FTTC to FTTP migration, digital voice rollout paused?

FTTP just became available and I'm tempted to move, but I don't want to lose my landline number for various reasons, and I also very much don't want to use the BT router. I am still in contract so porting the number out isn't an option right now.

With the news that DV rollout has been paused for an undetermined amount of time.. what would happen when the service switches to FTTP? Would the voice service still be provided over the copper pair attached to the new fibre cable?

Cannot see anywhere what would happen..

It’s basically a pause for BT to put some more thought into more substantive power resilience options for customers who are deemed ‘vulnerable’.

The underlying delivery tech for VoIP isn’t going to really change. Neither are they going to revert, en masse, to copper pair for existing DV any time soon. For now, for BT Consumer / Retail customers taking FTTP, voice will simply continue to be provided on the copper pair until they unpause the DV migration.

See link below for the actual announcement:
https://newsroom.bt.com/were-pausing-our-digital-voi...

So if I get them to upgrade me to FTTP, they'll keep the voice via copper for now until DV is resumed again?

I understand it's not a forever thing, but for now I can continue with voice over the copper pair and just have broadband over the fibre, and the landline will still operate as it always has for calls?

In reply to a post by summat:

So if I get them to upgrade me to FTTP, they'll keep the voice via copper for now until DV is resumed again?

The pause could stop at any time so if it was me I would order FTTP (package without telephone) without ceasing your existing FTTC service and once its up and running port your telephone number out which will cease your existing FTTC service.

Yes, but as dect quite rightly points out, as you don’t want to have their SmartHub in your setup (the only way to subscribe to DV) then you definitely want to structure your services so as to “unbundle” or keep separate your future broadband and voice services *before* you proceed with the FTTP order.

So keep the new FTTP order data only and a completely separate order/agreement from the existing FTTC / telephony agreement - don’t migrate the existing FTTC service. Once the new FTTP is up and running you can then port the existing number from copper to *any* VoIP provider of your choosing and run it over the top of the FTTP (air anywhere you want for that matter). This cleanly ceases the copper services - voice and broadband - at the time of porting out the number.

Yep that makes sense, still another 9 months on my contract though so I'll have to decide if I want to wait for more speed (unless I want to double my costs until then!) or be willing to lose my landline number.

I wish this wasnt so tied together - it's such a silly system!

Thanks for the input both, very helpful.

They haven't completely paused the Digital Voice rollout.
A number of customers are still being provisioned on Digital Voice.

FTTP only sites for example are still being put on Digital Voice, though that isn't the only exception.
The only way to know is to start an order. It's clearly defined during the ordering process if you will be put on Digital Voice.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Yes, but as dect quite rightly points out, as you don’t want to have their SmartHub in your setup (the only way to subscribe to DV) then you definitely want to structure your services so as to “unbundle” or keep separate your future broadband and voice services *before* you proceed with the FTTP order.

So keep the new FTTP order data only and a completely separate order/agreement from the existing FTTC / telephony agreement - don’t migrate the existing FTTC service. Once the new FTTP is up and running you can then port the existing number from copper to *any* VoIP provider of your choosing and run it over the top of the FTTP (air anywhere you want for that matter). This cleanly ceases the copper services - voice and broadband - at the time of porting out the number.

Bullet proof method of ensuring you don't loos your cherished voice line number.

But as I understand it provided you have been in contract for more than 12 months, then you can walk away from your contract with BT without penalty due to the substantial price rise that came in on April 1st. Now that opens up a lot of options for you to have your cake and eat it.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

They haven't completely paused the Digital Voice rollout.
A number of customers are still being provisioned on Digital Voice.

FTTP only sites for example are still being put on Digital Voice, though that isn't the only exception.
The only way to know is to start an order. It's clearly defined during the ordering process if you will be put on Digital Voice.

That is very true John. The impression I get from the OP is that the what is important to them is not to lose their landline number and to avoid having to use a BT Smart Hub.

In other words - it’s a question of pretty much avoiding DV altogether. The pause in the rollout becomes something of a red herring.

My elderly in-laws just moved to the BTs essential package (35Mbit FTTC) after their sky bill became silly and they were put on digital voice by the BT person simply saying would you like some new clearer phones to go with your new broadband?

Yes the quality is great i cant fault that but my MiL took a tumble and was in hospital (& still is) while the broadband switch took place and now because they are on DV presumably any care link products such as a fall pendent that we were looking at will not work now.

Because the copper line is still physically there i wonder if BT will let them go back to it?