No landline for 3.5 weeks

[hra29904]

During Digital Voice switchover, BT unexpectedly switched my router on 5 January but are not due to switch my landline until 29 January.  This has meant I have lost my landline in the interim. BT say they cannot change the landline switchover date. In the meantime I have a PAYG mobile with unreliable mobile signal.

I complained and escalated this but BT closed the  complaint on the grounds of not being able to contact me by phone (!). I did manage to contact them by mobile from a different location and they just emailed back to reiterate that they are not going to change the 29 January date. They also said they could not re-open the complaint.

As a remedy I was verbally offered £20 compensation but I believe I am actually entitled to automatic compensation.

What is the best route to take from here? Is there any further escalation route and if not, what can I do to obtain a speedy and more clear-cut deadlock response to be able to take this to the Coommunications Ombudsman? Can anything be done about BT's inability to communicate other than by phone? Even chat doesn't seem to be available.

[jac_95]

Hi hra29904,

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.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@hra29904 

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

Normally the disconnection of the analogue phone line is triggered off once the BT Smart Hub 2 has downloaded the configuration for BT Digital Voice, and this would show within the hub manager.

What sort of BT broadband connection do you have?

[hra29904]

I haven't tried to access the Hub Manager as yet; what do you need to know?

[Keith_Beddoe]

I do not have BT Digital Voice so I am not sure where you would look on the Smart Hub 2, but other forum members may be able to help.

I assume you have tried plugging your phone into the phone socket on the back of the Smart Hub 2?

[-Richie-]

---

@hra29904wrote:

During Digital Voice switchover, BT unexpectedly switched my router on 5 January but are not due to switch my landline until 29 January. 

---

Have you plugged your handset into the Smart Hub 2 before the switch date? you only do that when you're on Digital Voice, until then plug it into the master socket (NTE)

[Les-Gibson]

Go to 192.168.1.254 from a browser, you will see a screen similar to the below

Alongside where it says "Phone", from memory you should see either 'Not Configured' or something of that ilk, if you see your phone number then DV has been provided and presumably your copper line has been disconnected but DV wont work until your activation date 

[hra29904]

Thank you all for the prompt replies and help. I'm logged into BT Hub Manager now and the phone section is showing ujp as "Not configured". Yes, I have tried plugging 2 different phones into the router and cannot get a dial tone. I was expecting this by now. The problem is the gap between already losing my original physical landline service unexpectedly on 5 January, and the cutover date of 29 January which BT say they cannot bring forward. I initially even reported the landline as a fault by text on 6 January but BT have since confirmed it is due to the switch.

[-Richie-]

---

@hra29904wrote:

Yes, I have tried plugging 2 different phones into the router and cannot get a dial tone.

---

It doesn't need moving until you're on Digital Voice, plug it back into the socket like you previously have done, you're not on Digital Voice yet, only plug it in the Smart Hub 2 on the day of migration.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@hra29904 

Why did you lose your physical landline?

Unless its been accidentally disconnected, or gone faulty, I would expect it to still have dial tone. Did you report it as a fault?

Are you sure that its not still working when you plug your phone in?

Even after the switchover to DV, the old line is usually made a "stopped" line, with a different number, that still has dial tone on it, but cannot make or receive calls.