Problem with Digital Voice Adapter - and Digital Voice

[DavidSC]

We’ve only been on Digital Voice for a couple of weeks, but almost every day I find another annoying feature.  Set aside for a moment the fact that it doesn’t work in a power cut, and we can no longer make cheap calls on 18185.  Last week I discovered that a new BT desk phone bought so that we could dial the 1571 answering service does not light up when we have a message waiting, so is useless.  Yesterday it was the Digital Voice Adapter that caused a problem.  The phone rang and I answered it on our new Advanced Digital Voice Home Phone.  To my surprise, two other phones, connected via a DV Adapter, continued to ring after I had answered, and would not stop ringing even when I ended the call.  The problem?  The green light was flashing, indicating it had lost contact with the Smart Hub 2 – despite being located within two feet of it.  The only way to stop the phones ringing was to switch the Adapter off at the mains and then on again.  This is a serious design flaw.  If we were not in the house, or away on holiday, there is the possibility that the phones could have been ringing for as long as we were away, which is clearly unacceptable.  So, I have ditched the DV Adapter and plugged both the analogue phones into the back of the Smart Hub, using a double-ended 431A lead as described here, connected via the master socket to the old wiring to two rooms.  It’s not ideal, as I would wish to minimise the stress placed on the Smart Hub 2 (it already carries internet, television and phone) and I have no idea what its REN rating is.  The more I look at the new system, the more I think that BT are just giving up on land-line phones.  Digital Voice gives every impression of a project that simply hasn’t been thought through, or tested, properly and is being rushed in before it is ready.  

[Devon_Dave]

The Hub can take around a rating of 4 REN. It is possible for you to connect the PSTN socket on the hub back to connect up any existing phone sockets in the house. Unless obviously its a complete new installation.

With regard to it not working during a power cut it would be worth investing in a UPS that would power the hub. This would provide back up power. 

[Gary_C]

With regard to 'giving up on land-line phones', its not BT, its a mandated discontinuation of the copper telephone network that is forcing all operators to switch to a form of Digital Voice by 2025.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@DavidSC 

This Draytek  website article explains the reason for the changeover. It covers all the issues over two pages, so remember to look at part 2 as well.

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

[Devon_Dave]

Just to confirm it is not the copper network being discontinued yet that will be after the PSTN switch off in 2025.

The network is moving to an All IP network be that over copper or full fibre. 

[Danny783]

I have been stream rolled into having this product in which I did not request and has automatically activated rendering all my GPO analogue phones ( which weren’t cheap) useless. Can not make any calls from them . Been sent adapters and not once anyone mentions on their literature or liasing with them that analogue would not work on this new product . And agree no emergency calls can be made in power cuts or broadband outages . Furious on now they refuse to revert back to a service which worked perfectly fine the day before this switchover fanfare. I did not appreciated the comments by their loyalty customer support team quoting “Out of our hands”, “You have to have!” “ it’s Openreach and the council’s implementation ..it’s fault”. 

disgusting service and a total sham of a product. Oh and the gimmick of it’s ok we’ll send a Alexa phone handset doesn’t deviates from something I never wanted. 2025 is the timescale and avoid as long as possible. Oh … and also every phone needs a plug socket to use the adapter. Which unless you have a huge number in hall ways or rooms where BT expect you to have this router sitting next to you also is in convenient. If you can block it .. do so as once it’s in … they won’t change it ir you lose the whole home telephone line. 
Gobsmacked by the whole experience. AVOID 

[licquorice]

You can still use analogue phones, you can't use loop disconnect dialling though.

I guess they go nicely with your 405 line B/W analogue TV.

[Danny783]

Hi Licquorice…

Thanks for reply. I’d be very interested in how or what I can do to keep & use my analogue GPO phones. Any advice greatly appreciated as BT were final in their response. 
dan 

[Danny783]

I do enjoy snooker on my b&w tv though 😉

[licquorice]

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@Danny783 wrote:
I do enjoy snooker on my b&w tv though 😉

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😄😃

If you have full fibre (FTTP) it is simply a case of disconnecting the incoming wires from the master socket and connecting the green socket at the rear of the hub to the master socket with a double ended BT431- BT431 cable which will enable all your existing extension sockets (you may need to add a doubler socket at the master if you have a phone plugged in there).

If you have fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and thus your copper broadband needs to remain, you need to provide an extra extension socket adjacent to the master, transfer the wires from terminals 2&5 in the master to 2&5 in the new  extension socket and link to hub as above.