Is it worth moving over to BTs digital voice?

peter021072

BT are due to move me to their 'Digital Voice', their upgrade to a digital service, although I have an option to delay.  However, I plan to ditch my landline when my contract finishes at the end of the year due to cold callers. I will probably ditch BT as an internet provider, and chose an alternative, fast fibre system such as this.  I'm virtually using my mobile for all calls now, although the BT router provides essential internet access to my desktop. So is there any point in 'upgrading' with the potential disruption this causes? Will BT be doing anything else to the line a fast fibre provider won't provide, assuming I don't want the landline?

dc_scotland

I have recently been switched to Digital Voice.  No disruption, it was a simple process with plenty of texts from BT detailing what to do and when to do it.  My old router, which I have had for a number of years, was not compatible with Digital Voice and so they sent me a new one.  My broadband speeds are now slightly faster as a result.

pinkdon

When I joined BT a couple of years ago I was only offered the Digital voice , no other option. To be fair it works as it should, I think, I rarely use the landline. As I was changing providers from Plusnet (same company) I assumed all would go smoothly. Unfortunately they lost “my pnome number” and I’m stuck with an 008Xx rather than my area code and a “usual” number. Landline works as usual when plugged in .

littleboo

If you have the option to delay the migration, and don't intend to stay with BT, then there is little point in migrating to DV.

Browntoa

I moved recently and dropped the landline and have a VoIP line via my own adapter.

I only retained the VoIP line as I'm considering moving abroad and it will allow people to ring me without it costing either side the earth and it's not provider dependant, it's my line 

iniltous

If you don’t use the landline at all , it really doesn’t matter if you upgrade or not , it’s probably more hassle to stop the change to DV taking place than simoky letting it take place , it’s ( from your point of view ) completely irrelevant if you don’t use landline telephony anymore , the only negative is if after migration if you don’t bother to plug a phone in the port on the router , you may get an email reminding  you  to do it , moving to DV doesn’t change anything  contractual , so letting it happen changes nothing at all for anyone in your situation.

steven141

BT no longer requires you to have a phone when talking broadband so you can usually save £5 per month by removing it. This is the new pricing. If you are on an old plan it may be different but it’s worth speaking to them to check. You may save money. 

I personally have it as I like having my landline.

Vegastare

I have had Digital Phone from BT for about 18 months and the sound is crisp and clear, however I have certainly had issues.
Firstly when installing they insisted it could not be placed where previous hub was - instead it went in my lounge, this was due to the wire/fibre not being bendable!!! the bends worsen performance.

When I went outside a grey plastic plate sits on the wall and several large chunks of brick were on the ground.  I was not made aware of there being any damage.  If in years to come it is removed it will show damage to brick work.

I have 6 plug sockets in my lounge the connection box uses 1, the hub 2nd and the phone a 3rd, the disc another.

If there is a power cut the phones do not work.

My Broadband is excellent, onto phones, the one in the lounge is the one you use if you need to be sure you do not want to be disconnected by a round pixel saying phone is synchronizing, this happens often with bedroom phone. The call is lost.!!  I was sent new phone and disc ( thinking range was problem) seems better - however in May I migrated over to EE who sent an envelope wanting the disc returned, or I would incur charge!! They later agreed for me to keep it.

My last and ongoing problem has not been sorted for 18 months.  Previously with old phone I had number witheld on all calls.  While I realize I can place 141 infront prior to dialing, I have on 4 occasions been told it has been sorted.
Yesterday I made a call and asked did they want my number - no it was already showing.

So another call to EE and another agent is looking into it again.  I asked could he look back though the narratives on my account.  Bless him he did not know what I meant. So I expalined it was an account of what I had previously called about.  I am waiting for an update.

If you can get by using a mobile forget it, if you are a old timer like me just keep on top of things.

I will post on MSE forum to see if anyone does have permanent number withheld with BT/EE digital phones.

iniltous

Vegastare said:

I have had Digital Phone from BT for about 18 months and the sound is crisp and clear, however I have certainly had issues.
Firstly when installing they insisted it could not be placed where previous hub was - instead it went in my lounge, this was due to the wire/fibre not being bendable!!! the bends worsen performance.

When I went outside a grey plastic plate sits on the wall and several large chunks of brick were on the ground.  I was not made aware of there being any damage.  If in years to come it is removed it will show damage to brick work.

I have 6 plug sockets in my lounge the connection box uses 1, the hub 2nd and the phone a 3rd, the disc another.

If there is a power cut the phones do not work.

My Broadband is excellent, onto phones, the one in the lounge is the one you use if you need to be sure you do not want to be disconnected by a round pixel saying phone is synchronizing, this happens often with bedroom phone. The call is lost.!!  I was sent new phone and disc ( thinking range was problem) seems better - however in May I migrated over to EE who sent an envelope wanting the disc returned, or I would incur charge!! They later agreed for me to keep it.

My last and ongoing problem has not been sorted for 18 months.  Previously with old phone I had number witheld on all calls.  While I realize I can place 141 infront prior to dialing, I have on 4 occasions been told it has been sorted.
Yesterday I made a call and asked did they want my number - no it was already showing.

So another call to EE and another agent is looking into it again.  I asked could he look back though the narratives on my account.  Bless him he did not know what I meant. So I expalined it was an account of what I had previously called about.  I am waiting for an update.

If you can get by using a mobile forget it, if you are a old timer like me just keep on top of things.

I will post on MSE forum to see if anyone does have permanent number withheld with BT/EE digital phones.

TBH , this is your experience of moving onto FTTP and DV , the OP is only moving to DV , there is no suggestion that a move to FTTP is also being made …..I have DV and the only difference was moving the phone plug from the socket on the wall to the socket on the router 

sheffieldeagle

Browntoa said:

I moved recently and dropped the landline and have a VoIP line via my own adapter.

I only retained the VoIP line as I'm considering moving abroad and it will allow people to ring me without it costing either side the earth and it's not provider dependant, it's my line 

Did you manage to keep your number? I'm looking to ditch my mum n dad's line.

Cheers