topic Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun in Talk

Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Sandrac1 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 11:01:33 GMT

Hi,😀, Can anyone kindly advise me on what VoIP phone to get for my new Sky hub, they never told me phone I have from BT would not be compatible. Did not forward a list of phones as promised. Thanks for your help Sandra

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

GD1 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 11:24:10 GMT

@Sandrac1 You don't buy any VOIP phone, a standard phone sold by 100's of retailers will work via Sky's broadband hub.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:18:57 GMT

@Sandrac1 as @GD1 posted a VOIP phone won't work. If your existing BT phone is designed for BT's digital voice service, then it's unlikely to be compatible with Sky's phone service. Any generic phone should be fine.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Sandrac1 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 15:58:53 GMT

Hi, I have transferred over from BT to Sky, and now have their hub and a new home phone number. The engineer said my current phone is incompatible with the Sky hub as mentioned., and that I need a Voip comparable phone. So I now have the expense of buying a suitable phone. I just don't know about these and looking for advice on what to get.. maybe a brand name? I have tried to look it up but get confused with the Information, had tried to purchase a couple but they later warned it was only comparable with that brands equipment. If you can help I would be grateful if not maybe someone else will respond. Many thanks for getting back. Regards Sandra

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:06:17 GMT

It's not uncommon for engineers to get this wrong. You don't need a VOIP compatible phone.

Any standard phone handset should he,fine. I most recently used a Panasonic handset.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Sandrac1 — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 02:43:28 GMT

i just don't want to be landed with yet another phone that is not suitable, it's like a graveyard for phones here. Just don't understand an obvious knowledgeable engineer saying I do need a VoIP phone , writing it down and giving me a lead to say it must fit that? Totally contrary advice. Just do t know who to go with?

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

TimmyBGood — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:38:46 GMT

@Sandrac1

The underlying service carrying 'Sky Talk Internet Calls' is VOIP, but the ATA behind the phone jack socket on the rear of a Sky Broadband Hub converts this to a 'normal' analogue service so that a normal analogue handset can be used.

A 'VOIP phone' is different: that's a purpose-made IP device hosting a configurable software client and plugging into an ethernet port (i.e. it's not really 'phone' hardware at all, but a small computer with a microphone/speaker handset). These are relevant for 'real' (third party) VOIP providers, but not for Sky Talk Internet Calls.

BT 'Digital Voice' phones are different again: they are proprietary WiFi devices designed to communicate directly with a BT Smart Hub 2 (only)

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Sandrac1 — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:37:20 GMT

70years old and jargon way beyond my comprehension. But thankyou very much for your response. Kind regards Sandra

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Rikattheforge — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:46:08 GMT

It is so frustrating that I didnt realise I have to use a analogue phone for my business rather than a much better VOIP one.

You would think a business service would be a little more high tech really. This means it is useless for me as I would have to run a new cable from my house to my garden office just to make phone calls using a service Im paying for. Disappointing does quite fit the feeling. I genuinely thought I could use 1 of the 2 phone lines with the amaning list of features over a voip type system using my ethernet/wifi, not all of us have our office same place as our hub..... come on sky, sort it out!

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:51:34 GMT

@Rikattheforge wrote:

It is so frustrating that I didnt realise I have to use a analogue phone for my business rather than a much better VOIP one.

You would think a business service would be a little more high tech really. This means it is useless for me as I would have to run a new cable from my house to my garden office just to make phone calls using a service Im paying for. Disappointing does quite fit the feeling. I genuinely thought I could use 1 of the 2 phone lines with the amaning list of features over a voip type system using my ethernet/wifi, not all of us have our office same place as our hub..... come on sky, sort it out!

Nothing to 'sort out'. It works as designed. You can, of course, still use an external VOIP provider.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Rikattheforge — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:57:55 GMT

Nothing to sort out made me laugh. I apologies for expecting a modern system to use modern technology, not downgrade it to old analogue.

Hey sure do that for the old school if people have analogue cables floating around the place, but still leave the option to use as digital, so people dont need to run extra cables.

