Landline handsets - BT Digital Voice or DECT?
Discussion
BT upgraded me to FttP a few months ago. The router was relocated to the integral garage (from the central hallway). They gave me a basic handset, and an an adaptor for my existing Panasonic DECT base station in the hallway. Also got two UPS, for the fibre modem and the router.
I have 3 additional Panasonic handsets, in the kitchen, study, and workshop.
All works fine.
Clearing out the kitchen for redecorating, I noticed that one of the Panasonic charging bases is starting to melt, as is the power adaptor.
Time to look at new phones!
For £150, I can get a 4 pack of Panasonic DECT phones.
For £200, I can get 4 BT Plus Digital Voice phones (or £120 for 4 basic ones).
I've read that Digital Voice can support 5 handsets, so I think that will be the way to go?
A few questions though:
Does the BT Plus phone act as as an answering machine? If so, is it "voicemail" or local storage?
Will the extra phones communicate to the router via my TP Link Deco Mesh, or just via the router's WiFi? I'm concerned about WiFi range from the router.
Can the BT Plus phone send notifications to my (Vodafone) mobile if I'm out, or divert unanswered calls direct to my mobile?
I have 3 additional Panasonic handsets, in the kitchen, study, and workshop.
All works fine.
Clearing out the kitchen for redecorating, I noticed that one of the Panasonic charging bases is starting to melt, as is the power adaptor.
Time to look at new phones!
For £150, I can get a 4 pack of Panasonic DECT phones.
For £200, I can get 4 BT Plus Digital Voice phones (or £120 for 4 basic ones).
I've read that Digital Voice can support 5 handsets, so I think that will be the way to go?
A few questions though:
Does the BT Plus phone act as as an answering machine? If so, is it "voicemail" or local storage?
Will the extra phones communicate to the router via my TP Link Deco Mesh, or just via the router's WiFi? I'm concerned about WiFi range from the router.
Can the BT Plus phone send notifications to my (Vodafone) mobile if I'm out, or divert unanswered calls direct to my mobile?
Have you looked at "off the shelf" VOIP phones e.g. Yealink? Perhaps £70 per handset, wifi connected to your Deco mesh, and then phone service through someone like A&A?
In 2025 it feels like DECT is handy for long-range outdoor use, but in houses/workshop, moving to wifi VOIP phones is making sense. And no base station required.
In 2025 it feels like DECT is handy for long-range outdoor use, but in houses/workshop, moving to wifi VOIP phones is making sense. And no base station required.
Had to sign a new 24 month contract with BT, so moving service not really an option.
I've checked coverage using the BT DV phone that they gave me, and it's very sketchy at the far end of the house, so I think trying to use DV is a non-starter.
Reading up on BT DV, it seems like there's no way around the range problem, apart from sticking with a DECT base plugged into the BT adaptor?
I've checked coverage using the BT DV phone that they gave me, and it's very sketchy at the far end of the house, so I think trying to use DV is a non-starter.
Reading up on BT DV, it seems like there's no way around the range problem, apart from sticking with a DECT base plugged into the BT adaptor?
Have you looked at services like OnSim?
Basically have your old land line number as a SIM on a mobile.
Be clear about what you want. If you only need to receive calls on a legacy landline number there may be cheaper solutions.
I've got a normal pulse dialling handset plugged into my 'Digital Voice' compatible ADSL router (it has a socket for the purpose), it works fine but I never use it, the last person who used our landline died a while back.
Basically have your old land line number as a SIM on a mobile.
Be clear about what you want. If you only need to receive calls on a legacy landline number there may be cheaper solutions.
I've got a normal pulse dialling handset plugged into my 'Digital Voice' compatible ADSL router (it has a socket for the purpose), it works fine but I never use it, the last person who used our landline died a while back.
DV phones are specific to BT that means should you leave BT when your contact ends then the DV phones will not work.
It was (perhaps it’s changed perhaps not) that moving DV to another provider used to fail regularly and folks lost there home number, this may or may not be an issue.
The simplest route would be to use a DECT unit with an adapter.
Though as said the offering using A&A is bother cheaper and is platform independent so you can move broadband to any provider without concern over your phone line.
It was (perhaps it’s changed perhaps not) that moving DV to another provider used to fail regularly and folks lost there home number, this may or may not be an issue.
The simplest route would be to use a DECT unit with an adapter.
Though as said the offering using A&A is bother cheaper and is platform independent so you can move broadband to any provider without concern over your phone line.
Mobile solutions won't work, as we are lucky if we get a 2g signal here.
Wifi calling works fine.
Keeping the existing landline number is vital. Although I give out my both my mobile and landline numbers, the vast majority of customers call the landline.
When the landline went down last year (fault at the exchange), I didn't get any calls for a couple of days until BT put a call divert on the landline number.
Wifi calling works fine.
Keeping the existing landline number is vital. Although I give out my both my mobile and landline numbers, the vast majority of customers call the landline.
When the landline went down last year (fault at the exchange), I didn't get any calls for a couple of days until BT put a call divert on the landline number.
When we were changed to BT digital voice, I was instructed how to plug the existing (battery powered) big button phone that my wife uses, directly into the router (Home hub). Worked great.
Then I was offered a free BT voice handset. This connects to the router via wifi. Now I have two telephone lines with the same number. If one phone is in use, the other phone can make and receive calls independently. The only restriction is that there's no way to transfer calls between them.
Then I was offered a free BT voice handset. This connects to the router via wifi. Now I have two telephone lines with the same number. If one phone is in use, the other phone can make and receive calls independently. The only restriction is that there's no way to transfer calls between them.
I've got my free BT DV cordless phone next to the router, mainly as a backup if there's a power cut (router and fibre modem are on UPS).
DECT base station plugged into a BT DV wireless adaptor in the central hallway, for whole-house coverage.
I noticed the "2 separate phone lines" thing yesterday. I was in the garage when the phone rang, so I picked up the BT handset, just as the DECT base station went into answerphone mode. Chatting to the caller, the base station recorded the whole conversation.
Decided to stick with DECT, ordered a Panasonic 4 pack.
If the wireless range was better, or if BT made a suitable wireless repeater, I would've gone for more DV phones. Voice quality is a bit better on DV, but a 40 foot indoor range just isn't good enough when the router is at one end of the house.
DECT base station plugged into a BT DV wireless adaptor in the central hallway, for whole-house coverage.
I noticed the "2 separate phone lines" thing yesterday. I was in the garage when the phone rang, so I picked up the BT handset, just as the DECT base station went into answerphone mode. Chatting to the caller, the base station recorded the whole conversation.
Decided to stick with DECT, ordered a Panasonic 4 pack.
If the wireless range was better, or if BT made a suitable wireless repeater, I would've gone for more DV phones. Voice quality is a bit better on DV, but a 40 foot indoor range just isn't good enough when the router is at one end of the house.
clockworks said:
I noticed the "2 separate phone lines" thing yesterday. I was in the garage when the phone rang, so I picked up the BT handset, just as the DECT base station went into answerphone mode. Chatting to the caller, the base station recorded the whole conversation.
That's not the two line thing - before fibre I used to have a DECT system around the house, but also had a stand-alone desk phone, and what you described would happen if I picked up the desk phone as the DECT answerphone answered.With the two simultaneous calls feature on BT Digital Voice, someone else can make a call from one of the BT hamdsets while you're on another call.
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