Exchange only Line/Digital Voice

[Rich1957]

Hi All

Background first. We have a BT landline and Broadband, all connected via copper direct to an exchange (Bromley SE London), which is about 200 feet from the front door. Although a cabinet is fairly close by, Openreach engineer confirms that we are straight to exchange (and have been since house built in 1969). Not yet contacted about Digital Voice (DV) but expecting to very soon (contract up for renewal end March). Broadband performance pretty good (not heavy users). 

Whilst I’m comfortable with DV, I’m more unsure over where things stand in the near future given the upgrading and retirement of copper (as I understand things). Eg are we faced with having to connect (in some form) to the nearby cabinet or will copper remain until fibre is installed? The cabinet is in an adjacent street - our square of terraced town houses does not have Openreach fibre to properties and is not currently a priority for upgrade. I attach the BT checker for our number.  Is this a question I should direct to BT itself?

Many thanks 

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Rich1957 

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

Its quite likely you will stay on ADSL forever, as its not restricted and FTTP is not available.

If your happy with the speed then without trying to find another non-Openreach provider, that is the speed you will get.

As for Digital Voice, yes you will get that eventually, as it works just as well, and perhaps even better than FTTC, as the broadband powered from the exchange and you are not relying on batteries in a cabinet.

DV on ADSL is a fairly low priority, and a lot depends on when your local exchange is being fully closed down, so I would not be concerned at the moment. But if you re-contract then you will be moved over to it.

You may be better just staying on a rolling monthly contract, and save yourself the extra cost and hassle moving to DV until you have to. ADSL prices remain fairly low and constant, and renewing your contract may put you at a disadvantage regarding annual price increases, especially if you are on an old package.

[-Richie- · Accepted solution]

---

@Rich1957wrote:

Whilst I’m comfortable with DV, I’m more unsure over where things stand in the near future given the upgrading and retirement of copper (as I understand things). Eg are we faced with having to connect (in some form) to the nearby cabinet or will copper remain until fibre is installed?

---

ADSL users are last on the list along with line only customers (No broadband), when it comes to upgrading it won't cause issues though, it's the PSTN that is being switched off, not the actual copper cables from the exchange to your home.
Openreach are releasing a solution for ADSL customers called SOTAP (Single Order Transitional Access Product ) on December 1st 2023 (next week), once that becomes widely used then BT/EE will know when to offer it and when to look at alternative options.

Digital Voice only needs a tiny amount of bandwidth, 512kbps is enough but Openreach are making a 1/1 (1mbps down and 1 mbps up) SLT to support customers who don't use the internet, there are also other ideas being trialled to make sure nobody goes without a telephony service, you'll be fine 🙂

[Keith_Beddoe]

Sorry if thread appeared out of sequence for some reason, but it should be right now.

[-Richie-]

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

You may be better just staying on a rolling monthly contract, and save yourself the extra cost and hassle moving to DV until you have to. ADSL prices remain fairly low and constant, and renewing your contract may put you at a disadvantage regarding annual price increases, especially if you are on an old package.

---

I'm confused by this part Keith, there is no price change no matter how you get your phone service, BT have always priced PSTN, FVA and DV exactly the same, the calling plans are priced the same and the calling plans are the same, the only different is where you connect the hanset.
Remaining on a rolling contract means paying more than necessary, if the OP has no plans to change provider in the next 2 years, a new promotion is always advised to keep costs down.

What discounts depend on a number of factors, how you get the telephony service isn't part of it.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@-Richie- 

I have been out of contract on ADSL for quite a few years, and have only seen small increases in costs, whereas if I re-contracted I would be forced onto FTTC and DV as there is an ADSL restriction on my exchange. I prefer to stay on ADSL.

I have a legacy "Broadband and calls" package which includes free weekend calls, however I never make calls on my line, and only occasionally receive known callers, the rest are intercepted by my BT4600.

Also I think new contracts are subject to larger yearly increases, I think its CPI+2.5% or similar

[-Richie-]

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

I have been out of contract on ADSL for quite a few years, and have only seen small increases in costs, whereas if I re-contracted I would be forced onto FTTC and DV as there is an ADSL restriction on my exchange. I prefer to stay on ADSL.

---

There is no FTTC or FTTP available for the OP, he has to remain on ADSL, currently no regrades on ADSL include DV

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

I have a legacy "Broadband and calls" package which includes free weekend calls, however I never make calls on my line, and only occasionally receive known callers, the rest are intercepted by my BT4600.

---

Each to their own but surely clinging to a legacy calling plan you don't use isn't useful, if you were to renew at a discount of £10 for example and move to PAYG for £5 per month, you're still £5 per month better off, again each to their own.

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

Also I think new contracts are subject to larger yearly increases, I think its CPI+2.5% or similar

---

All customers inside or outside of the minimum tern (sometimes known as in contract or out of contract) pay the same annual price change, it's CPI+3.9% using Decembers CPI figure that is published in January, with the changes applied 1st of April each year.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@-Richie- 

I pay £39.17 for broadband and calls, all other options are more expensive, and I do not need a faster speed, as there is only my wife and I living here, and the only streaming usage is very occasional SD version Netflix. 

[-Richie-]

@Keith_Beddoefair enough if you're happy but advising the OP to remain out of contract might cost them in the long run, your setup might benefit your needs, others are different and speaking with the Loyalty team is always advised, there might be better offers available, everyone has different usage and requirements, that was why I was confused with your advice, you based it on your renewal options which isn't available to the OP 🙂

[imjolly]

@Keith_Beddoe 

Are you on an old contract which is now rolling monthly which was prior to BT introduction of the annual CPI +3.9%?