Upgrading to BT Digital Voice. Part 1. Get a Free phone

In this video I talk about the gradual move to BT Digital Voice so no more copper phone line for phone calls, instead the telephone will work through your BT Smart Hub 2 router. Luckily BT have provided a free phone or digital voice wall adaptor to help the move go smoothly. I take a look at the new phone I ordered. Now I need to wait for the actual go live date!
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#bt #btdigitalvoice #btfreephone #btfreehomephone #homephone
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[@craigsouthwell3484]

You can plug your own phone into the back of the modem... I did because I have a corded phone by my computer and wanted to keep it. The digital phone works too as well as the phone plugged in.

[@sotosmandalos9399]

Yes certainly, but if you are a Halo 3+ customer with hybrid EE, it will kick in. However you will have NO phone whether is connected to hub 2 or not, neither BT Vision. I had BT Engineer and BT Openreach who confirmed all that! You can emulate this by removing the broadband line RJ11 cable and although the hub 2 will still allocate IP addresses to your digital devices (and provide Internet access through the hybrid EE device) your phone does NOT work

[@chriskaye1997]

Interesting, thanks.

[@ally1958]

I am a live in carer and my 92 year old client's phone has been switched to digital. As from the end of the month she will be living independently and does not use a mobile phone so if there is a power outage, she is completely cut off from the world - her panic alarm which is routed through the hub will not work, her phone will not work either. When raising this with BT we got a shrug and a new digital handset......who is going to be responsible if there is a power cut and someone dies due to not being able to phone an ambulance or the fire brigade in case of emergency?

[@asmrwhisperingtea4567]

This is my concern, the reason i want a landline is to have in case something like that happens, im on my own a lot, just want a normal phone

[@FluxLabsProjects]

This is the great question, that no one is willing to give time to answer. Recently BT have admitted that the 2025 deadline is not possible. I have a feeling that there will be certain customers that will never be moved off copper. Think rural areas with no broadband/mobile or elderly with pendant alarms. I guess we'll see. Good luck.

[@TheBazildog]

All Telcos/ ISPs can provide 'battery back up' units. Give BT a call and ask for them specifically. Make sure they understand the account holder is 'vulnerable'.

[@FluxLabsProjects]

@@TheBazildog Good to hear that BT are doing something. Who's responsible for battery upkeep? Customer?

[@PaulRansonArt]

We've been forced to move to digital voice and use the incredibly unreliable Smart Hub 2. I say this with a years experience of problems with faulty hubs ( we're on #5 yes I'm not kidding ). Looking at VoIP which I know wont solve the problem of a power failure. Our recent engineer call out quietly admitted BT had rushed their new services into operation with little regard for home users. 🤔🤔

[@richardgregory3684]

Yes, the "upgrade" to a system that does not work in a power cut and which will disable many telecare systems, such as the ones the elderly use to press a button on a pendant if they have fallen. The solution being promoted are "use a mobile" and complicated battery backup gadgets that keep the phone working...so an hour or so. I want a phone to make phone calls, not piss about with bloody Alexa. Tpo quote Mr Scott "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain".

[@bilbp41]

There is something that you have forgotten if you all go to digital voice once the power goes off in your house. You have no means of phone line communication at all so anybody who has a disability or is elderly. They will not be able to use their phone if the electric go offbut of course, the government have got all this in hand haven’t they at least if there was power outages the copper lines still worked?

[@billgreen576]

This idea has already been moved back to 2026 and there are still places in urban areas that cannot get FTTC let alone FTTP. Some locations will not be viable for FTTP and will not have copper either when the exchanges go off line. But no one GAF about them.

[@folksinger2100]

What the won't tell you is that with the copper wire system that during a power cut your landline remains operating as power for the landline phone is supplied from the exchange and that if the exchange suffers a power cut its power is supplied by a back up generator. However with fibre lose your house power supply and your landline / telephone line has also disappeared. The last power cut we had was for 11 hours!!!! BT will sell you a 1 hour stand by batt. Ideal for those with SOS alarms, Flood Alerts auto dialled by the EA, Water Companies and other utilities that ring to check on their venerable customers, Hospitals that need to check their clients that are at home etc etc Short changed the customer BT this has not been thought through at all.

