BT/Openreach/EE operate a cavalier attitude to the elderly and vulnerable

[80internettbhewlett]

I remember receiving a ‘ piece of card ‘ in the post during the third week in March.  It talked of VOIP.  But was not addressed to me personally.  And gave no details.

In the event of a power cut to my house.  VOIP would mean my telephone would not work. { As it doesn’t at the moment }  I am in my eighth decade with a heart condition. So I need a working telephone at all times in order to summon paramedics.

And on the 20th of March.  I wrote to BT/Openreach/EE.  In Sheffield.  Expressing my desired wish to remain on the Strowger system.

This is in line with a policy and code of conduct issued by HMG over one year ago.

For vulnerable people like myself

it now would appear that BT/Openreach/EE have :-

• Ignored my express wishes
• Transferred me without any notice on the 14th of April.
• Have not followed that action with a courtesy call to check the new collection works.

BT/Openreach/EE claim to have a ‘ Duty of care ‘ to their customers.  In any event they are obliged by government legislation.  To operate a duty of care to elderly people.

Particularly when those elderly people not in the best of health.  And may require to summon paramedics in an emergency. I have now been without a working telephone for NINETY SIX hours.

However, it would appear BT/Openreach/EE are adopting a ‘ Devil may care ‘.  Very cavalier attitude to VOIP conversion.  And are treating people like myself with depraved indifference. A plague on their house.

[Anonymous]

@80internettbhewlett 

"Expressing my desired wish to remain on the Strowger system."

I very much doubt that you have been on a Strowger exchange for a very long time - they were phased out in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Strowger exchanges were replaced by digital System X and System Y exchanges, which have now reached the end of their life and the economics of replacing them all are part of the background to the move to VOIP and BT Digital Voice.

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[imjolly]

@80internettbhewlett 

Do you have a BT SH2 router or were you supplied with one? Have you connected your phone to the green socket on the back of the SH2 and if so do you get a dial tone?  If no tone can you go to hub manager by entering 192.168.1.254 into browser address bar and can you now see you phone number and does it show configured?

[WSH]

You may also have to restart the Smart Hub 2 for it to pick up the new settings.

[Manatarms84]

I don't know who you wrote your letter to but I cannot find any address connected to BT in Sheffield that would be connected to managing accounts so that likely hasn't found its way to someone who can help.

If you have already been moved to digital voice then following the instructions  already given will help, that is to connect your telephone into the green socket in the back of your broadband router / hub (This should have a blue ring / 2 half rings on the front)

For vulnerable customers BT can supply a free battery back up unit which will keep you going in the event of a power cut.  This was agreed with the ombudsman but has very little to do with the government.  I would suggest calling BT if possible (Perhaps from a mobile should you have one or with the help of a friend / neighbour / family member) as this would be the best way to get you back up and running and put any support system needed in place.

The moderators on here do not have account access so would likely be unable to assist directly, this is just my advice as a long time BT customer who has read up a lot on the whole digital voice thing.

[Peter_W]

Good morning @80internettbhewlett 

Welcome to the BT Community!

I've just sent you a private message so we can take a closer look into what's happened here. 

Peter

[80internettbhewlett]

The address on the ' unaddressed piece of card ' I received. To which persons are invited to write is:-

BTDigital Voice                                                  

PO Box 11
SHEFFIELD
S98 1BT

Connecting or not connecting to a Home Hub. Even if there was a telephone socket. Whic there isnt. Is totally irrelevant.

In the event of a power cut. I STILL need my telephone operational which it would be on the Strowger system.

So imagine. A power cut during the hours of darkness. Even if I do nit have a medical anomaly. I could fall over in the dark and injure myself. Assuming I can crawl to my telephone. I can summon assistance ONLY if it is on the Strowger network

Thank you for your interest

Kindest regards, Hewlett

[Anonymous]

@80internettbhewlett 

Is your internet supplied via Fibre to the Premises, (FTTP), Fibre to the Cabinet, (FTTC), or ADSL?

If you are not sure, what download speeds do you usually get?

If you are on either ADSL or FTTP, then you could buy a small UPS, (Uninterruptible Power Supply), which sits between the mains socket and your Hub's power supply and kicks in when the mains goes off to keep your Hub powered. The equipment in the telephone exchanges is backed up by standby batteries and generators, (as you are probably aware).

If you are on FTTC, the it is a bit more difficult. My understanding is that the batteries in the green street cabinets are only spec'd to power the cabinets for up to 30 minutes in the event of a power cut.

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