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[STEMO]

BT will move you to a VOIP

Does this mean new equipment like phones and incoming sockets etc  the reason I ask is that I was thinking of having mine moved and with VOIP bering talked about then maybe wangle something on the cheap

No, basically a new broadband hub / router that your phone plugs into.  phone network becomes a pure data network at the exchange level so phones will no longer work in an ordinary socket.  nothing to do with fibre, thats just a better way of getting that data network to your house.

And nor will they work during a power cut. Work of the devil if you ask me.

Indeed, thats causing a bit of a stir, are some backup battery options apparently

My mum had, and my nextdoor neighbour has, one of those local govt supplied 'panic' alarms - which are basically big red buttons that they hang round their necks and press if they have a fall or somehow become immobilised and need help. These won't work in a power cut. AIUI even if you've got local battery backup they still won't work, because the electronics in the BT cabinates relies on grid power. Your end might be Ok, but their end will be down.

And, after a power cut, lots of modems don't just 'come back on', they need resetting.

[dave the builder]

Contract free ,set the numbers it calls ,and has back up batteries .
Clicky  SureSafe Personal Alarm
plenty of similar devices about too
Panic Distress Intruder Alarm cheapo    
obviously ,the new-fangled router thingy will need UPS 

[Jimbob]

What is your broadband solution? and with whom?
FTTP, or below?

I joined the local authority-backed scheme and, since early this year, I have FTTP with OpenInfra, a Swedish Company. Before that, I was with BT.

Now, here's the strange thing. I have been waiting for OpenInfra to bill me, so I could stop the BT contract, but they haven't. I phoned them and they said, we're not due to bill you until July 24. Well, I said, who is providing me with broadband now? They checked and said "It's us – we'll cut you off". I said, "No, just bill me". "OK", they said.

Nothing heard since....

Well your number 'should' be separateable from the broadband then....IF they support and are willing to do so.  Sounds like that may be an issue.  Esp after looking at their website.

Or just start again with voip on a new number, esp if theres billing issues, removing any voice from the contract could be awkward.

Essentially you'd have to ask if you can migrate the voice number away and keep the service....then you can work out where to go for that.

[LC0112G]

Contract free ,set the numbers it calls ,and has back up batteries .
Clicky  SureSafe Personal Alarm
plenty of similar devices about too
Panic Distress Intruder Alarm cheapo    
obviously ,the new-fangled router thingy will need UPS

Neither of which will work during a power cut. Doesn't matter if these devices have battery backup - the BT side of things does not.

[dave the builder]

Contract free ,set the numbers it calls ,and has back up batteries .
Clicky  SureSafe Personal Alarm
plenty of similar devices about too
Panic Distress Intruder Alarm cheapo    
obviously ,the new-fangled router thingy will need UPS

Neither of which will work during a power cut. Doesn't matter if these devices have battery backup - the BT side of things does not.

my landline and my mum's works without power in the house (depends on the type of phone you have )

if BT have a power cut ,it's unlikely to be on  the same grid 

GSM based devices (with a sim card)  are also available ,
but, unless you live out in Rural areas, landlines are pretty reliable ,not that many people use them anymore 

[LC0112G]

my landline and my mum's works without power in the house (depends on the type of phone you have )

Yes, analogue land lines work because they are powered by DC coming down the copper phone lines from the exchange. So providing the exchange has power, existing analogue phones still work if you have a local power cut.

if BT have a power cut ,it's unlikely to be on  the same grid 

What BT are doing down our way is putting electronics at the top of all the telephone poles ready to force us all onto VoIP. I asked the engineers about it whilst they were doing it - they said it's powered off the local 240V grid. If the local 240V grid goes down (aka a power cut) then the electronics at the top of the pole will stop working, and we'll lose our phones even if we have home battery backup. Nothing to do with the exchange having power or not.

GSM based devices (with a sim card)  are also available ,

Yes, but they aren't being given out by the elderly home care companies (yet).

[Jimbob]

Contract free ,set the numbers it calls ,and has back up batteries .
Clicky  SureSafe Personal Alarm
plenty of similar devices about too
Panic Distress Intruder Alarm cheapo    
obviously ,the new-fangled router thingy will need UPS

Neither of which will work during a power cut. Doesn't matter if these devices have battery backup - the BT side of things does not.

my landline and my mum's works without power in the house (depends on the type of phone you have )

if BT have a power cut ,it's unlikely to be on  the same grid 

GSM based devices (with a sim card)  are also available ,
but, unless you live out in Rural areas, landlines are pretty reliable ,not that many people use them anymore 

That is the change thats happening, there wont be power in the lines, and you cant plug a phone in.
Be a new router, or 'digital voice adaptor' plugged into the line, and the mains, and poss with a small ups / backup battery. Your phone will plug into that.

[dave the builder]

obviously ,the new-fangled router thingy will need UPS

more Chinese batteries to go into thermo-galactic meltdown 

[TheBoy]

And nor will they work during a power cut. Work of the devil if you ask me.

For those that really need it - which includes a lot of remote telemetry solutions - can use something that appears like a normal landline (its converted to VoIP at the exchange) until the end of the decade.  But beyond that is unclear, sounds like BT have given notice that people need to sort their shit, including battery backups for vulnerable users*, alarm companies pull their fingers out, and telemetry solution users to move to something from this millennium.


*Back in the day, to get approval, cordless phones either had to be secondary devices, or had to come with a battery backup unit.  But over time, although I don't think the approval rules changed, everyone got cordless phones as primary phones, and got shitty when they stopped in power cuts

[dave the builder]

phones USED to have Ringer equivalence number (REN) and you could only plug in so much per line,
I bet not many people stuck to the rules 

[TheBoy]

phones USED to have Ringer equivalence number (REN) and you could only plug in so much per line,
I bet not many people stuck to the rules 

Indeed, and REN4 was what British Telecom used to guarantee back in the day.  Most faxes in the day were REN4, partly to stop you saying it with a normal phone

A non issue nowadays, as most people seem to have a single cordless base unit (usually REN 1) with 50,000 handsets hanging off it

[Mr Skrunts]

phones USED to have Ringer equivalence number (REN) and you could only plug in so much per line,
I bet not many people stuck to the rules 

Indeed, and REN4 was what British Telecom used to guarantee back in the day.  Most faxes in the day were REN4, partly to stop you saying it with a normal phone

A non issue nowadays, as most people seem to have a single cordless base unit (usually REN 1) with 50,000 handsets hanging off it

I love being talked about.

I have 1 hand set in the 4 main rooms I use. (Not the bathroom though)

[TheBoy]

And none of which work in your frequent power cuts

[Mr Skrunts]

And none of which work in your frequent power cuts

Not sure - but probably right.

Everyone uses mobiles these days (and I have gained a nice collection of those going beck over the decades, Phillips Savvy - N Gauge etc etc) but saying that we have had lots of reception issues recently (As said in other threads - lots of Gremlins at work)  I only have the landline for the Internet mainly but maybe usefull on occasions for when I cant get reception,