BT insisted I have to buy a broadband package to keep my home phone

[garybs29]

Is it a comms like this too? - Appalling Bullying Behaviour - BT Community

[bomb20]

Is it a comms like this too? - Appalling Bullying Behaviour - BT Community

The second most recent communication I can find is the letter below, the second image is the lower part of the empty back page with very small text that I can't read natively.

The message I took from this was that even if I did not have or had non-BT broadband then that was not going to be an issue.

I believe I received a letter more recently saying that the plan was now that I would be migrated and did not have to do anything and my existing phone would just work.  I have made no comment about this on the forum so far because I cannot find that letter and I fear I did not keep it.  I do remember telling people I was relieved.

The most recent letter I received dated July 2026 with a BT logo and addressed to me for my BT retail phone account was as follows...

TAKE ACTION TODAY

And Keep your service

Hello,

We have some important news regarding your BT home phone service.

The existing landline has become outdated and is being replaced with a digital service that works over a broadband connection. This is happening as part of a UK-wide digital upgrade that phone providers are carrying out to enhance the quality and relibility of your landline services.

  As a result of this change, you can no longer take
  broadband and a landline from different providers.
  Customers wishing to retain a BT landline will also need to
  have their broadband service with BT.

If you would like to discuss your options please call
0800 032 6279

Thanks,
The BT Team

So the promise of being in touch to explain the next steps and tell me what they will be doing to switch me has gone out of the window (notwithstanding the other letter I think I received) and I have to contact them by phone to find out how to "Keep your service".
Not a great message for a landline customer of 36 years.

[bomb20]

Concerning this type of comment I received, perhaps from different people...

The OP states they expect BT to supply either PDPL or broadband for ‘free’ to maintain BT telephony presumably at the telephone only £31.20 price .

If they currently have the phone only discount thats fraudulent

Say a BT customer , that has historically only ever had telephony , no interest in having broadband and no use for it from any source , currently gets a discount from BT for being a phone only home , possibly qualifying for the social tariff needs moving off PSTN ( this is required ) so BT introduces PDPL to satisfy this type of customers need for maintaining a telephone only service, you don’t seem to ‘match’ that profile, yet you seem to have an expectation that you should get the same benefits as them .

Although I see what BT is up to, developing a transitional service to cover themselves for the PR disaster this was turning into with concern over home care alarms, prolonged power outages after storms etc and trying to limit that solution as much as possible,  I was viewing this in a different context.

I have had the BT landline for 36 years,  the value proposition from BT is now that I transition this to some much more complicated technical solution that has some advantages but disadvantages.  There is a technical solution (PDPL) that is much closer to what I have so I'm keen to explore that.  Failing that, then the next option might be broadband + DV and I was not keen to pay for or have another broadband connection with restrictions that I'm not so keen on so not generally useful.  I don't see it as looking to get something I should not be entitled to (BT made those rules) or as a way to save money and in fact the responses here seem to indicate cost is not an issue.

Having said that, the fact that PDPL might not last beyond a few years is a concern.

I would not qualify for any benefits-based options today.

[bomb20]

One of the other questions I had as part of exploring the options was if non-BT routers would work with BT Business DV.
I found some informatoin and I think the relevant QOS configuratoin might be psssible with the Ubiquiti hardware I have but will have to look into this further...

Informatoin is on this page under things to know before you buy.

https://business.bt.com/calling-messaging-tools/voip/digital-voice-for-business/#products

There is also an app to check connectivity which is nice.

[bomb20]

( From @imjolly )

DV will only work with the BT residential router no third party or BT business

openreach no longer supply multi port ONT  link from another recent post

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/no-more-multiport-ont-from-openreach-with-its-full-fibre-service...

Thanks, that is very useful to know and imples that there could be an advantage to not wait if I wanted to explore both Business broadband and Retail broadband+DV options, Although it looks like two fibres and ONTs and another router to do that.  Only issue is that I know from experience that getting any part of BT that I can speak to, to agree in advance what is possible can be a real pain.  I have had to stop engineers working in my street to get sensible answers in the past.

[licquorice]

How many times do you have to be told that BT DV ONLY works with a BT residential hub, either SH2 or SH3. It will NOT work with your Ubiquiti router.

[garybs29]

So you'll have to decide if you want BT residential or business for both or VOIP elsewhere for phone. No point in going round in circles again you'll have to decide

[bomb20]

How many times do you have to be told that BT DV ONLY works with a BT residential hub, either SH2 or SH3. It will NOT work with your Ubiquiti router.

What part of message #24 made you write this?  BT Business told me they support non BT routers with their DV solution and message 24 was me exploring that.

[bomb20]

( @garybs29  )

So you'll have to decide if you want BT residential or business for both or VOIP elsewhere for phone. No point in going round in circles again you'll have to decide

Of course,  I'm getting close to understanding the options.

And just to add to this I found that BT themselves advertise multiple connections at the same location and interviews at the time seem to indicate this did apply to FTTC/FTTP products and existing customers...
So although this is retail that implies there is no technical reason this could not be done with a mix or one supplier.

https://www.bt.com/broadband/second-line

[gg30340]

The OP is needing to seek an answer regarding his business line on the BT business forum.

This rest has been answered and thread is now going round in circles. I will ask the moderator to lock it.