Digital Voice.

[outlaw123]

Just had a leaflet from BT explaining Digital Voice. It says that if you are in an area with no mobile signal contact BT regarding the problem. I have contacted BT and they say contact your mobile provider. So BT withdraw my landline and leave me with no contact in case of emergency. And they dont care!! I am not at all happy.

[jac_95]

Hi outlaw123,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

To learn more about the nationwide change to this Internet based voice service visit landlinesgo.digital

If you have already looked for the answer to your question and have not found anything that can help, then please ignore this message. One of our Community members will be along shortly to help you further.

[outlaw123]

Nothing on there to help me.

[jac_95]

Regarding making emergency calls in a powercut if you have a mobile then you can make emergency calls over whatever mobile network providers service it can find. So even if your own mobile provider doesn't have service coverage in the area another provider may do and a emergency call will use that network to make the call.

You can also use a battery backup unit such as a UPS to allow your broadband connection to continue working for a period of time which will allow you to continue to use the digital voice service (you will need to also power your phone if using a phone that has its own DECT base station - if you have a corded phone you can plug this into the back of the smart hub 2)

BT offers a UPS battery backup solution or a hybrid phone which you can buy or if you have a telecare alarm, have medical requirements that requires your phone line or on a priority repairs scheme for vulnerable customers they should offer you the solution for free.

If you speak to BT about those options they can go over them with you. There are also other battery backup units and solutions available online. There's other threads on this forum about what other customers are using which maybe helpful.

[iniltous]

I don’t expect you to necessarily answer here , and as it’s  only really pertinent to you ,  being anything less than truthful  is pointless, so how many power outages have you had previously where simultaneously you needed to contact the emergency services ?
If you have a genuine reason to be fearful , power outages being common and lengthy ( which is your power provider’s problem , not your phone provider) and there is no mobile signal from any mobile network , then you can use a battery back up /uninterruptible power supply to keep the router ( and therefore DV ) operational for a while  …if you are deemed to have a genuine need and qualify using BT’s metrics , you may get this provided, otherwise you can always supply it yourself .

It always strikes me as odd , that those that complain that they frequently have power outages that last for days on end  etc. , only seem to worry about the phone , what about food storage , heating , lighting etc ?

If these power outages were as common occurrence as these people state , you would imagine that would have already invested in some sort of method to keep the lights on anyway.

[outlaw123]

We dont have any mobile service in our area no matter the provider. The BT landline is the only method to contact the outside world in the event of a power cut. So no BT landline no phone service a tall.

[outlaw123]

I have medical problems so need a method of contact at all times.

[iniltous]

If you live in a remote location that genuinely has no mobile signal available ( begs the question how do you know , tried them all ? ) , and you depend entirely on your landline phone , if that ‘traditional’ phone service , which isn’t infallible, develops a fault that stops you making calls , do you leave home for the duration of the fault , because the risk of harm is so great that remaining in the premises is too great , or do you remain at home while it’s being repaired ?

Im not being flippant, but if your health concerns are as such , that you need to be able to contact the emergency services without delay , and if you have no mobile service it’s clear you must  live in a sparsely populated remote location , why do you chose to live there with its frequent power outages ? .

Presumably you are at greater risk of an ambulance taking a long time to arrive in a medical emergency ( compared to someone with the same condition that lives in an urban area with a faster response from the blue light people ) but presumably you are prepared to live with that risk , 

[outlaw123]

Let me answer your points one by one.
My medical condition is recent so as of yet I have not had to call on the emergency services.
No mobile phone companies have a signal here. We do NOT have a mast near us. We live at the end of a valley Not , I presume, like yourself who have plenty of masts locally. I have actively campaigned for a mast to be erected but , as per usual, it is not economically viable to erect one.
The suggestion that I move is ludicrous . I am a pensioner and to move would be economically impossible.
When I originally took out the contract with BT it was for a landline. Now that landline will no longer be available. Therefore with no mobile signal myself and the local villagers will be without a telephone connection.
Yes I am at risk if an emergency arises. However we have an excellent First Responder team locally. BUT I wont be able to contact them because I wont have any means of doing so. So , yes, I have to live with the risk.
So the new BT Digital Voice will be a great penalty to not only myself but 1% of the UK's population who dont have mobile signals.
Finally it is not only power cuts that cause problems but also broadband going of from time to time due to our location.
Now that you have the full picture please make you comments.

[jac_95]

Here's the BT offered battery backup unit:

• Non FTTP version (To power Smart Hub 2) - https://store.ee.co.uk/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--non-fttp--091297-FV...
• FTTP version (To power ONT) - https://store.ee.co.uk/products/cyberpower-back-up-for-bt-digital-voice-service--fttp--097284-FV55.h...

You'll need to contact BT Customer Services to discuss these and if you don't want to order them online.

Other UPS and battery backup devices available from other online retailers too.

Some other external examples:

• https://www.thinkbroadband.com/guides/how-to-stay-online-if-uk-experiences-rolling-power-cuts
• https://www.thinkbroadband.com/guides/digital-voice-pstn-switch-off-and-telephone-extensions?categor...