[@MrRawMonkey]

The copper line isn’t being taken out for most people despite DV. It just means the existing broadband will plug into smart hub 2 via copper to the FTTC.

[@dreadlysmellybum]

Most new builds are fibre only.

[@scottsews]

If you have digital voice the old copper phone will stop working they tell you this when it's ordered.

[@davidplayle5674]

That’s not true. The copper line is replaced. They replace it with a fibre optic cable. This is the hole point of switching digital because your current analog coax phone line is soon defunct. Which is why they are upgrading everyone.

[@anthonymckenna4235]

Hi It's well worth getting the digital voice it's clear and loud I have had mine for 12 months nearly; It can be used as a confrence phone one person can be on the phone and if you have 2 phone someone else can use the same number to call a different number at the same time as you.

[@Mike_5]

This will only work initially on FTTC and FTTP but not on G.Fast installations and the isolation caused by a mains power outage is being looked at by a BBU solution

[@folksinger2100]

They offer to sell you a 1 hour BBU, some areas have power cuts for over 10 hours.

[@Mike_5]

@@folksinger2100 exactly and they know that too

[@toastofcinder3547]

Be aware that BT no longer offer free phones with Digital Voice upgrades. You can still get a free DV adapter, 2 if you have other devices that need it. Over 40k phones have been returned by customers that don't actually want/need them so you have to pay if you want a phone now

[@daniel_coe]

Shame it's a good phone. If you want a digital line, but can see why they did it

[@toastofcinder3547]

@@daniel_coe it is a shame, it would be nice if they were available on request rather than being offered with every order or now, nothing at all

[@stephenconcliffe395]

I have moved over to digital phone' adapter did not work correctly with my existing phone so bt sent me a replacement phone i will let you know how i get on it looks good.

[@ram64man]

The ofcom should force bt and others to in the upgrade and allow sip devices /routers such as grandstreams than having to be forced to use the bt hub,/zen hub etc doing so limits work from home setups and those that only want a phone than broadband or those that like me have an extensive network connection and allow easy access for advanced small business users that don’t have the need for multiple external due to there own pbx network

[@Alex1M6]

I recognize you from your archery videos, how's your layered foam target holding up?

[@garydeandeery]

Iv just got one sent for free. My hand set has broken and called for help so now Iv been sent this for free and it’s brilliant

[@maxthemagition]

I am hanging onto my copper line, once gone, gone forever. I have a freest box for entertainment. Broadband costs about £25+ p.m. whether it is FTTC or FTTP. then there is the entertainment package on top of that along with Talk….All for around £60 p.m….with call charges you are talking about £1000 per annum all in…..or £20 per week. What fun! Then there is the TV licence fee! All in all I could heat my flat for that. Seems that telephone etc costs far too much especially for a pensioner.

[@unita39hse]

Well interesting I after much trouble plugged my old phones into the white digital voice adapter port and after connecting wirelessly the adapter to the hub two sides buttons for pairing. So you don’t plug into the outside line , the understanding is the fibre optic carries the phone signal now all those cables outside on poles will be gone it all goes through fibre optic cable. So all my old phones work as long as it’s connected to the white adapter and you can plug adapter anywhere in the house as it’s wireless obviously nearer the hub the better signal. My line used to be cracking due water conditions outside but as going down fibre optic now completely 100% clear , it was always a problem here but not now, so pleased 😀

[@daniel_coe]

Yes, I used to have crackly audio. Always, something was wrong, and it affected the old non fibre broadband, not anymore. Never really had a problem with the phone or fibre broadband.

