Digital Voice Adapter

[tearinghair]

I've just had to shange to BT's digital voice adapter system. The paperwork tells me that I need to unplug any previous additional phones I had as they will no longer work. I was wondering, would they work if I connected them via a separate digital voice adapter? Or do I need to dispose of them?

[Buenchico]

The instructions say: "You can register a maximum of 5 Digital Voice devices (that includes Digital Voice Handsets or Digital Voice Adapters) to your new Hub at one time."
https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/digital-voice/adapter/BT-Digital-Voice-Adapter-User-Guide.pdf

As you can have up to 5 DVAs in use, that suggests to me that you can connect up to 5 previous phones.  

[barry1010]

Scroll down this page for instructions on how to use multiple phones after the changeover

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/guides/digital-voice-pstn-switch-off-and-telephone-extensions

[tearinghair]

Thank you. I liked the bit about 'if you're not technologically minded, you may need help'!

I'm in a small flat now so there's not so much need , but I am quite deaf so it was useful to have an extension in the bedroom so that my daughter's care home could contact me in an emergency. The mobile coverage is not brilliant, but I notice that BT ask anyone in this sort of situation to contact them in case the internet is down. I think I'll do that for the moment anyway.

[barry1010]

From Buen's link tell BT it is essential that can hear the phone ringing wherever you are in your flat and you need a second adapter.  You may have to pay but as you need it in case of emergency try pushing for a free one.

Alternatively unplug the adapter and phone when you go to bed and plug it in to a socket in the bedroom.  It can be plugged in wherever you like, it will remember the settings

[Tuvok]

Are they cordless phones?

If not, you could get a multi handset set - the base unit would connect to the hub, then the other handset would have a charger that you can use where you need it.

Remember if there is a powercut then no internet also means no phone.

[barry1010]

My phone's have never worked in a power cut.  It's a DECT phone that has to connect to the base station to work, and the base station doesn't work without electricity.

I bet a lot of people have this very common BT phone and don't realise 

[tearinghair]

They did warn me of that,  Tuvok. The information that came with the phones included a number to call if there are extenuating circumstances. It will he interesting to find out what they can do about it. My phones are cordless so I don't imagine BT can override a power outage on those.

[Tuvok]

If your phones are ocrdless, then you should have the base unit that plugs into the hubor adapter.

I've read that the forthcoming change to total voip (digital) phones is paused

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12877065/bt-pause-digital-landlines-alarms-stopped.html