Digital Voice - Local Area code needed ?

[PJ32]

Just setting up Digital Voice - If I call a local number I need area dialing code.

Local area - same Town - family and care home already have our number setup in their phone systems. 

When I receive a call from a local number - family or care home - will this still work IF their phone systems do not use the Area code when dialling our local number.  IF not they will need to know to change / update our number with the dialling code which they may not be familiar with.

Hence when receiving a local call  - will the caller need to now add the Area dialling code or not ? 

Thank you. 

[jac_95]

Hi PJ32

📢BT's Digital Voice service is BT Consumer's VoIP/Internet based fixed line voice service and is the replacement service to your current voice service you have today as the analogue PSTN phone network is closing by 2025. Between 2021 and 2025 those with a voice service from BT will be migrated onto the Digital Voice Service.

ℹ️ Please take a look at the FAQs on moving to Digital Voice as it may help answer your question.

✅ You may also find that someone else has had the same query in the past. Here's a list of all the answered questions regarding BT's Digital Voice.

Please do post back if you've been able to find the answer to your question(s) or if you need more help from the community.

p.s This is an automated reply

[imjolly]

with DV just like when using mobile phone you need to use the area code.  short dialing no longer works and callers will no need to add area code

[PJ32]

I have had a look at FAQ's  could not find specific answer, hence why ask this specific question, thanks.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@PJ32 

All callers should be using the full dialling code, this has been the case now for a long time. Most exchanges will add the national prefix, but its not guaranteed.

Local codes will totally disappear once the analogue phone network closes.

[PJ32]

Elderly family member not on Digital Voice - hence their phone is setup without using local dialling code.

Old style phone ( not Digital Voice )  calling a digital voice phone will they still connect when calling from existing phone setup without using dialling code, thanks.    Local Area calls only.

[Keith_Beddoe]

If they are BT Retail customers, then the local exchange should automatically translate the number, as it always has. So it should be presented to you, as the full national number, but its always worth checking, as this may not be the case, as you would not be physically connected to the local exchange and I suspect that the call may fail to connect.

If they move to Digital Voice, then they will need to dial the full number, so it would be a good idea for them to update the numbers stored in their phone as soon as possible.

I cannot imagine many people still using local codes.

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

The people calling you wont need to do anything different just because you are now on DV , your transfer onto DV doesn’t affect them , but at some point they will have to start using full national numbers , rather than the ‘local’ number when they are migrated to DV ( if with BT ) or whenever their current provider requires it …TBH there are some areas where this has already been implemented , and has always been the case with mobiles.