[@kaz007]

great video,,but I just moved from virgin business to BT business (broadband and landline number) After agreeing and 1 month down the line BT saying they cant port my number cos its voip(even though the phone number was generated by BT over 40 yrs ago when I used to be with them) and they agreed at point of sale to port my number!!!! What kind of deceitful BS practice is this??? NOW IM STUCK IN NO MANS LAND WHERE I CANT PORT MY PHONE LINE UNLESS I GET VIRGIN TO CONVERT ME BACK TO ptsn LINE(ANALOGUE) WHICH THEY PHASED it out over the last year,since ALL TELECOM COMPANIES ARE MOVING TO VOIP? What choices do i have now?Any help appreciated.

[@jannertfol]

Yes, BT are useless when it comes to porting phone numbers, as we discovered. They simply don't forward the PAC code as they promise ...and once their service runs out, well, that's you lost your old number. I managed to rescue my old mobile number at the very last minute by rattling EE, the outfit we were being switched to, and THEY finally got the number ported over. I had less than a day in hand, when they finally managed to get it sorted and I was able to retain my old number ...no thanks to BT. Unfortunately EE is now under the BT 'umbrella' so how long their excellent customer service will last is up in the air. But at the moment, they are very good.

[@Viewer765]

They don’t take copper out they just reuse it and any phone works with digital line

[@sw793]

Question I have is does the wireless phone or adapter work with a non-BT wireless router? I use a modem and non-BT router.

[@hatchie61fish-on29]

I got a BT hub but no landline can I scrap the voice as I don't have a landline

[@fredasw5650]

I got a free phone with Alexa built in, set it up today, its great

[@tweetypie25]

What happens with 3 phones and a fast fibre with digital voice, 2 are wireless but the socket is downstairs??? Will the fast fibre make all these of no use? The new router will be going upstairs where the old router was. Yet the old phone socket is downstairs.

[@daniel_coe]

Mine doesn't use the socket anymore, it connects wireless to the router, so placement isn't a problem for me.

[@tweetypie25]

@@daniel_coe Youll have a wireless digital phone I assume, mine now has to plug in to ethernet port on the Digital Voice Adapter, the other two phones still wirelessly connect through the Voice adapter, the 😆problem I have now is you need sockets spare for the routers, then the voice adaptor, then the phones plug in for charging, need about 7 spare sockets!!!

[@spumco1]

Imagine the joy of having more ways to be contacted ! No thanks ta.

[@maxthemagition]

So in the future we will see the 30 million households in the Uk paying about £1000 per annum (£20 per eeek) for their broadband plus entertainment package plus their talk or telephone costs excluding those with mobile phone contracts….equates to about £30BILLION per annum!

[@maxthemagition]

There be the drive to get everyone onto FTTC or FTTP. It’s the money and profit.

[@MadBiker-vj5qj]

Will I still be able to use my old 700 and 200 series phones with this infernal new system? Does the adaptor work with the old pulse-dialing phones?

[@daniel_coe]

I think as long as they are digital dect phones, you should be able to plug them into the router. See if bt will give you new wireless phones for free

[@unita39hse]

Yes I had old phones just plug them into the digital adapter only , the digital adapter will connect to the hub wirelessly two buttons on the side pressed do this it means you can keep your old phones , just as well as I have the bt blocker phone so alls good and no crackling audio anymore , the fibre optic cable is the phone line not the box on the wall plug in anymore

[@marcse7en]

I recently upgraded to Vodafone Full Fibre with VOIP ... Or so I thought! The Openreach engineer turns up and tells me, even though the Exchange and Fibre Cabinet are outside my window, these flats DON'T have Fibre! ... Long story short, I've been switched to VOIP (losing my old phone number) and I'm STILL on Fibre To The Cabinet! ... I'm going to have words with Vodafool! 👎😠

[@daniel_coe]

I would, that doesn't sound great.

[@marcse7en]

@@daniel_coe I've had words with Vodafone, and it looks like I'm stuck on FTTC for now, even though the Fibre Cabinet and Exchange are outside my window! I'm thinking Openreach simply can't be arsed to connect me to Full Fibre? It's easier for them to leave me on copper? That said, due to my close proximity to the Fibre Cabinet, my speeds are very good. Still a bit disappointed. However, the object of the exercise was to save money, and I've done that. Plusnet was around £26 per month for 38 Mbps. My Vodafone "Social Tariff" is just £12 for 38 Mbps!

