Virgin Landline - How Does It Work?

[barry1010]

Another question about landlines has prompted this - I have often wondered about it.

I don't have a BT telephone line at home.  It came down many years ago in a storm and has never been reconnected.

Virgin supplies my landline and I always believed it was entirely supplied by Virgin's cable that comes in to my home via the cable that is buried under my drive.  

The last time a Virgin engineer was at my house he told me about the upcoming change to the telephone line and the switch to voip.  This didn't bother me as I have been using a Skype telephone with its own number for years, as well as the landline.  I asked him how the Virgin phone connects to Openreach numbers and he said that the cable from my house connects to Openreach lines further along the system.

I know that Virgin will be switching off my landline connection this spring so there must be some truth in what the engineer told me.

Can anyone clarify? 

[wolf63]

Last February my Virgin phone was switched to the voip-type system

All I had to do was unplug my phone and plug it into my router using a small connection wire that they supplied.

Alas, my phone was incompatible with their new system and it didn't work.  But for most people, it is a simple plug and phone system.

[Redhelen72]

Openreach Limited is a company wholly owned by BT Group plc, that maintains the telephone cables, ducts, cabinets and exchanges that connect nearly all homes and businesses in the United Kingdom to the national broadband and telephone network.

Due to the copper line corroding that is why they are turning off all the land lines - if you have a landline it will connect to BT/Openreach somewhere

[barry1010]

Thank you both, but I know all about the big Openreach switch off.

My question is - does Virgin connect its landlines to Openreach copper lines?  My phone comes through the underground cable Telewest (now Virgin) laid over 20 years ago - but does that cable connect to the Openreach lines at some point? 

[Redhelen72]

Yes virgin only owns from the connection not the main line 

[barry1010]

So it does connect to the Openreach system? 

[wolf63]

I was told that is was sent to you via your cable that Virgin owns, along with your broadband.

[barry1010]

It does, which is why I am confused as to why Virgin is changing my landline to VOIP if the Openreach switch to digital will not affect Virgin.

Also, if the entire Virgin phone system is not connected to Openreach at all, how does Virgin phones call BT phones?

I have never been able to switch to Sky or any other service because I don't have a BT phone line

 

[wolf63]

❓❓

Maybe someone will tell you.  Chris!!!!

[barry1010]

Thanks, Wolf, I need to know!

[wolf63]

Start with Google

http://tinyurl.com/5ph4x35b

[barry1010]

I've googled myself blue

[wolf63]

Have you tried VM help?

 

[barry1010]

Yes, told me to phone. 

😂

[wolf63]

😀

Have fun trying to work it out.  I got rid of my home phone and just use my mobile.

Life used to be so much simpler when I was younger.😁