BT phone landlines changing to IP technology

knspol, you can use a mobile phone on speaker and have the volume turned up. I never hold the phone up to my ear

It seems I’m being criticised on another thread saying I’m disliking change.. why are we not supporting each other on GNs when looking for advice..

Never heard anything about this. I have a mobile and a landline but the mobile signal is not good and I have difficulty hearing people on it so always ask people to use landline so I can put it on speaker. Have several landline phones spread throughout the house for ease of answering so having just one plugged into the router will be more than a nuisance especially as the router is in a very awkward position.

about answerphone, vod has voicemail but I removed that as like Biglouis, the smartphone is a tool for me, not a convenience for others. I never carry it around. It is in my living room and stays there 24/7 and will come out in my car as a `just in case`

the S20 5G that I bought is a reconditioned phone

I disconnected my bt landline phone a couple of years ago and haven`t looked back. I have a reconditioned smartphone connected to wireless and vod and it is far cheaper for phone calls. Landline got plenty of scam, phishing and spam calls, there are none on my smartphone. Vod does a very good job of stopping those

whoever is calling appears on my screen, as on landline phone and I can ignore or answer. I don`t use my smartphone to its fullest extent but it really is far better than landline. I upgraded my old one to samsung S20 5G at a cost of just over £200

I get broadband from plusnet and the phone calls and data are covered by vod

There are many over 70s not in the luddite category

But not being advised when… think my bump in n head 3 weeks ago is affecting me and some others🙃

Hetty58 .. know where phone line goes- currently in socket in wall!!! But it’s now switching to a Router!!!

Bea65, why not just check where your phone wire goes? I changed over years ago - as I resented paying that monthly BT landline fee just for an occasional call.

People around here are removing the redundant phone wires from their house fronts - so much neater. Nearly everyone has a mobile and broadband anyway - and many don't have house phones.

Still, it's likely to be the elderly who have outdated tech (I get the 'old' mobiles from my family, yet still they're recent). So, really, the changes will only be a nuisance for very few people. Whether they get the right support and adaptations is doubtful, though.

I’m totally confused. My landline has never worked in a power cut. I have always relied on my mobile. I am with Talktalk. What are these ‘changes’ ? I don’t understand😫

Put it down to old age. I left out the fact that those without phones had to go out to a telephone box.

Life does get complicated now. I remember the time when only a few people had a telephone and had to go out to a phone box and put two pennies in the box to talk to an operator. In our whole street our house was the only one with a phone. I can still remember our phone number.

My Mother was going to be changed over but her local authority alarm (on her wrist to call if she falls etc) would not work in a power cut, so she is still on old system until this problem is solved

I already have digital voice as mentioned previously and much prefer using the landline rather than a mobile phone when I am at home, have had no problems since it was changed

Pittcity Agree that providers should offer help...but seems to be a another postcode lottery..have older friends late 70s and sister and brother in their 80s who have iPads who both say Leave my landline alone...thats where the frustration and challenges are...

I think the "Over 70s" bit in the Age UK info meant that younger people would be the first switched and would be more likely to be sent equipment to install themselves.
Your provider should offer help to older people and provide a free connection for those without internet and battery backup if there's no other means of communication. Everyone will be switched eventually but you should insist on help to do so without paying for it.

I think there is quite a radical difference. Those without mobiles (mainly the elderly) will have to buy a package from an internet provider and buy a phone. There is a cost. The quality of sound from a landline is often clearer than the reception from a mobile, in my experience.
The necessity of having a mobile phone will also apply to the current proposal to shut ticket offices at railway stations. 'Only' about 15% of travellers use them we are told. Could they be the old, the frail, the disabled? Yes.

biglouis

Ive known about it for some time and dont welcome it as I dont like change. However I am sure my techy nephew will sort it out for me.

I dont like amert phones and only reluctantly got one (passed down by nephew) to run my security system as it would not work on a tablet. Gradually getting used to it but I will never be one of those people who carries a mobile around the house with me as there are no pockets in what I usually wear. I refuse to be at other people's beck and call. The phone is for MY convenience and not that of others.

I carry a mobile around the house in my back pocket in case I need help biglouis not for the convenience of others.

Our landline was switched over in 2021 have had no problems

I had vaguely heard about this but didn't know the detail so many thanks to Pittcity for the Age UK information.

My husband and I have been having a bit of a battle as he wants to dispose of our landline and I don't.

Mr C says we pay £10.00 a month for the landline but have mobiles so we don't need it and I say we could require it in an emergency. My hearing is poor and I hear better on the landline (I cut callers off on my mobile by pressing the 'mute' button with my cheekbone!). My mobile's sound is very poor, one needs to hold it to the ear to hear anything

I was considering agreeing to the change and keeping a spare mobile permanently plugged in in lieu of the landline but now understand that the over-seventies will be allowed to keep the old system. Am probably now more muddled than ever!

We're with BT for everything - landline, broadband, TV and mobile phones - but out of contract. We are wanting to renew but wanting to move house first when we will hopefully get a reduction in monthly cost. We get regular emails from BT containing all sorts of offers and the last one had a quad pack of landline phones including answerphone in the base unit for just £29.99. I thought it would be good for our new house. However my husband said BT were talking about this new VOIP service which is replacing the landline service so these phones on offer will soon be obsolete. We've been with BT since 1980 and think it's time we changed

Grantanow haven't heard they are leaving the over 70s alone re new system,,,

Accordig to the Age UK info above they are not changing the system for those of us over 70. Yippee.

Virgin told me about their plans, but unfortunately, my burglar alarm works off the landline, and to get a connection between the burglar alarm main box and the router would mean sending a cable all the way up beside the stairs!
And charging me for it!
I don’t know what I’ll end up doing, but I believe that the Which? report for September will cover burglar alarms, so I’m hoping there’ll be a solution there.

Ive known about it for some time and dont welcome it as I dont like change. However I am sure my techy nephew will sort it out for me.

I dont like amert phones and only reluctantly got one (passed down by nephew) to run my security system as it would not work on a tablet. Gradually getting used to it but I will never be one of those people who carries a mobile around the house with me as there are no pockets in what I usually wear. I refuse to be at other people's beck and call. The phone is for MY convenience and not that of others.