[@markbennett259]

That's helpful, good video thanks!

[@daniel_coe]

Thank you

[@firstlast5350]

What is the adapter for. I've seen in another video someone just plugging their old phone into back of BT hub

[@daniel_coe]

This Adapter allows you the freedom to keep using your existing home phones when your service moves to Digital Voice. If your current home phone is a DECT Cordless phone, with or without additional handsets, you will only need 1 Adapter. If you only use Corded phones in your home, you will need an Adapter per phone. (You can have up to 5 Digital Voice products registered to the Smart Hub 2, this includes the Digital Voice Adapter) You require an adapter if: You want your DECT phone in a different location to your Smart Hub. You’ll only need 1 Adapter You use Corded phones around your house. You’ll need an Adapter per Corded phone You do not need an adapter if: It’s convenient for you to plug either your Corded or Cordless phone directly into the green port at the back of your Smart Hub 2.

[@toastofcinder3547]

The adapter lets you use your existing phone anywhere where there's a plug socket, assuming it's in range of the HUB

[@michaelgoulding6609]

​@@daniel_coeatm i use a refurbished gpo rotory pulse dial phone that i bought off ebay 12mth ago, that i paid 75 quid for, i just like the rotory dial & find it much easyer to use, than push button phone,s & don,t want or need a new digital phone, i saw online & ebay etc that there is an adaptor that someone has invented, called (dial a tone adaptor) & is for people that want to still use a vintage phone for whatever reason.. It costs around 55 quid, but cos i dont have a BT router with a phone socket(not sure if BT are gonna send me a new router) will the gpo phone work with the dial a tone adaptor plugged into the wall socket adaptor, that we can get off BT for free, thanks.

[@lindawatson9257]

I cannot work out how to open my digital phone in order to replace the batteries.

[@daniel_coe]

I believe you need to turn it upside down and pinch the bottom of the unit apart, from images it looks like the whole back of the phone does come off.

[@lindawatson9257]

@@daniel_coe Great!! Been trying for ages. Thank you Daniel.

[@abushaher2362]

Hi do you need the wire connected to the green phone port on the back of the smart hub 2? Because I wasn’t provided one

[@daniel_coe]

If you have the digital phones from bt, there are no wires going to the router at all.

[@rayc9238]

can you phone you other digital voice handset internally. so you can speed to someone up like stairs. if so how do you do this.thanks .

[@daniel_coe]

I'll have to take a look at that one, I'm not sure if it's even possible.

[@jackedwards5653]

I am having trouble with .my BT digital phone.

[@shamhussain]

Is there a way to use the digital phone with the existing alarm system? Without upgrading etc

[@daniel_coe]

Hi, Not that I know of yet. You can still use the alarm, I just don't think it will notify you of an event. My go live for digital voice is Feb 10th, so I'll find out after that.

[@stephenconcliffe395]

I don’t think so

[@brucejoseph8367]

How is it an upgrade when at the moment all I have for a good reliable phone service (that works in a power cut) are two wires coming into my house? With voip I'll need a fibre junction box and router both of which have to be powered, together with battery backup of some kind which also needs mains power that I have to pay for. So that's three or maybe four items that need electrical power to match what I've already got that needs none. How much more of a drain on the already struggling national grid when millions of homes are forced to plug in these extra electronic devices at the whim of a profit making company? Isn't very "green" is it!!!

[@daniel_coe]

Yes, I suppose it all adds up.

[@nickyfoulkes8476]

We have been moved to digital voice with full fibre unbeknown to us & I have had no phone for a week. So good luck.

[@petermartin9102]

Fine but find me a BT no that I as disabled person who longer has a landline can get help

[@eliakimjosephsophia4542]

They haven't send me a phone, all I received was a new router and white a digital voice box.

