what happens to my phone when BT switch from copper landlines to digital voice?

[fargo208a]

I am worried that I will not be able to make or receive phone calls from my existing landline when BT changes over to digital voice. I do not have, or want, a mobile phone. I am quite happy with my landline but worry about things like being cut off or having to rely on technology such as voice over internet protocol and what does this entail?

[TimmyBGood]

@fargo208a 

Firstly note that 'Digital Voice' is a BT product brand name: Sky uses different terms such as 'Sky Talk Internet Calls'.

By the time PSTN switches off nationally (scheduled for late 2025) all terrestrial broadband households will be using VOIP for 'landline' calls whether they know it or not: there's no point being worried about that.  It's rather more unclear how some 1.5 million addresses currently without any broadband at all will be served.

All ISPs are or will be supplying a voice-capable router into which an analogue handset or DECT basestation can plug, because that's how national PSTN switch-off can be achieved.  This process is well underway, although Sky has several million Q Hubs to swap out because these do not have the necessary specification..

The main point to consider is that power supply coming up the 'phone line' also ceases, and so for resilience in a power cut there needs to be a local battery supplying the router, the ONT (if on FTTP) and the phone handset (if that requires a separate power supply).  Of course if a tree actually goes through a 'line' in a storm then the connection breaks whether it's VOIP or PSTN and remains unavailable until cabling is physically repaired.

Users of internet-connected safety and monitoring systems also need to investigate the compatibility or otherwise of these with a connection delivered through a router: in most cases the manufacturers already have new hardware versions available.

I'd observe that certain media outlets are pushing an increasingly hysterical agenda on this issue which really isn't helping.

[Mark39]

@fargo208a as @TimmyBGood indicates, you don't have to worry too much about the technology. At its simplest all you need to know is that your existing phone handset will plug into your broadband Hub (there's a standard phone socket for it), and you'll make calls just as you did before.

The downside is that if the power fails, or your broadband connection drops, or your Hub develops a fault you'll have no phone connection either.

[Daniel0210]

@fargo208a 

Also if you've got another phone extension plugged into another phone socket somewhere in the house that will no longer work. You'll have to have cordless phones plugged into a mains plug socket and linked to your main phone.