topic Re: Landline position in Broadband

Landline position

Shawha — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:27:39 GMT

Changing from BT broadband to Sky full fibre. Currently, landline comes in downstairs and landine base, with answer machine, is in our hallway. Openreach are connecting but say there would be too many bends in the cable to install hub downstairs so have fitted it in an upstairs room. The Openreach engineer said that BT have an adaptor that plugs into the mains so base unit(BT) can be anywhere in house and connects wirelessly to the hub. I've checked with Sky and they do not have this. Anyone have any suggestions to resolve this?

Re: Landline position

Chrisee — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:35:31 GMT

@Shawha while the ONT unit that the fibre runs msy have to be fitted upstairs you can buy a longer Ethernet cable to connect your new Sky hub to the ONT without impacting the speed but your phone has to plug into the hub. Remember though moving the hub will affect the WiFi signal. Ideally the hub needs to be centrally in your home out in the open on a surface above radiators etc.

The most common solution is to buy a DECT phone system where the satellite units operate wirelessly whereever you need them.

Re: Landline position

Shawha — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:38:01 GMT

Think a longer Ethernet cable would be long and clumsy if it has to reach from upstairs to downstairs to position the hub in the hallway. Also, I think DECT phones still need to connect base/answer machine into the hub?

Re: Landline position

JimM1 — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:25:00 GMT

@Shawha Where is the BT hub at present, same place as your answering machine in the hall?

The DV adapter that the Engineer is talking about is also not the be all and end all for voice working and operating effectively for any BT/EE connection.

Re: Landline position

Chrisee — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:55:29 GMT

@Shawha running an Ethernet cable is far simpler than running the fibre supply. Yes the DECT base station has to plug into the router as the old analogue phone system is being decommisioned. These changes mean your choices are limited. I would consider other options like using voice mail which Sky offer in place of a local answer machine.