Why does an engineer need to visit the property for digital voice?

[tolkien]

BT sent me an unsolicited letter which I received today titled Book your installation appointment.,

First line : "You're ready to be upgraded to Digital Voice; BT's new home phone service. To
carry out the upgrade, you need to book an engineer".

Later in the letter it states an engineer will need to visit the property and someone over 18 will need to be present to let them in.

Please explain clearly why  an engineer needs to visit my property.

I asked this question in BT support chat and after 20 minutes no answer was forthcoming. 

Thanks. 

[licquorice]

You do not need an engineer visit to move to Digital Voice, however, you do need an engineer visit if the opportunity is being taken to move you to full fibre at the same time.

[tolkien]

Thanks – that’s exactly the clarification I was trying to get.

The letter I received only refers to a Digital Voice upgrade, not a move to full fibre (FTTP). I’m still on Fibre 2 FTTC, and there’s no mention of a fibre installation in the correspondence or my account.

So if this isn’t a full fibre migration, then no engineer visit should be required – which surely means the letter BT sent is misleading or incorrect?

[licquorice]

It seems to be a common occurrence.

[jac_95]

@tolkien @licquorice 

You maybe in a FTTP full fibre priority area which means you'll be moved to FTTP full fibre as well as moving to Digital Voice

You can check if you are in a Openreach FTTP full fibre priority area by using https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

Paste the results here including the foot notes. Remote address before posting 

More information about the results means here: https://landlinesgo.digital/checkmyline

[tolkien]

Address x, on Exchange x is served by Cabinet 19
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream HandbackThreshold(Mbps) WBC FTTC Availability WBC SOGEA AvailabilityHigh Low High Low VDSL Range A (Clean)

VDSL Range B (Impacted)

G.fast Range A (Clean)

G.fast Range B (Impacted)

ip redacted Unavailable Available
ip redacted Unavailable Available
-- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
-- -- -- -- -- Unavailable --
Featured Products Downstream Line Rate(Mbps) Upstream Line Rate (Mbps) Downstream Range (Mbps) Availability Date FTTP Install ProcessFTTP on Demand
330 50 -- Available --
Other Offerings Availability DateVDSL Multicast
Available
Exchange Product Restrictions StatusFTTP Priority ExchangeWLR WithdrawalSOADSL Restriction
N
Y
N

FTTP is not available.

The exchange is not in a current fibre priority programme

As a WLR withdrawal exchange, product restrictions apply

SOADSL is not restricted at the exchange

For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (VDSL or G.fast) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

For all SOADSL services,the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage.

Actual speeds experienced by end users and quoted by CPs will be lower due to a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

In order to be eligible for handback, downstream speed should be less than Downstream Handback Threshold values.

If you decide to place an order for a WBC fibre product, an appointment may be required for an engineer to visit the end user's premises to supply the service

ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL availability: If shown at FTTP or SOGEA premises,ADSL, ADSL2+ and SOADSL are not available to order due to WLR Withdrawal stop sell rules. CPs should order FTTP or SOGEA. Copper products are only available by exception.

Thank you for your interest

[jac_95]

Ok thanks for the results, so confirms you are not in a FTTP priority area.

However it seems your address is marked for a managed install. Do you have a y telecare or vulnerability marker on your address?

[tolkien]

No.

[iniltous]

There also seems to be a program of visiting those deemed ‘vulnerable’ , presumably BT were pressured into providing this service for customers deemed to need assistance making the change to DV , even though it consists of nothing more than changing the point at which the phone connects, changing from the wall socket to the router, there is a similar program using the change to DV to offer FTTP at the same time , but as FTTP isn’t available here , that can’t be the case .

[licquorice]

Or alternatively it is just sheer incompetence.