More Newbie Questions

[farmer_terry]

I am about to get FTTP connected as a domestic user. My neighbour already has the connection and I have had a look at what they have.

There is a white OpenReach box (ONT?) which I understand takes the fibre and converts it to an ethernet connection.

The ethernet connection goes to the red WAN port of the BT router.

So far so good, but I have a wired phone, and there are two phone sockets available, the ONT has an RJ11 socket, and the router has the standard 4 wire BT connection.

Two questions:-

1. Into which of these would I connect my cabled phone? Presumably the ONT

2. How do I get a connection to the extension in my bedroom? Can I use the existing master socket in the house once the copper phone line has been disconnected?

Any tips or pointers would be very gratefully received. Thanks.

[licquorice]

It depends how your phone service is provided. You will either keep your existing copper line in which case nothing changes in terms of your phones and socket as they will be entirely independent of the fibre broadband or you will move to digital voice which effectively turns the hub into a cordless phone (DECT) base station and you just use cordless handsets. There is no provision for a wired phone.

[farmer_terry]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't get the DECT base station option, so that's useful.

I would hope not to need to keep the existing phone line (mainly because it will be about £25/month), but if "There is no provision for a wired phone", Why are there two phone connections sockets?

[imjolly]

the FTTP package which you agreed will include line rental whether digital voice or still on old copper with existing phone sockets. If digital voice you are normally offered 2 essential digital phones or 1 premium phone

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

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@farmer_terry wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't get the DECT base station option, so that's useful.

I would hope not to need to keep the existing phone line (mainly because it will be about £25/month), but if "There is no provision for a wired phone", Why are there two phone connections sockets?

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As @imjolly  says, the line rental is payable regardless of how your telephony is delivered. The phone sockets were for the now discontinued fibre voice system.

[Forthay]

@farmer_terry  In our case the cable was made up of a Fibre cable and copper cable inside. They got split on entering the house so we kept existing internal cables for the phone and only the Fibre cable went to the ONT. Our broadband package includes line rental so even although we don’t use the land line anymore we still pay for it.

[farmer_terry]

jmjoly

"the FTTP package which you agreed will include line rental whether digital voice or still on old copper with existing phone sockets. If digital voice you are normally offered 2 essential digital phones or 1 premium phone"

I didn't realise that. The BT deal is £27 for 30mps, but there are telephone add-ons. Is what you are saying that, if I go for a phone add-on, but don't opt for digital voice, I will keep my old copper connection just for the phone?

[farmer_terry]

Forthay

"In our case the cable was made up of a Fibre cable and copper cable inside."

I don't think that's the case here - there is a black outer with a very thin white inner - but I may be wrong, I would check but I'm not sure who to ask. 🤔

[farmer_terry]

licquorice

The phone sockets were for the now discontinued fibre voice system.

Thanks, that answers that question. 😊  Not quite the answer I was hoping for though. ☹️

[imjolly]

The BT packages include line rental but calls are on a PAYG basis and you can then add on a call package to suit your needs