Do you still have a landline?

Yes.

Elusivebutterfly

My BT landline is about to be switched over to Digital voice. I do not pay for inclusive calls so only use it for incoming calls. I kept it partly as it was needed for broadband, which is no longer necessary.
I am now considering whether to buy new handsets to be compatible with the new system or get rid of the landline and just use my mobile.
Do other people still find a landline useful or are you happy without one?

BT and EE have joined forces and we were given digital landline, not by choice, it operates by Wifi and if Wifi goes down the phone will not work at all. Also if it is off the cradle for too long it cuts out and starts to ‘synchronise!’ I now have an IPhone and my husband purchased an inexpensive mobile which we call the Home Mobile, he contacted BT and told them we will only use the landline for incoming calls only as it would be a pain to notify every contact about new mobiles. We now pay about £3 pounds for that service. It would seem households will not have an option with regard to their BT landline changing completely to digital only.

Monica - thank you.

I should have added that BT are sending out an adaptor which should enable my current phone to work with digital.
They do not mention anything about old phones not working or needing an adaptor in the letter, email and texts they sent about the changeover. You need to read the details on their website.
All this hassle makes me thing it would be easier without a landline!

Elusivebutterfly

Monica - what is a VOIP phone? I thought a landline was a VOIP phone? I didn't know there was another type of phone.

It is an internet based phone that replaces your landline and BT keep telling us how marvellous they are, do not believe them.

With our VOIP, despite having a Mesh system round the house, we cannot get reception in some rooms, calls get cut off without reason and sometimes we cannot get a line, and you cannot use it in the garden. Problems we never had with a landline.

We have smart phones and VOIP and our phone reception for both is unreliable.

CariadAgain

Elusivebutterfly

My phone has now been switched over but is not working. BT have booked an engineer to come out.
I think the problem is that my existing phone is too old as broadband works, but they don't think so. It was only yesterday that I realised your phone has to be less than 10 years old and I cannot remember how old it is. Nothing in previous messages and letters from BT mentioned this.

Oh crikey - I didn't know that - ie re "phone has to be less than 10 years old". I do know both of my phones are over 10 years old - most probably noticeably older than that. My secondary one is so old that I can't do those "menu" calls one so often has to do with firms these days - I can dial a straightforward number and use it to receive calls and that's that.

Do you know the reason for the "less than 10 years old" provision? Is there some part or other that newer phones have got - but older ones haven't?

The old system your on now is analogue, the new system is digital.

Yes, still got my landline and in no hurry to get rid of it. I don't pay any more for it with my package so it's not a liability. Like others, I find it easier to hold for long conversations and I can hear it ringing even in the garden. I'm not a technophobe but I don't see the point in getting rid of a useful backup. Besides, I'm quite fond of our 30 year old telephone number.

Elusivebutterfly

My phone has now been switched over but is not working. BT have booked an engineer to come out.
I think the problem is that my existing phone is too old as broadband works, but they don't think so. It was only yesterday that I realised your phone has to be less than 10 years old and I cannot remember how old it is. Nothing in previous messages and letters from BT mentioned this.

Oh crikey - I didn't know that - ie re "phone has to be less than 10 years old". I do know both of my phones are over 10 years old - most probably noticeably older than that. My secondary one is so old that I can't do those "menu" calls one so often has to do with firms these days - I can dial a straightforward number and use it to receive calls and that's that.

Do you know the reason for the "less than 10 years old" provision? Is there some part or other that newer phones have got - but older ones haven't?

Yes I want mine, do not want to rely on just my mobile.

VOIP - voice over internet protocol, comes down your b/b connection

Monica - what is a VOIP phone? I thought a landline was a VOIP phone? I didn't know there was another type of phone.

Our landline has been replaced with a VOIP phone. Which we use. It is the number I give on online shopping forms and all non-family contacts.

I am neurally diverse and have a range of problems with using a mobile phone, that starts with having numb fingertips, and goes on to sequencing problems and having problems being able to hear people on the phone, if there is any ambient noise. This is not a hearing problem, but a concentration problem.

I changed to broadband only with BT and haven't missed the land line, particularly the scam calls.

dalrymple23

I have a 12 year old Samsung, pay as you go, brick phone, which I needed for work. In Sussex, I always used my beloved landline. When we moved, Openreach disconnected the landline - without checking whether or not there was mobile reception. In the depths of rural (not quite so rural) Norfolk, the reception is abysmal to non-existent.

Neither phones nor tablets work on the north side of the house, despite getting a booster thingummybob.. Apparently, the walls are too thick.

I do have a smartphone but don't know how to use it! It is on a contract but I can't find out with whom. My bank statement is unhelpful - too many unrecognisable acronyms.

Anyway, I can't remember to carry the damned thing around with me. If I go upstairs to the loo, why would I think of grabbing a phone? Who wants to speak to someone when one is in the bathroom anyway?

Why doesn't someone invent extensions for mobiles?

And, yes, smartphones are jolly heavy. Hate them.

Gripe over!

I have extensions for my mobile. A smartwatch and smart speakers (Alexa and Google) all connect to my mobile and can be used for calls, messages etc.

*can’t get to

ferry23 but if you fall in the house and get to your landline phone you can use your mobile to get help, similarly the garden, car breakdown.

Yes we do , but only as it’s part of the package with wifi, mobile phones and tv . For some bizarre reason if we didn’t have the landline , the cost goes up.

All my life I have tried to keep up with changes. We were the first people I know to have a computer, a video recorder, a mobile phone. My DH worked all his life in technology areas. We both worked in Universities who were quick to use new technology.

But now we struggle with all of it. Every time (exaggeration I know) I switch the laptop on something has changed. Yesterday it told me I had no people in my mail address book - it took me four hours to find them. Our Smart TV has changed the way we have to use it (no notice from anyone). I recently got hearing aids and the technician proudly showed me the benefits of "linking" them to my mobile phone. Now I realise that if I don't have them in I can't hear it ringing - and of course neither can my DH. And when I DO have them in, I have no means of telling where the damn phone is cos it sounds as if it is inside my head! I can't work out how to switch the facility off either. The booklet doesn't tell me such a minor detail. What happens if I need a new phone?

I am losing the will to live with all this new stuff.

Yes, it is part of the Wifi, T.V. and Mobile package.

I use the landline for calling our daughters as it is much less expensive to call Northern Europe than on a Mobile ..

It’s part of our package so yes we use it for incoming calls.

My phone has now been switched over but is not working. BT have booked an engineer to come out.
I think the problem is that my existing phone is too old as broadband works, but they don't think so. It was only yesterday that I realised your phone has to be less than 10 years old and I cannot remember how old it is. Nothing in previous messages and letters from BT mentioned this.

I loathe mobile phones and always have. Still got a landline and love it to bits.

Another one in Norfolk mobile reception is abysmal🥶. Most of my friends round here use a landline. Have noticed my mates/relatives all use mobiles.

It’s 26 years since we have had a landline.

Yes, we still like to have a landline.