PSTN Switch Off

My understanding is that by DEcember 2025 PSTN in the UK will be switched off and in its place, certainly for residential properties which are not FTTP, a copper pair will be provided which will carry VoIP.

Thinking about it, I guess that those who do not have or want an internet connection will simply have a modem with a VoIP adapter built in. Or even a phone with built in VoIP which plugs straight into the modem. Whether BT will operate this, who knows?

What about those who have two landline phones on the same line? OK you can plug two analog phones into a separate VoIP adapter - that is my line 2 set up. but what about multiple digital phones? I don't think that you can simply pick the second one up and put the first one down to transfer a call within the property? Some would say use DECT but that is not the answer when there is a power cut and your mobile phone has a flat battery. Same for the VoIP adapter and MODEM too.

Openreach will offer SOGEA as a FTTC replacement (hope my existing MODEM Router will work) or SOTAP as an ADSL replacement.

Now for those, like myself, who currently have a BT telephone service and another supplier (AAISP) for Broadband, will also have a MODEM/Router. In fact I also have a VoIP adapter for a second line, but I don't think that comes into it?

What will BT do then, I won't need their existing telephone exchange for connecting calls, but will they then offer me a VoIP adapter for the existing telephone number that I currently have from them and bill me for calls? Or will they instead offer to port that number to a VoIP supplier of my choice?

This article https://digitalwholesalesolutions.com/2019/09/the-bt... does not answer my questions.

Thanks for reading, /rant mode off

Cheers!

Stop thinking in terms of VoIP, since while it may actually be voip the retail providers will present a traditional telephone socket on their router.

The power cut scenario and backup is handed to mobile networks, with vulnerable getting battery backup, but that is down to the voice provider be they BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone etc

I wonder whether that would be a BT431A or an RJ11 on the router?

In my own case, I would wish to retain my existing number, which has always been with BT. Depending upon what they eventually offer, or if a hardware choice will be interesting, to me at least.

Cheers!

Edited by Ancient_Mariner (Fri 20-Mar-20 22:33:38)

You can port your BT landline to a VOIP provider such as Voipfone or Sipgate or many others, including AAISP. You might want to compare their call rates to what you are paying BT now. I like Voipfone and Sipgate because they both send text messages and emails with a sound file attached if some one leaves a message.

The Gigaset N300 IP is a Dect base station that lets you make and receive calls using VOIP. It is best to use it with Gigaset handsets. It is possible to use more than one VOIP provider at the same time.

BT431A since that is what phones have in the UK

Porting your number is not an issue, since if you stay with BT there is nothing to port they just shift that number from the copper to their voice over broadband service

It's coming clearer now, I think.

What I was wondering is whether this would affect those, who like I, do not use BT for Broadband.

But as you describe, my using A&A for example would not really come into it, since I assume that BT would simply become a VoIP provider, rather like DrayTel who I use at the present.

Cheers!

Most existing routers don't have a phone socket and since BT431A is unique to the UK presumably few third party routers will either. So either a new ISP router or a VOIP adaptor.
A lot of confusion at present and I understand the 2025 date has already been postponed, probably even further down the line with COVID-19 if we ever beat that and there is still life in this world.

It will for many mean using the ISP supplied router and ignoring any delays people will have had new devices between now and 2025 anyway.

Third party routers will not be doing a retailers voice service. Want the voice service you will be using their router. Those who want the choice of kit options may be given voice free package options and can then use whatever VoIP products they want.

AAISP, if they want to offer voice they can, they don't have to. The trails in Salisbury and Mildenhall will make things much clearer as there will be examples of how things do or don't work.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

It will for many mean using the ISP supplied router and ignoring any delays people will have had new devices between now and 2025 anyway.

Why would ISPs do that? If people want to use their own routers they can easily use a VOIP provider such as Sipgate and the ISPs would loose the call revenue.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

BT431A since that is what phones have in the UK

Maybe not ... on their 2-wire 2700/01 hubs the 2xPSTN outputs were on an 6p/4c RJ with a splitter to provide 2xBT431A sockets which may have include the bell capacitor.

Using the ISP supplied router if you want to use that ISP voice service. That clarification make it clearer

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Using the ISP supplied router if you want to use that ISP voice service. That clarification make it clearer

I understand the point that you are making. What I don't understand is why the ISPs would want to stop customers using their own equipment, as it would stop the ISPs getting the call cost revenue.

I ported my BT originating number to Virgin Media some time ago now. Then, last year, I ported it from VM to Sipgate both were trouble free.

I have two analogue phones, one down stairs and one upstairs. When I ported the number to sipgate I purchased a Cisco SPA112 which connects to the router via an ethernet port and has two sockets for the analogue phones. It works a treat.

In the event of power or broadband outage I can either configure my mobile to work with sipgate, use a voip app or just setup call forwarding on my sipgate account.

So they can see what you are doing...

A) Person uses ISP supplied router and voice service ISP gets incremental call revenue
B) Person uses their own router and sources their own voice service or not bother with voice and ISP gets no additional revenue

Am I missing something?

My current set up is a BT PSTN line via a faceplate filter to a number of BT sockets with four phones connected (they are 'ring' well). I have a Cisco SPA112 connected to my Draytek Vigor 2762ac Modem/Router which feed two phones, one is a Delta 700 which has two incoming lines - one the BT line, the other the DrayTEL VoIP line. Again both phones work well.

I have a small UPS which currently is not connected to either, I must do something about that!

Until last year, I had the Modem/Router, VoIP adapter and some other gear in our attic space. It used to run hot and over a few years had to replace the Modem a couple of times. Then last year suffered damage to the modem and VoIP adapter during a thunderstorm - luckily not a direct hit; likely induced current due out phone service being overhead. Decided to re-locate this gear in our garage and had a new dropwire installed.

Recently a friend on the same exchange, but different cabinet heard from BT that his ADSL was being upgraded to FTTC and was sent a new hub. This then started me thinking re Openreaches plans for PSTN switch off. The underground wiring around here goes back to the 1950s, some houses still have the brackets for the two-wire overhead lines with the large insulators. Unfortunately much of the underground is aluminium which currently is only giving me about 25 Mbits follollowing I guess new connections, used to get around 36 Mbits originally - cabinet about 500 metres away.

FTTP would be good!

Cheers!

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

A) Person uses ISP supplied router and voice service ISP gets incremental call revenue
B) Person uses their own router and sources their own voice service or not bother with voice and ISP gets no additional revenue

Am I missing something?

ISPS let people use their own routers. Why would an ISP want to stop these people from using the ISPs VOIP service?

Why would an ISP want to stop these people from using the ISPs VOIP service?

Because the ISP sees those people as a small fraction of their customer base, and supporting them with hardware only needed for that small number of customers adds cost.

Small ISP will view this differently and likely to share SIP details so you can use your own hardware, but then you will be on your own support wise.

For those that dont want or have an internet connection a mobile would be easier surely? You can get a cheap phone that just does the basics, and get unlimited texts and calls for less than the cost of line rental a month

Edited by bobble_bob (Mon 23-Mar-20 17:27:49)