Advice needed on buying a comparable phone for sky hun

[Sandrac1]

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

[GD1]

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

[Mark39]

@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.

[Sandrac1]

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

[Mark39]

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.

[Sandrac1]

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?

[TimmyBGood]

@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)

[Sandrac1]

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

[Rikattheforge]

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!

[Mark39]

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@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!

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

[Rikattheforge]

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 😉

[TimmyBGood]

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@Rikattheforge wrote:

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

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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.

[Mark39]

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@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. 

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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.

[TimmyBGood]

@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.

[Mark39]

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@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.

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