nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Disability Needs and Landline switch over to run off computer

jane52

Has anyone had their landline switched over so that it runs off computer? That means if there is ever an outage with internet provider, and there often is, landline will not work. I have just had this done by my phone and internet provider. They had come to repair phone line going to my house on the ground as wires exposed. Thought I was just going to get new wires/line. Wanting to ensure connectivity at its best as about to set up Lifeline. Instead line was cut to switch me to new system. Left with no phone connection in lounge, nor upstairs. Have phones in both lounge and upstairs as well as mobile as can fall in any room and injure self. Phone line linked to computer not working until today. Company came out today and some of this can be resolved, but not all of it.

1)Does anyone use Lifeline or similar provider on new phone system linked to internet?

2)Left with a back up phone downstairs from which I can dial 999, but only 999 if outage

Anyone else need to keep themselves safe re falls or something else and so need to have access to phones that stay connected if there is an outage, and been part of this switch over.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

KathyMoran

That sucks! It's a bummer when your internet goes out and you're stuck without a phone.

I don't know much about Lifeline, but you should definitely have a backup phone that doesn't need the internet. Just in case, you know?

JW77

they should be also installing a battery backup

it’s covered here with a section for vulnerable/disabled

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-transition-from-analogue-to-digital-landlines#what-the-change-means-in-practice-and-how-you-can-prepare

CluelessUser

depending who you are with. Most will inform you about this and they ask if you are dependent primary on a landline. E.g you don’t have a mobile or another way of phoning the emergency services I am unaware of what they would offer in these circumstances due too all copper phone lines being removed and taken out as they are no longer viable so unsure what alternatives they have but I know that there is ones as it is a requirement for monitoring alarms etc. so I would phone your provider and ask them what they can offer as a backup if you relay solely on a landline.

CluelessUser

I believe if they have already provided a backup of calling 999 that is all unfortunately that is required for them to offer as it’s too make sure the fall prevention alarms etc can still reach the emergency services etc. I don’t think I may be wrong but I don’t believe they offer anything that allows calls too any non emergency service if there is an outage.

JW77

I’m no network expert but it should be possible to run a cable connection to a second router for a second phone, but that might need backup as well

Or there’s plugs that use the earth wiring of your home

si456

My Grandad was switched to Digital voice but he shouldn't of been as well over 75 and vulnerable. I helped set it up for him including the lifeline that did work afterwards though the broadband (BT)

You can get a battery backup incase of a power cut but won't help if your broadband goes down so hopefully mobile to hand in case of emergency for however long.

Take a look a this for more info

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

JF7891

To be honest, I just had a bell system in every room, to alert my wife when she was also home. But I believe when it gets worse with me, I though that the NHS just springs for alert buttons to emergency services, that you wear around the neck with GPS?

JF7891

If you don't mind using mobiles, I am sure there is buttons that can alert a friend / family member using your mobile…

JF7891

There must be some that work with alexa echo's, where if you press the button someone can talk to you through alexa speakers!

CluelessUser

the problem isn’t now a days with power outages the main reason is all landlines are being discontinued. The main features that legally have to stay enabled permanently is alerts to 999 regardless of internet that is the only mandatory requirement if you require notifying anyone of a fall or trip etc. it would need to be an alarm monitor that is connected to the phone which will still work even without internet but you would need to alert the company who provides internet. Sadly no one will be able too keep a landline through copper cables due to the cost of there maintenance that is why alongside issues that were detected when everyone was working from home is why these are being removed and switched for landlines running through the internet. There is no way for a backup phone that will work without internet other than a mobile network sim phone which is a backup internet connection if you have health requirements and have no alternative phone if your phone lines were to go down. The best way to find out what options you have if the internet goes down is phone your provider as each runs there emergency phone backups differently. I know that Vodafone asks if you have alternative means of calling if your landline goes down.

jane52

Thank you everyone for replies

KathyMoran - Agree about needing a back up phone that does not need the internet - I had two before they did this switch, now I just have mobile so feeling much more vulnerable.

