and it is outrageous that BT have simply ridden roughshod over their customers and forced this change upon us.  Our local TV featured this tonight and there are many complaints.  BT refused to put anyone up to respond to these complaints but instead issued the blandest, most unhelpful PR statement I have ever seen.  We need our analogue phone line back - immediately.  How do I request this from BT?   I hope this isn't the start of a long saga for me, starting with a letter to my MP.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@MarmadukeTheEighth 

Assuming you are on a direct fibre connection (FTTP), then all customers are being migrated over to digital voice, and other providers are doing the same, there is no other option.

The reason for this, is explained on this two page website.

https://www.draytek.co.uk/information/blog/the-end-of-analogue-phone-lines-pt1

BT can supply a backup power unit to power the home hub during a power cut, that is assuming that your Openreach optical modem has a battery backup unit. If not, then two separate units  are needed.

Many people already have cordless phones, which would not work anyway, if there is a power cut.

This is for the smart hub 2.

https://shop.bt.com/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--non-fttp--091297-FV54....

And this is for the FTTP ONT.

https://shop.bt.com/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--fttp--097284-FV55.html

It would be much cheaper to buy a mains output UPS, and plug both the ONT and smart hub 2 into it. 

Something like the Cyberpower BR700ELCD-UK (about £81) would seem more suitable, as you could also plug in any mains powered phones as well.

[MarmadukeTheEighth]

With all due respect that is no help to me.

You are saying that because of this unilateral decision I have no option but to PAY for a power supply backup?  We had a phone connected to the 'normal' analogue line so had backup in case of power cuts, which as I said are not infrequent in this part of the country, and a daresay there are similar issues in other rural areas.  There is a groundswell of dissatisfaction with this transfer which will only grow.  I have tonight written to my MP and I suspect she will already have received similar communications.  To me it seems another example of how young, unthinking corporate employees show how little empathy they have with the elderly, infirm and those with special needs.  They naturally attribute their own tech-savvy to everyone, "Well, everyone's got a mobile phone haven't they?"  

[imjolly]

Do you have a mobile phone?  Just because elderly does not mean you cannot be tech savvy - speaking from personal experience

[licquorice]

As a fellow septuagenarian, I find it offensive that you consider age to be a reason for technophobia.

[gg30340]

I am curious when you say "because of this unilateral decision". 

Given that Openreach are a private company and were given the responsibility by the UK Government for the building and updating of the broadband and telephone network in the UK, because no other company was prepared to take on the enormous task, who would you suggest that UK Government and Openreach should have let decide whether or not to replace the very dated unreliable copper telephone network infrastructure and bring it into the 21st century or should it be expected to keep the costly, old and dying copper analogue infrastructure going for ever more.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@MarmadukeTheEighth 

Perhaps it wold be better to ask your power utility company why you get so many power cuts?

Up to now, you have relied on a free electrical supply down your phone line, to power your analogue phone courtesy of BT Retail, who provide battery backup and a generator, just to keep the analogue phone service working.

The analogue phone equipment, installed in the 1970-80s, uses a lot of power, and is costly to maintain, and there a very few spares available. It also needs a cooling plant, to keep the temperature in the exchange down, otherwise the equipment fails.

[supertedster]

What's "free" about it, he pays his line rental?

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@supertedster wrote:
What's "free" about it, he pays his line rental?

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That money goes to Openreach for the Optical Fibre rental, there is no phone line rental any more.

[MarmadukeTheEighth]

Most replies seem to reflect the wider problem we have in the UK; prejudice towards the elderly and those less fortunate.  "Lump it mate" is the order of the day then.

In answer to a couple of other responses:

I didn't imply 'seniors' are technophobes.  I am 73, extremely au fait with computers and operate a home recording studio with advanced hardware and software that would make many blanche.  But I do not have, need or want a 'smartphone', instead I opted years ago to own a Doro phone that costs me £8.50 a month.  Reasons: I only want the facility to make/receive calls and texts, I do not want to use anything else on a phone or suffer its intrusions.  Why should I be coerced into paying a lot more money for something I don't need or want??

It seems to me there is a solution, but BT would not choose to offer it because of cost, and that is for them to respond to people's genuine concerns about this compulsory abolition of analogue phones by offering those that want them a free c.£80 backup UPS for those customers' BT hubs.