[@daniel_coe]

I think someone said they may have stopped handing out free phones now

[@digitalmediafan]

I'm about to upgrade to fttp with vodafone. I presume this phone wil work with a vodafone router ?

[@daniel_coe]

No, the bt wireless phone won't work as it's wireless for the smart hub 2. The Vodafone router does have a standard phone socket in the back, so a standard wired digital phone should work. If you find the wireless bt phones do work, let me know as I'd be interested to know.

[@digitalmediafan]

@@daniel_coe ok hmm but if a Vodafone router has a wireless option then hopefully it will though I would have thought ?

[@daniel_coe]

There is a new vodafone router with the Pro packages that has a cloth type cover. I'm not sure about these newer ones. I've only used the older grey/black rectangular routers

[@robhingston]

A power cut and your fu....d

[@The_Relaxation_Coach]

I got my letter today, ordered my free phone. Searching online some phones have Alexa built in. It didn't look like the free ones have, is that right?

[@stephenconcliffe395]

BT sent me a Alexa free phone happy days.

[@daniel_coe]

I didn't get an Alexa one.

[@The_Relaxation_Coach]

@@stephenconcliffe395 Lucky you! I have got mine now, it isn't an Alexa one. shame...

[@The_Relaxation_Coach]

@@daniel_coe I didn't get an Alexa one either

[@Slugworth88]

One often reaches their destiny on the road they take to avoid it lol great video though

[@sotosmandalos9399]

This is all good information. Just to let you know, using Halo 3+ with EE Hybrid solution, if for any reason your broadband line goes down, the EE Hybrid 4G service kicks in and whilst is connected to the BT Hub 2 it provides Internet service to your home. BUT.... 1) Your Digital Voice line does NOT work any longer and 2) Your BT Vision HD Service does NOT work either Now considering BT/EE work together to provide a fail-over solution, selling it and charging me for something that doesn't work is absurd. I had a BT Engineer and he confirmed my findings, and he organised a BT Openreach to confirm my network/connection coming is is up to speed and fine which they did, HOWEVER, the service WILL NOT work when EE Hybrid kicks in

[@daniel_coe]

Plus, don't they only post the hybrid hardware out when you need it? So, adding another day with no Internet?

[@sotosmandalos9399]

@@daniel_coe It is part of the Halo 3+ package. You have Internet fail over with the hybrid EE and it works, but NO phone line, neither BT Vision when that happens. You can emulate this by taking the RJ11 cable off your hub 2. Provided you have hybrid EE then this 4G connection will kick in only for Internet access NO phone, NO BT Vision

[@createspaceone]

anyone know how to setup up the digital phones with third party router? not home hub?

[@PaulRansonArt]

Have had loads of trouble with the BT Smart Hub2 (we're on #5) You can use many modern hubs like our TP-Link WD9980 but you'll lose the Digital Voice. No problem for us for a while as the phone used the old copper line until they switched it off last week. Now we're back to the rubbish SH2 and unreliable internet service again. The 'Unbreakable' BT FFTP upgrade has been rushed out with little thought and poor routers.

[@toastofcinder3547]

Digital voice phones are only compatible with first party hubs, it's the hub that actually makes and receives the calls

[@MrBobWareham]

Hope you like Amazon as the phone is supported by Amazon so when making or receiving calls I wonder if Amazon is logging your call with messages? Anyway we will not be using it for privacy reasons, I don't like Amazon it's just another reason to invade your privacy like Mobil phone and Google!!!

[@philipstogden8906]

Does this mean you dont have pay for land line anymore?

[@daniel_coe]

Good question, we'll see. It will probably all be bundled into one price now, called 'Broadband'. I know some like Talk Talk offer broadband without a landline now.

[@PaulRansonArt]

Sorry folks they still charge for 'line rental' even though technically its all going down the fibre.

[@toastofcinder3547]

It depends which plan you are on. However, extra features like voicemail are now free.