JW77 - Thank you for link re UK transition from analogue to digital landlines and the suggestion of running a cable connection to a second router and about plugs that use the earth wiring of my home. I will put that to them. They are coming out again to put a phone line back upstairs as first person cut that line - work will take couple of hours. Not clear if this phone still connected to internet so will disconnect if there is an outage. Will ask. They have not mentioned battery back up either. What is that? How does it work? Thank you Jane

Cluelessuser - I am unsure as to how all this works. They have left me with a phone that is an emergency phone. Told it was to call 999 from. Hope I injure myself exactly where it is. That was why I had landlines in more than one room, and at times it was family needed to call not 999.

si456 Was it difficult to set up Lifeline through the new System. Good to hear it worked. What is the battery back up you are referring to. Sorry not that technical. Need this all more

Thank you everyone

jane52

Just re reading what your are saying CluelessUser about the main features that legally have to stay enabled permanently is alerts to 999 regardless of internet that is the only mandatory requirement if you require notifying anyone of a fall or trip etc (which I do) How it would need to be an alarm monitor that is connected to the phone which will still work even without internet but I would need to alert the company who provides the internet.

si456

A battery backup is a UPS or uninterruptible Power Supply so in a event of a power cut the devices plugged into it will still work for a period of time.

Have you got multiple cordless phones as I think the main one could plug into the router/hub and the others would connect to main base station like normal, but having lifeline it was simply plug into router/hub (as lifeline right next to it) like plugging into normal phone socket. Did a test call to make sure it was still working via broadband. Going back to the phone it was plugged into an adapter which connects to the hub via WiFi freeing up the port in the router/hub for the lifeline. Adapter was free from BT.

starvinmarvin

I have been going on about this for ages with family and friends. Spare parts are the issue with the copper wire system. I have a phone to plug in to the system if the mains fail. A power cut means most phones will not work, you need one that uses the voltage on the copper line system. I know that I will have to migrate to the new system, but not until 2027, most of the bugs and issues should have been sorted by then. I am 70+, a physicist and been working with computers since 1970. Both hardware and software. Computers and smartphones are a necessity in this modern world. Not a fan of the VoIP. Voice Only Internet Protocol. Quantum computers and possibly portable optical based machines ( now we have the optical transistor) that can parallel process, which will make for some very interesting computing. Some truly astonishing changes are on the way. I hope that self drive cars and taxis are about when I am 80+, just get in one, tell them the post code I want to go to and pay using facial recognition. These should all be about by then.

wendy1

HI jane52,

I've had my home phone changed, it works now off my WiFi hub. The only difference is the phone cable is not plugged into a socket but plugged into my TV box.

jane52

Hello Wendy1

Thank you for answering. Had not thought of tv box. That might give me phone in the lounge. Would you still lose landline connection if your provider had an outage though. That is one of my concerns. I have lost count of the number of times I have needed to phone the provider because internet is down and it is due to problems their end. Are you able to have phones in more than one room with the set up you have Wendy1. Thank you

Ray212

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/922134#Comment_922134

Problem there is when the internet goes down, so does your phone line.

The BT advert on the radio is hilarious, says the service will be more reliable, which of course is completely wrong. The standard telephone lines had their own power supply so if the power went off your home phone normally isn't affected.

Now if the power goes off so does your home phone, same as if your internet goes down. No home phone there easy. How they class that as "more reliable" is beyond me.

jane52

Hello Starvinmartin

Thank you for replying to my post re my phone/broadband company switching me over when I was just wanting them to mend the cable/line outside so it was safe to set up some sort of Lifeline. I think the person cut the wire/cable rather than replacing it with new cable/wire he brought with him, then put in cable/wire under my grass - apparrently this created the switch.

Can what he did be undone and new cables/wires put in so that it goes back to old way of working where landlines worked in all my rooms I needed them too and not run off computer . Company saying this is not possible. Technically, is that correct? Thankyou.

NotReally

I've been waiting for the FTC roll out in my area, and it's damn annoying that it's not happened yet; however, I had the same concerns as you, as I have monitored smoke / heat alarms, as well as the alert bracelet, so I asked the company (to whom the council have contracted this service), and they continue to provide the same service once copper landlines have been removed from a client's property. I didn't delve into the details at the time, but I maybe should have. I suspect that their new "service units" have a mobile sim and, well, basically a whole mobile phone inside. Next time I talk with them I will ask (assuming that it's not because I need emergency assistance!).

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/922204#Comment_922204

The old system is getting switched off soon anyway, so there would be no point having copper cable put back in.

You can get adapters that plug into an electrical socket and then connect all your phones wirelessly to the internet router. I will post a link to the BT type below, although each provider should be able to provide one. They may even be free if you explain your health conditions and reliance on telephones in other rooms.

Unfortunately those phones won't work in a power cut though, even if you have a battery back-up for the router.

BT and EE Digital Voice Adapter (100121) | EE Store

Component react.suggestedcontent had an error.

The value must be greater than or equal to 1.

Sign in or register for free

Get more out of your online community by signing in or registering