Advanced digital phone (Alexa) with EE smart hub plus

[AndreTheGrandson]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to help my grandparents after they had a new hub installed.

They got the BP Advanced digital phone with Alexa a few years ago, and it's worked seamlessly. My grandmother has lost her sight, and the phone has been an invaluable way for her to retain her independence since they got it.

Recently, something changed in the area- possibly an old copper cable was discontinued, or fiber was installed, or something similar. As part of whatever happened an installer came by and installed a new hub for them, but since then they have been unable to use the Alexa service on the phone.

I've been looking into it and tried to set it up- the handset links to the hub just fine, but when you try and set up Alexa it just says that "Alexa is not available" with no further explanation. I think I have found the problem, in that their new hub is an EE Smart Hub plus whereas their old one was probably a BT Smart Hub 2. 

The phone's Amazon listing is very clear that it only works with BT Smart Hub 2 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Digital-Phone-Alexa-Built/dp/B092R2HC77).

I was hoping someone could help me with these questions, or share their own experiences-
1. Can the 'BT Advanced Digital Home Phone with Alexa Built-In ' be connected to an EE Smart Hub Plus?
2. Is there any reason why they should have had their hub changed? As far as I can see the Smart Hub 2  supports all the latest features , including digital voice. Why would it need to be swapped out?
3. Is BT discontinuing the Alexa voice service? I can't find any mention of it online, so I hope not.
4. it possible to have BT come by and reinstall the old hub? Or even send it back, and I can install it. Alternatively, is it possible to daisy chain the BT Smart hub 2 on top of the new EE hub and get it working that way? I'm not at all familiar with how these hubs authenticate themselves or how much control the end-user has, but I'm tech-savvy enough to set it up if this is at all possible.

Thank you!

[jac_95]

Hi AndreTheGrandson,

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[imjolly]

Have you tried just connecting up the BT SH2 in place of the EE router and see if internet works and assuming it does then try the phone with  BT hub.  Hopefully Alexa will work as well

[AndreTheGrandson]

As it was a BT(?) installer who came by, be took the old hub with him when he left. I could try getting one on the second hand market, but it'd be nice to know that it'll work before I start trying that.

I'm also not sure how 'smart' these hubs are, do they need to be logged on with some sort of customer information, or registered correctly with BT? Or could you in theory use any old hub to connect?

[Rach_H]

Hi @AndreTheGrandson,

Welcome to the Community!

Have you reached out to our team about this, to see if there is anything we are able to do?

Rach

[imjolly]

the username and password for login are the same for all BT residential customers   it is generic not specific to individuals

[MartinBat]

I’m having the same problem after updating to the EE smarthub+ from the BT home hub. 
have you managed to get reconnected?

[AndreTheGrandson]

Unfortunately, no luck. We bought a second hand BT Smart Hub 2 today, and I tried:

BT hub as an access point linked to EE hub, phone connected to BT hub: No phone service.

BT hub as an access point linked to EE hub, phone connected to EE hub: No Alexa.

BT hub connected instead of EE hub: No phone service.

The crux of the issue is BT and EE each use a proprietary phone line (digital voice??). I cannot find any way to get Alexa working while using EE service.

I don't understand how this can happen if BT and EE are merging. Why do each use property systems like this? And why are slimey EE telemarketers poaching BT customers, and **bleep**ing up BT's accessibility features? It's a madhouse.

[AndreTheGrandson]

• It's difficult to do that when I'm not the customer. I'd have to explain the issue to them, and then have them call either BT or EE and get the service switched back.

I'm visiting them over the holiday, so I'll try and call on their behalf with them present. 

[Manatarms84]

For the digital phone to work on the old hub it will need to be reset 1st before it can be linked to a different HUB.
I got a replacement for my digital voice phone recently and that did not have an Alexa button - it may be that BT are not working with amazon any more but its odd that it was working until the hub was swapped out in that case.

Try resetting the phone and re-join the phone to the smart hub 2 - if you have got any new boosters for wifi with the smart hub plus then they wont work with the smart hub 2 though.