BT phone landlines changing to IP technology

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.

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 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

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

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.

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

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😫

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Still, it's likely to be the elderly who have outdated tech (I get the 'old' mobiles from my family, yet still they're recent).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.

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

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

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

the S20 5G that I bought is a reconditioned phone

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`

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.

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..

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

alig99 this thread is not about resistance to change...

knspol

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.

You'll still be able to use multiple digital handsets. Your provider should be able to help you set them up.

This may be a blessing in disguise for me, though I didn't know about it! I only have 2 people who ring my landline - most calls are junk or scammers. I get less scam calls on my mobile and now I have a decent smart phone with a contract, that is the number I generally give. I only keep my landline phone for those 2 people really. I used to use it when I had a basic pay as you go mobile. I certainly won't be investing in any new equipment to keep my landline. The 2 people who use it have my mobile number but ring the landline as it is cheaper for them, though one now mostly emails. The other can't read emails so I'll simply have to tell her to use my mobile - she can afford it!

I did not understand a word of that. You are all so clever!! I am a total Luddite. This is all a bit scary. I don't have a moby. I do not want one, as I do not need one. Why is this being forced upon me?

We live in N.ireland where BT have started to roll it out in some areas, but also a company called Fibrus won a contract with the government to install this in rural areas. My husband and neighbour were keen to get it and, whilst Internet is faster, I haven't been happy with the phone set up. Previously we had 3 cordless phones around the house with the base plugged in in the hall, but we also had a lovelely genuine 1940s dial phone which had been adapted to plug in too. It had a wonderful loud ring, looked lovely and was a back up if a power cut- not unusual in the winter in our rural area. Now we can only have base for cordless phones plugged into router and no back up when Internet goes down. This has happened frequently and a particular worry for us as my husband is unwell and would be a problem if I needed to call an ambulance or GP. Mobile phone reception is poor in the house. A friend has been switched over by BT and that seems more reliable.

The volume on my mobile is so faint that I can't hear what anyone says unless it's pressed - uncomfortably -right against my ear (& yes, DS has looked at it and can't get it any louder) so I always use my landline because I can have that on speaker and chat to callers while I'm cooking or doing other tasks.
I had read about this change, but haven't had any information from Talktalk so far... As I have two landline phones (upstairs and downstairs) and my router is nowhere near either of them, I'm somewhat apprehensive..! 😯

Sloegin it might be worthwhile speaking to your phone provider with your concerns about being left without a phone connection if your internet fails. As Pittcity mentioned upthread, you will hopefully be provided with a battery back up arrangement for your landline if you have no mobile phone signal for emergency use.

For those of you concerned about your landline extensions elsewhere in the house, I didn’t have a problem with mine after the changeover. I was sent a small adaptor to plug into the router and the landline base phone plugged into it. It came with clear instructions and it was easy to do. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my upstairs extensions continued to function as normal.

My concern is that my mobile signal wavers between poor and non existent and my mobile requires WiFi calling in my house. So internet failure means no mobile connection. I live alone and it’s on my to do list to contact Virgin to enquire about emergency battery back up for my landline in the event of breakdown.

Nandalot that was very useful thankyou.

The last sentence concerns me, we have a very bad mobile signal in our Village, I have to walk down the lane to use it, not good if we need an Ambulance because one of us is ill.