Why should I go and pay extra for a external VOIP option when I am already paying for 2 lines! I understand you may wish to throw good money after bad money and find a system that works as it should, but I kind of like to actually use what I pay for.

But I appreciate the laugh never the less 😉

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

TimmyBGood — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:17:45 GMT

@Rikattheforge wrote:

You would think a business service would be a little more high tech really.

How 'business' the Sky Business Broadband offering is might be regarded as somewhat questionable. The inclusion of four analogue ports to give access to a VOIP back-end is certainly rather odd: it appears to be an extrapolation from the domestic broadband offering where the single port ATA is much more reasonable.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:23:43 GMT

@Rikattheforge wrote:

Nothing to sort out made me laugh. I apologies for expecting a modern system to use modern technology, not downgrade it to old analogue.

No doubt the service is designed for domestic customers who have no need or wish to invest in VOIP technology, so that they can simply plug their handset into the Hub, rather than the wall socket.

If you're a Sky business broadband user you're posting in the wrong place. The forum is for domestic customers.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

TimmyBGood — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:31:04 GMT

@Mark39

I assumed it was a reference to the Business Hub, the multi-line voice provision on which is rather clumsy. I don't think there's a forum for Business Broadband.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:36:17 GMT

@TimmyBGood wrote:

@Mark39

I assumed it was a reference to the Business Hub, the multi-line voice provision on which is rather clumsy. I don't think there's a forum for Business Broadband.

You're right, it does look awkward. No, I don't know of a forum, suitable for Sky business broadband customers.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Rikattheforge — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:53:18 GMT

No there isnt a forum for business users, and google points to the consumer users every time it seems. Yes I am a regretting business user, they want you to call them or use a chat bot (which understands nothing you ask!).

I am regretting getting the business package that doesnt really suit businesses I think and have now made requests about either getting the lines taken off (but it was a complicated deal situation) or leaving and finding a business suppier for business. Thank you for your replies anyway, it took me a while to figure out I wasnt going mad and it seems to be designed as consumer for business. When you pay out £60+ a month you want to use what you are paying for, not to find a voip provider to get around it. The broadnnad does seem good, jsut the phone side just shocks me still 🙂

Once again thank you for the vent 😉

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

GILL285 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 18:37:27 GMT

I too have just transferred to a SKY broadband and landline package. 4 weeks later I am still waiting for my BT Premium Trio phone to work, having spent over 6 hours on phone calls (via my mobile) to Sky technical support staff. In despair and total frustration I have moved back to Vodafone. After days and days of research I have found this

BT Prime Trio handset will not work with Vodafone's Digital Voice service because BT's Digital Voice system is proprietary and only compatible with BT equipment. Vodafone uses a different digital voice system, so you will need a phone that is compatible with Vodafone's service, not one from BT.
Proprietary systems: BT's Digital Voice is a closed, proprietary system. The handsets are designed to work with their specific network and base stations, which are often built into the BT Hub.
Different technology: Vodafone uses a different, industry-standard VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, so BT's phones will not connect to it.
Solution: You will need to use a different phone that is compatible with Vodafone's Digital Voice service, such as one of Vodafone's recommended phones or a standard DECT cordless phone that can connect to the Vodafone router.

So my question now is - which phones work with Sky or Vodafone VOIP systems ? Vodafone seem to think an adapter will work but this sounds unlikley. If this is correct I might as well stay with Sky and buy a new phone - but which one ?

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 18:50:18 GMT

@GILL285 any reasonably recent standard corded or cordless DECT phone will work with Sky's landline service.

An IP phone, or as you've discovered, a phone designed for BT's Digital Voice service won't work with Sky.

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

GILL285 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 20:04:51 GMT

Many thanks for your quick response. Much appreciated. I just wish the Technical Support guys at Sky had told me that 4 weeks ago !!!!!!!!! I've ordered a Gigaset DECT phone and will try it in the router and if it works happy days !

Thanks again

Gill

Re: Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

Mark39 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 22:28:06 GMT

@GILL285 if only you'd known, you could have asked here first!

Let us know if you have any further problems,