[@leehigginbottom6926]

Where's the phone number

[@marvinman66]

In five years time all copper will be gone BT are making millions out of old copper unless you’re someone with special needs or circumstances in the home that requires a copper line. As from now 2023 BT is EE all there staff are EE employees and next year BT will be used for business broadband, and the next time you will renew contract you will be with EE. I have left BT Thank God. I was paying £91.73 for 900 broadband now I pay £46 for 900 broadband this price is likely to go up with inflation soon . Oh yes nothing is ever free next year people with fibre new packages in broadband gigabit broadband and above 1gb 1.5gb and maybe 2gb slowly roll out.

[@zyborg47]

that phone looks cheap and nasty, just like the phone that used to come with BT routers years ago., i am not with BT, i am with plusnet, but i already use a VoIP service and have not got a phone pluged into normal phone socket. I am using FTTC, but there is a atl network installing fibre here and I think Open reach is doing it as well. To be honest i not that interested in having FTTP, I am fine with FTTC, it is cheapish and 36Mb/s is fine for what i do, i also can't be bothered with the mucking around for instaltion and from the problems I have seen people have and the mess that is left. I will stay as I am for as long as I can.

[@PaulRansonArt]

We're one of the ones in a mess I'm afraid. We were forced to move from FFTC to FFTP as BT were switching off the old copper phone lines. I'm afraid you'll probably get the same. Now were have rubbish internet service and forced to use a cheap and unreliable SH2.

[@zyborg47]

@@PaulRansonArt They are switching off analogue voice, but they are not stopping FTTC for a long time, so how they forced you to change I don't know. Talk Talk is sending letters to people, but they are sending three different ones, one that says, we are moving you, one that asks if they want to be moved, and I can't remember than the third one is. It is supposed to be a trial to see how people reacte to different letters, but even the ones who get the letters that say we are going to move you to FTTP can refuse. I will see in the next couple of weeks if openreach is doing FTTP here, they are going to do some road works at the bottom of my street. As I said above, I am staying as I am,

[@PaulRansonArt]

@@zyborg47 Indeed we had the option to remain as we were. But and here's the kicker - when our contract ended in a months time we would be on a month to month contract with no discount. Basically it would have doubled our bill. The copper connection was disabled after 12 months so its FFTP or nothing. Hope you get a better result but I'm not holding my breath for you.🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@zyborg47]

@@PaulRansonArt But FTTC is not going, it is the analogue voice system that is going. My next door neighb ours have sky FTTC, but the voice is digital as the phone have to be connected to the router. Openreach have not even started FTTP here yet, they are doing something down the road in a couple of weeks time, i don't know if that have anything to do with it, we have an alternatvie network that have just dug up the road, not sure when they will become available., When Openreach do bring FTTP here, I will stay with plusnet FTTC as long as i can and if they force the issue then I will go to ZZoomm, whihc is the alternative network.

[@PaulRansonArt]

@@zyborg47 Yes we we're lead to believe that FTTC was hear for a while. But as soon as they had everyone switched over to FFTP the copper analogue signal was turned off. Worthing was one of the first all digital areas so our local council boasted. The roll out will take some time but the engineers we've see ( and there has been a few trying to fix things ) say its gathering pace even though the test equipment is basic and fault finding almost impossible. The Open Reach engineer said all the can now test is how bright the optical fibre transmits. Its either on or off. If its off then there's little chance of finding a break as they cannot isolate sections of fible optics like they used to do with copper. Thanks for the tip with Zzoomm. I'll check them out.

[@jonathansimmonds5784]

If you have the choice STAY COPPER!! Digital is absolute crap service on all fronts! This is not an improvement, it's a backward step BT!! Biggest negative is that during a power cut you've no landline!! I don't have any mobile signal at home so I'm well and truly fucked! Add to that the delay meaning natural flowing conversation becomes impossible then the breaks meaning you have to ask the person to 'repeat' all the time! Listen to BBC Radio 4 interviews if you want to know how bad telephone comms have become!

[@daniel_coe]

The move certainly does not suit everyone. I admit.

[@unita39hse]

Your right no power no phone line