Landline closure?

[#1]

@encapsulated 

It might be SOTAP but I'm not sure.

Last time I had a dig around SOTAP appeared to be for both Phone service and ADSL.

Brian

[#2]

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@bmc wrote:

@pvmb 

There is an OpenReach product specifically for those who only want a landline. It is ditigal so comes from the cabinet using the exisiting copper line. Some sort of unit will plug into the phone socket and then phone into that. Power will be required and it won't work during a power cut.

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Yes. That is as I originally understood it would be. (But there still seems to be a certain amount of uncertainty about!)

[#3]

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@encapsulated wrote:

Yes @Protech but it will not connect to the landline socket. The question was not about cost. Will at least need a new socket for the Internet connection

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Why? What "new socket" will be required for the Internet connection? Currently my broadband (FTTC) is working perfectly over an ordinary PSTN socket - OK, as it is broadband I also have a router. But why would anything need to be changed at the consumer premises, apart from the BT 'gizmo', for a digital landline only customer who doesn't require broadband?

[#4]

@MisterW It is quite strange the Cisco Pap21 pre dates the Spa 112 but I appear to be able to order a new one from China for less that £20.

[#5]

I did go on to say that I was happy to be corrected @pvmb but see https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/getting-set-up/home-networks/a-wired-home-network/what-type-of-mas...

"Why? What "new socket" will be required for the Internet connection? Currently my broadband (FTTC) is working perfectly over an ordinary PSTN socket - OK, as it is broadband I also have a router. But why would anything need to be changed at the consumer premises, apart from the BT 'gizmo', for a digital landline only customer who doesn't require broadband?"

So where does your landline plug in? If it is on your hub/modem then they presumably have moved the filtering to there.

[#6]

Where does my landline plug in? It plugs into a filter dongle, which is where my router is also plugged in. The dongle then plugs into my BT PSTN phone extension socket - which as it happens, in my case, is an old BT LJ style master socket (the 'real' Openreach NTE 5C master socket is not normally directly used for anything).

But as I explained originally, my question is entirely unrelated to my own situation.

So far, unless I am mistaken, it looks like my original query has yet to receive an authoritative and unambiguous answer...

[#7]

So, if you followed the link I gave @pvmb , you are using option 1. So your broadband device does not plug into the telephone socket, it plugs into the filter dongle.

[#8]

@pvmb  have a look at BT's Digital Voice video, the principle is the same, although the router used may be different.

https://www.bt.com/broadband/digital-voice 

[#9]

IDK if the following scenario has been raised in the PN forums, but I'm wondering what the procedure will be if someone presently has a BT provided copper PSTN landline and a PN FTTP connection.

Will a second fibre and ONT (or alternatively activate a second port on a 4-port ONT) be needed to provide the new phone service as BTs DV will only work via their Hub and not via an Ethernet connection to a third party router?

[#10]

A bit earlier in this thread, I asked for opinions on whether PN would release me from my minimum term contract for phone and broadband IF Openreach shut down PSTN service before the end date, releasing my number for me to set up VOIP somewhere. Surely this must have happened to someone as Openreach are already shutting down equipment in exchanges in some parts of the country.

[#11]

If you move to BT Retail with DV, yes. Otherwise, no.

[#12]

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@Mustrum wrote:

@pvmb  have a look at BT's Digital Voice video, the principle is the same, although the router used may be different.

https://www.bt.com/broadband/digital-voice 

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Thanks for the link, Mustrum. Unfortunately, I am none the wiser!

Digital Voice - our next generation home phone
Digital Voice is our new home phone service for the next generation and beyond. Delivered through your broadband
connection, it gives you an improved service and crystal-clear calls.

Why is it being introduced?
We're making the switch because the analogue network that most home phones work on today is no longer fit for purpose
and can't keep up with the demands of modern life. 

This new home phone service runs on the broadband network....

I'm sure it does! But, why does it have to - to the customer's premises? If it does.

If it really can only "run on the broadband network", what does that mean? That people who have no broadband and have no need for broadband, don't even know what broadband is, have to install broadband + plus router + possibly a BT 'gizmo'?

Surely this cannot be correct? To me it sounds a bit like if I am in an all electric home, no gas appliances, and I decide to install new LED lights I have to get connected up to the gas mains...

Or is BT using the word "Broadband" confusingly and incorrectly? (Much as some people now use the expression "my WiFi"
when what they really mean is "my broadband".)

Digital Voice equipment
When you switch to a digital phone line you can still use your current home phone by plugging it into the back of your
hub. If you need an adaptor, you can order one for free.

OK. So I need "an adaptor" (or rather that 80 year old women does) and she orders one for free, where does she plug it
in? Not into her router because she hasn't got one, doesn't need one and likely doesn't even know what a router is.

Why can she not simply plug it (or one version of it) directly into her existing BT PSTN wall socket - the copper landline isn't going anywhere soon and she isn't going to order "fibre" as she doesn't even know what that is.

What is the issue here? I don't see it. Perhaps it's me, perhaps it isn't...

This link explains the setup:

Digital Voice: How do I set up my service?https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice--how-do-i-set-up-my-service-

"We will send you a new hub if you need one as part of your Digital voice service (this will be a Smart Hub 2)."

Once again, the assumption seems to be: Broadband!

Here is a link to the BT Adaptor user guide (doesn't work!): 

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/user-guides/Digital-Voice-?_gl=1*1plm3xc*_ga*MTE2MjY0NTU0NS4x....

First things first
"Your Digital Voice Adapter is designed to work with the latest BT Hub."

Again, it assumes a "Home Hub", so presumably assumes broadband?

Is a person who does not have or want broadband expected to pay for a BT broadband contract simply to operate a VoIP
landline phone? Or, is it that the Hub 2 + whatever is just BT's rather clunky way of implementing this and they won't
actually be charged for the otherwise unwanted broadband?

[#13]

@pvmb Digital voice requires an Internet ( broadband ) connection over which to transmit the 'digitised' voice signals.

What will be provided to people who just want a voice connection i.e landline equivalent , I don't think has been decided🙄

Yes, they will need some form of equipment to establish a broadband connection as well as the Digital voice. It may well be that BT ( since they are likely to be the only supplier offering a phone only supply ) come up with a single box that just plugs into the existing master socket. What they will do for FTTP only premises, well who knows ? a combined ONT and phone unit ( Oh! Openreach had one of those originally and stopped supplying it🙄 )

[#14]

@pvmb    you are the one that is assuming broadband - all the gizmo or Hub2 would do is convert analogue to digital and then back to analogue for the phone. You are over complicating the whole thing., 

No need to take broadband,  just so happens a router can do the job.

[#15]

"What will be provided to people who just want a voice connection i.e landline equivalent , I don't think has been decided"

etc.

OK! Thanks MisterW, this then seems to be the answer, for now.

This is all more confusing than I had originally thought! 🤣