Digital conversion

MouldyOldDough

Just received an email from BT - Evidently, they still reckon that they'll be switching off the analogue phone network by Dec 31st 2025  !

According to OPENREACH FIBRECHECKER

I am due to get upgraded to full fibre "Build planned between now and Dec-2026"

This means that everyone will be forced to go "digital" and those without internet access will probably lose their phone lines, since the phone will plug into the new router !

It does mean "Cheaper calls and line rental" for those with internet access but what does this mean for the elderly and those who cannot afford an internet connection ?

Worrying times ahead

southsidergs

MouldyOldDough said:

This means that everyone will be forced to go "digital" and those without internet access will probably lose their phone lines, since the phone will plug into the new router !

It does mean "Cheaper calls and line rental" for those with internet access but what does this mean for the elderly and those who cannot afford an internet connection ?

Worrying times ahead

First point, stop panicking & scaremongering, it's 2 years away, solutions will be getting worked on. In any case it's possible to supply a router & handset with a bare minimum bb speed for it to work too

Second point, no it won't mean cheaper calls automatically, looking at BT for example calls are same no matter method of delivery

EssexExile

Us old people will manage fine, we invented "digital".

matelodave

EssexExile said:

Us old people will manage fine, we invented "digital".

Absolutely right, I've noticed that the OP (MOD) has a tendency to scaremonger and see what he can find to have a bit of a stir.

Stuart_W

MouldyOldDough said:

This means that everyone will be forced to go "digital" and those without internet access will probably lose their phone lines, since the phone will plug into the new router !

No it doesn't.  As far as the end user is concerned, you do not have to take broadband or have access to the internet to be able to make phone calls.

The technology behind what happens when you pick the phone up might change, but much of this is "behind the scenes" stuff as far as any vulnerable end user is concerned. If you are a landline only customer, you will NOT lose your phone service, you may just most likely have a small adapter-device (actually a very simple router) to use first, or your socket may be adjusted. Your phone company will contact you about this, your phone number will not change and you will not lose your phone line. The vast majority of landline phones will still work but if you have one that won't your supplier should be able to provide a small converter device if preferred to getting a newer style phone. You should also be provided with a back up power option (most probably a simple battery unit) if you are landline only and do not have access to a mobile service. There are very few landline-only customers, and the numbers are falling all the time, but those that remain are being covered in this process.

See more: 
Home Phone Users – Future of Voice – Homepage