Why are bt sending out smart hub 2 routers?

[Brian_d]

Just got a message from BT that they are sending me a SH2 to replace the perfectly functional original SH I've had for years.

Can someone tell me why please?

[VeteranISPUser]

Hi @Brian_d   Do you have a telephone call plan? The SH2 is a precursor to digital voice which will be a mandatory change.

[Brian_d]

I see it is related to digital voice, but was really interested in the difference in the functionality between the two routers, if any. I haven't used a landline/DECT phone for many years. That said I guess I still have a call plan to rent the line for BB.

Perhaps I shouldn't be on a land line call plan, do you think?

I haven't looked into this for years.

[EmmaJT]

Me too, although I actually cancelled my landline two weeks ago when I renewed my Broadband, but there doesn't appear to be a record of that on my account when I rang them earlier. I'm pretty annoyed as I wasn't aware that I am paying for a landline that I don't actually use. So now I shall have two new Smart Hubs in as many weeks.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@EmmaJT 

If you renewed your contract as broadband only, then all that would have happened is that your ability to make and receive calls would have ended, saving about £3-5 plus any call packages that you had. You still have to pay rental for the line, but that is included in the cost of the broadband.

If you ring your home phone number from a mobile, then if its been ceased, it will not connect to anything.

[iniltous]

The new SH2 router you have been sent will have a phone port as well as the usual router connections , that’s where you connect your landline telephone once you are on Digital Voice , your current smart hub won’t have a phone port so will be useless with DV , or  at least BT record of your equipment , or any remote check of the equipment connected indicated you don’t have a suitable smart hub ….obviously if you didn’t have a phone service associated with your broadband service then you wouldn’t need the SH2 with the phone port so one would not have been sent 

[rbz5416]

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@Keith_Beddoewrote:

saving about £3-5

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Only if already paying separately for landline. If you have it for free, as I do, then current BT policy seems to be "Heads we win, tails you lose." In that if you want to cancel the landline, you make no saving because it's free. But if you want to renew your package as it is, you now have to pay an additional £3 for landline that you already have.

No idea if this is general policy or if my account has again been singled out to be milked or terminated. But as it stands, the latter will likely happen in November.

[Brian_d]

I can't find the Calling Plan page you're showing in my accounts Guru?

Anyway, I have another dubious email (again) about returning my EE mini hub as my internet has now returned.

This happened a couple of months ago too, when the internet went down for ~a day.

This is a bit odd as when I called BT on the earlier fault they said work is ongoing in your area and they sent me the mini hub that I never even used as my internet was returned up and running by the time I woke up in the morning.

This last time I used it for a few hours. 

Additionally, I also hear rumours of cable theft in the area without proof, but also work being done by engineers at the same time. Meaning, one never knows whether these apparent thefts are the cause of the work by the comms guys, the other way around or the comms guys are making the breakage in the comms as they switch over to new cabling.