Telephone line - that swop away from normal copper lines

One thing for sure, this changeover is of no benefit at all to the customer.

Hmm....thought just struck me that a lot of these phonebox battles that have been won recently on the one hand and yet they are threatening "All copper lines gone by end of next year latest". Wonder what will happen to those phoneboxes then? Do they HAVE to keep the copperlines for them - as people fought for them to stay - or what?

cc - there are a (very few) phoneboxes around still. Very rare and those few have had to be fought for. A recent video of Totnes, for instance, showed what looked like a working phonebox still in the High Street. I've seen "yay we've managed it" - ie people fighting for their nearest phonebox and they succeeded.

BT has a minimum use number of calls set and if that minimum number is reached then they keep the phonebox working. Though I do notice they've sneaked away one heck of a lot of working phoneboxes - either the box has vanished altogether or it's been changed to something like a mini free library.

BlueBelle

Cariadagain so what are you posting on ??? A computer an iPad they are only bigger versions of a smart phone
You can get used to if you want to
My 90 year old friend manages, as does my 100 year old cousin
It’s been on the books for an awful long time that the mainland phones are disappearing it’s not new news

A computer - which I've had set up for me. There is only the absolute basics on it - finding websites, email, Facebook, YouTube and that is It. That's all I require. That's all I need.

When it stopped completely the other day - cue for a helpful neighbour gave it a thorough clean and it's working again.

Technology is there for our benefit - not theirs.

Whereas other people don't have the mindset I do - ie pretty much big picture and with a dose of intuition chucked in very occasionally but when I need it. Yep....I've even told two people that were having a brief conversation about 50' away from me before now that "You said this and then you no. 2 said that". They were gobsmacked - because that's exactly what they'd just said and I had needed to know it. I've even found someone's house when they wanted me to do so one time (as they were ill) - and they hadnt told me where they lived. Luckily it was a small village - but I found it and they were expecting me. I'll stick with the type of mind I've got - as it's actually much more useful to me...very very occasional as those incidents are...

BT are soon to convert the phone line at our holiday home but they've said that the engineer will provide all the equipment that is necessary if the old stuff doesn't work. I assume that this means they will replace the phone there too.
I think that everybody who uses the house does have a mobile phone, but obviously in a power cut (which is not unusual in that area) they will not be able to use them for long. I do have a little power pack which can recharge my mobile twice, but then that's it.
I don't think that there are any telephone boxes anwhere now.

CariadAgain

grandMattie - how are you managing phonewise now? have you had a new computer router and your phone is now plugged into that or what?

I’m with BT. They came (eventually), gave me a new modem, etc. Everything, pc, iPad, and so on work but the landline is still dead in a power cuts. I have a little battery pack for iPhone if there is a power cut and my phone isn’t sufficiently charged.
A bummer, but that is “progress” for you!

Cariadagain so what are you posting on ??? A computer an iPad they are only bigger versions of a smart phone
You can get used to if you want to
My 90 year old friend manages, as does my 100 year old cousin
It’s been on the books for an awful long time that the mainland phones are disappearing it’s not new news

We moved house and the landline was automatically disconnected by Openreach. No forewarning and they did not check that there was mobile reception here. There isn't (or it is very erratic). A 999 call went dead last month. This whole fiasco is unacceptable. But in this brave new world, who cares. Utility companies certainly don't.

CariadAgain
If you got the hang of a smart phone you could FaceTime your friend.

grandMattie - how are you managing phonewise now? have you had a new computer router and your phone is now plugged into that or what?

Eek! to no notice. That ain't right - it's defo down there in writing they are supposed to give at least 4 weeks notice! That would have been awkward - just finding you needed to use your phone in an emergency and it was sitting there cut off!

I know what you mean re mobiles - I simply don't have a techno mind and have tried a smartphone and couldnt even manage the basics on it. I've bought a Chattie phone (ie those ones that are very very basic and anyone is supposed to be able to use them) recently - though I've not had it set up yet thinking "I know I'm due for that 4 weeks notice" - so I guess I'd better hurry up on that in case they try pulling that stunt on me too!

One of their workman I chatted to this morning just said "Oh - emergency battery phone - no problem" and I said "Well that'll do nicely for my 2 hour phonecalls at a time to Ireland won't it!!!" (ie I have a good friend there and we do have regular LONG phonecalls). Yep...that's one of the reasons I swopped to that supplier in the first place - ie because my previous one had started "rationing" time to so much per month and then charging extra. So I swopped to Plusnet - who include southern Ireland in their inclusive tariff and my friend and I can chat away without worrying about the cost.

I believe that BT is going to change every last landline to digital. It’s already been done (without notice or advice) in our area. I only found out when I needed to call the electric board in a power cut. No landline, dead! Fortunately I have a mobile as well.
The fact that landlines are not supported in power cuts is one of the things that enrage those without mobiles or are vulnerable.

I’m not with the same supplier but had an ‘upgrade’ recently to full fibre. Wish I hadn’t.