Will Telephone Landlines Become Obsolete?

[naomi24]

We got rid of ours ages ago and don’t miss it a bit.

[bednobs]

We have an old bakelite dial telephone we still occasionally use

[Hopkirk]

Has it got the circular dial?

[jourdain2]

I hope not - we rely on ours because we have no mobile signal in the house. When it goes off due to an electricity cut we could be in real trouble. It's quite alarming.

[bednobs]

Yes it's a rotary phone

[Tuvok]

Another thing that I’ve noticed is that I now have call waiting - but have yet to successfully switch between the 2 calls!

[Hopkirk]

Bednobs it must have been modified, because the exchanges can't recognise pulse dialling any more.

[barry1010]

Tuvok, my landline will not work without electricity, it is still connected to the old telephone line. If I unplug it from the electricity socket, the little screen on the phone just says 'searching for base'.

[barry1010]

Jourdain, the phone companies are supplying emergency power pack thingamijigges to people in your situation.

[Hopkirk]

Barry, I heard they said they were going to.
Have you heard of anyone who actually got one?

[jourdain2]

Barry Thanks that's news to me. No one's said anything. Do you apply to BT, do you know?

[ubasses]

Jordain, we live in a rural area with no mobile signal. By enabling wi-fi calling on your mobile you will be able to use it without any problem.

[barry1010]

I don't know anyone who has one but this is the situation according to Which:
"But those who don't have access to a mobile phone must not be left without a way to seek help in an emergency. Landline/broadband providers are responsible for additional protections to ensure customers can reach emergency services.

BT is supplying vulnerable customers with a battery backup that will ensure digital phone services will work for an additional hour if an outage occurs. Virgin Media's solution for those who need it is a device with its own battery that allows the landline phone to connect to mobile phone services. "
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/digital-voice-and-the-landline-phone-switch-off-what-it-means-for-you-aPSOH8k1i6Vv

All I suggest is that anyone in this situation should contact their phone line provider

[barry1010]

ubasses, wifi calling won't work in a power cut.

[ubasses]

Appreciate that Barry, I was just trying to help Jordain with her signal problem, should she need it.
The power cut problem can be mitigated a bit, ours is connected to a UPS and it kept working for a good hour recently during a very long power outage. That included watching the television.

[Barsel]

This is a really sore point for me as a lot of people don't have smartphones, and I'm one of them.
Many of my neighbours don't even have broadband, and as my 93yr old neighbour tells me, she feels she is too old to learn how to use one.
I recently had to take out a new contract with my broadband provider and next Tuesday, Open Reach will be coming to my home to install new equipment.
All I know is (correct me if I'm wrong) BT is getting rid of copper wiring so we can all go fibre optic?? and this has to be done before a certain time, probably in the next few years.
If we all have to have mobile phones instead of landlines, who is buying those phones for us?

[barry1010]

Barsel, you will be able to use your existing landline, it may need a very small adapter that your telephone service provider should give you for nothing. If you do need to buy one they cost around the £3 mark.
The big switch off is due to be completed by 2025

[barry1010]

Doh - I missed out the word 'telephone' - you will be able to use your existing landline telephone ...

[Barsel]

A package came ahead of their visit.
I haven't opened it, but perhaps everything I need will be in it.
Can I get this right with you, Barry?
In the coming years, there will be no such thing as a landline phone and everyone will have to use a mobile phone.

[barry1010]

That is difficult to answer 'yes or no'.
When the existing landline is disconnected you will be using the same phone connected to the router - talking over the internet using your old phone.
We (meaning the general public) are already using mobile phones connected wirelessly to our routers when we use WiFi calling, Skype or WhatsApp. There are probably other systems that I am unaware of.

As long as people want a fixed phone there is no reason for them not to be available via VOIP. Fixed phone VOIP telephones have been on the market for years, I used a Skype phone that looked like a traditional landline phone and had a 'proper' geographical telephone number. Nobody knew they were calling a VOIP phone.

On the other hand, if everyone in the household has a mobile phone they can do without the fixed phone line. When the old telephone lines disappear nobody will need a phone line to access the internet (I have been stuck with Virgin for many years because I don't have a BT phone line) so more people will be tempted to do away with their fixed line telephone.

[barry1010]

This is a selection of VOIP phones currently available https://www.onedirect.co.uk/business-telephones/voip-ip-phones