BT Digital Voice and Pacemakers

BR5500

BT tried to move me over to Digital Voice in March. I explained that my mother has a pacemaker and has been told that the Digital Voice adapter could interfere with this. The order that BT put in was therefore cancelled and I was told I wouldn't have to worry about this until Jan 2027.

However today, I was alarmed to find that my service is being changed to Digital Voice next week. I called to complain and was told that I'm only able to defer Digital Voice for 3 months and that I'm only allowed to defer it once - hence why it was ordered for me again.

I called BT and was told that if I plug the new phone into the Digital Voice hub I won't need to use the Digital Voice adapter and therefore there won't be any adverse effect on my mother's pacemaker. Does anyone know if this is true?

Has anyone successfully managed to stop BT from changing them to Digital Voice?

Has anyone been using Digital Voice with a pacemaker?

Greatly appreciate any help, many thanks in advance.

littleboo

Who told you that it could interfere with a pacemaker?

flaneurs_lobster

littleboo said:

Who told you that it could interfere with a pacemaker?

The internet, pretty much everything you want to believe can be confirmed with a simple search.

LightFlare

Maybe ask the cardiology department that fitted the pacemaker.

Typically, mechanical pacemakers aren’t as sensitive to outside interference whereas ICD type ones MAY be affected by some specific sources.

spenderdave

Digital voice just uses your normal internet connection, ie at the most just wifi. The power levels with wifi (100mW in the UK) are far below the levels which could interfere with pacemakers. If you have a cordless (DECT) phone  that also uses rf at similar power levels. It is highly unlikely a change to digital voice will affect the  pacemaker, though worth asking your cardiologist anyway.

iniltous

Digital voice doesn’t use WiFi it uses DECT , the SH2 is in effect a DECT basestation as well as router , the OP (frankly nonsensical concern) is about a DV adapter, which isn’t required for DV anyway , it’s an optional ‘extra’ , available to those that request one ( no obligation to order one if you don’t want or need  one ) to make a standard corded phone connect wirelessly to the router , the same wired phone could  be connected  directly to the router phone socket by its cord but the router and phone may not be in the same location (that’s why the adapter is offered in the first place  ) , you obviously have the option to move the phone closer to the router so you can plug it in directly, then you don’t need an adapter in the first place.

If the OP already has a router and already has a cordless telephone, nothing has changed , as far as this concern about DV adapters and pacemakers ,why hasn’t there has been concern about regular DECT phone interfering  with pacemakers ( the answer unsurprisingly is because they don’t interfere )  having concerns about DV adaptors, which are essentially the same thing , shows how ridiculous this concern is.

BR5500

Many thanks for your replies, that's put my mind at rest. I previously came across a fair bit of content online that suggested DV could potentially interfere with a pacemaker but this, in common with so much information online, appears to be scaremongering! Thanks again.

GillyFlower

OK - we are in our 80's and my husband has a pacemaker. He has 'like a mobile phone' plugged into electric socket by bed. (I will phone hospital tomorrow to check all OK) We have been changed over to Digital without any prior warning - just renewed my contract and no phone line or internet! Just cut off - so equipment being changed - no phone for 4 days and 3 engineers, etc, etc. Numerous phone calls and new equipment to get our head around.

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81941872#Comment_81941872

The new equipment will presumably be just a new router, you may need to connect any devices that use WiFi such as your TV, mobile phones or tablets as the connection details will be different (they'll be printed on the router or on a card).

southsidergs

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81941872#Comment_81941872

If you were really not told you'll have grounds for a complaint as they should have made you aware when placing the order if you did it by phone. If you did it online it would have told you

GillyFlower

I renewed contract by phone. When confirmation came though I read 'Fibre'. So phoned up and said this looks different than before and she said it is the same so do not worry. 16th March no phone or internet on day new contract started. Long phone calls three engineers different days and by Friday online.

Now realize it is Digital and I am going through teething process and have escalated a complaint. Long saga that I hope will finally mean no technical issues.