Digital Voice with different Router

[S_G]

Another part-solution (albeit not satisfying everyone) would be adding BT landline to Alexa Calling feature - EE can do that so I don't see many reasons why BT's landline couldn't follow the same path? In fact, most of the time I use Echo Connect for any landline matters.

[licquorice]

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@ChunkyTheCurmudgeon wrote:

I'm at a loss to understand why even on a single fibre, if others can provide separate broadband and VoIP without doubling up on equipment in the cabinet or elsewhere BT can't. But of course, they can. It's easier though to stick the one size fits all, you're having it whether you like it or not solution down throats like a line of foie gras geese.

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Other providers can't provide separate VOIP and broadband without doubling up, how can they, VOIP is broadband. If you want your VOIP service independent of your main broadband, you need 2 broadband circuits.

[S_G]

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@licquoricewrote:

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@ChunkyTheCurmudgeonwrote:

I'm at a loss to understand why even on a single fibre, if others can provide separate broadband and VoIP without doubling up on equipment in the cabinet or elsewhere BT can't. But of course, they can. It's easier though to stick the one size fits all, you're having it whether you like it or not solution down throats like a line of foie gras geese.

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Other providers can't provide separate VOIP and broadband without doubling up, how can they, VOIP is broadband. If you want your VOIP service independent of your main broadband, you need 2 broadband circuits.

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What I meant is in case you decided to move all the services to the new provider - then rather than a proprietary hardware the change to the setting on the ONT should suffice.

[licquorice]

@S_G  My reply wasn't in response to your post which is why I quoted the post it was a reply to.

[ChunkyTheCurmudgeon]

But ........ I don't want VoIP independent of my broadband supplier.     I never said I did.  I want my broadband AND my voice service from the people I'm paying for it.  That's BT.

What I don't want is to be obliged to use the (poorly featured for my needs) SH2 for my broadband just because BT (i.e. Openreach in reality, BT are just the bag-man) insist on replacing copper voice with digital voice mid-contract.

To avoid presenting further opportunities for sophism, I'll re-phase the question boolean style and I'll even type slowly so that it's easier:

IF (I need something more fully featured than the SH2)

AND IF (BT/OR want to provide my voice service digitally)

AND IF (I need to keep my FTTP broadband service)

AND IF (it's NOT impossible down a single fibre; using one or more suppliers)

[CALL it VoIP, CALL it whatever you want]

WHY (is it such a Herculean task for my existing supplier to provide this)

AND IF NOT [WHY]  (don't they just leave things as they are until contract end)

Answers on a postcard please.

[licquorice]

You are actually conflating 2 different things into one.

1. Copper voice will be replaced by some form of VOIP by all Service providers by 2025.

2. BT have chosen (for whatever reason) to go down the route of a proprietary system of VOIP (Digital Voice) which requires the use of their hardware to provide it. Their game, their rules. Whilst I don't personally agree with the premise, it is what it is and unless customers start leaving in their droves because of it, so it will remain.

[garybs29]

@ChunkyTheCurmudgeon  I wonder if you would be willing to pay the thousands it would take for BT (& other providers) to properly support all handsets etc instead of providing a solution that they own & maintain

[S_G]

It is not necessarily their game and their rules. BS6312 was a standard that was with us for last 40 years (nearly to a day) - standardisation is required. This is what @ChunkyTheCurmudgeon mentioned that OFCOM already issued guidelines about proprietary hardware use. Problem is with OpenReach and BT not giving a damn about it.

Change to IP based voice is inevitable and required. But feels it was rushed and some corners have been cut.

[S_G]

They were fine to support whatever fits into BS6312 socket. It's back to standardisation. But seems that BT is only willing to make their own hardware a standard.

Unless the official & universal standard is developed and implemented for IP/digital voice in public telecom networks, then digital voice should be optional.

If legally mandated I'm sure BT would quickly find the solution for that (coincidentally allowing them to de-copper their network).

In mobile networks the standards are developed for VoLTE & VoWiFi - whilst the implementation is not ideal and depends on the operator - in majority of cases this works by default regardless of the handset's OEM (as long as it supports the technology).

[licquorice]

BS6312 has got absolutely zilch to do with this. It is a standard defining a telephone socket!!!

The hub has a compliant socket in any case.