How to get my landline working again (post FTTP installation)?

[teuchter_61]

Hi there

As per the subject line above; I have had no landline service since having my broadband upgraded to fibre optic on 11th January, I have honestly lost count of how many calls I have made to Vodafone's customer service (sic) department - and every time I do call them, I have to retell the entire story from the very beginning and listen to their cast-iron promises that they will get the problem solved 'within an hour/two hours/24 hours' (delete as appropriate) - which of course never happens.

Should be noted here that I have been with Vodafone for almost a year and have not had any problems with them whatsoever until now. Also - I am disabled and mostly at home, so rely heavily on my landline to connect with doctors/nurses/specialists etc - unfortunately, my mobile signal (Vodafone) is not the best in my area.)

Ironically, the fibre broadband is working like a dream: guaranteed 100 Mbps and average test speed so far of 108 Mbps.

Would appreciate any advice anyone is able to give re the landline.

Cheers,

Teuchter

[THG3000-IPv6]

Hi,

a] If you have a smart mobile phone enable VoWi-Fi option on it and your calls will be via Wi-Fi if there is no Vodafone Signal at your home. Not sure if VF allows VoWi-Fi on pay as you go ...

b] if that is not an option for you, see if you can order plain old Landline again from BT/etc.

c] if option "a + b" is not an option go for VoIP provider.
Is your landline for incoming calls only, or do you use it for calls out as well?

VoIP number = sipgate.co.uk, you get there (UK geographical landline number - London 0203 etc.)
they offer calling plans as well, check their website ...... of you can use mix/match and have UK number for incoming calls from them and let's say Betamax VoIP provider for outgoing calls http://backsla.sh/betamax
Sipgate even has "How To" guied online
https://basichelp.sipgate.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/204236901-Siemens-Gigaset

VoIP phone = https://ligo.co.uk/telephones/voip-phones but there is plenty of other shops. I prefer Gigaset.
You can go for 1 wireless headset or one in every room or desk phone plus wireless headsets. Gigaset VoIP headsets offer 4 or 6 VoIP accounts on one device

With Gigaset DX800A 1 Handset w C530H Corded & Cordless VOIP Home Phone (Refurbished) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393440300260 for £150 you can even get your mobile phone connected (via BT and called Link2Mobile) to the base station and receive/make calls from the landline using the mobile phone.

[esarempee]

Hi, Just read this thread.

Interested because I have just this Monday had Fibre broadband installed and my landline is no longer working.

I have contacted Vodafone via twitter and had some back and forth but they seem to have now given up.

Certainly not received any more communication after the last advice of trying to plug in a different phone.

Did this get sorted?

I am still within my 14 days cancellation period so will do that if nothing rectified.

I've just sent the twitter bods a link to this thread and asked if this is relevant.

Would be interested to know what happened.

[Mazzy13]

Finally got a working landline on 11th April after six and a half weeks. No communication from VF that it was fixed, it just suddenly rang. VF never rang me, it was up to me to keep pressuring them and it was one excuse after another. Mine was to do with the port  not transferring properly from old provider to VF although only VF could sort this. My advice is just keep ringing them and don't be fobbed off. Or you could cancel f you are within 14 day cooling off period. I swopped to save £16 a month but not sure if it was worth all the hassel. Good luck.

[Jayach]

@esarempee 

You are aware the phone has to connect to the router TEL socket(s) now?

If the PHONE led on the router is not lit, then Vodafone have not provisioned it properly.

[Amanda]

Hey there @esarempee - I can see we've been in touch over Twitter yesterday and you've replied to us, if you still need any help please reply to our last message 👍

Thanks for letting us know it's now working @Mazzy13 - I'm really sorry for the time it's taken. 

[Jayach]

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@teuchter_61 wrote:

Hi there

As per the subject line above; I have had no landline service since having my broadband upgraded to fibre optic on 11th January,

---

You do realise the phone has to be connected to the router, once you are on FTTP?

To do so you will probably need an adapter, this one is usually recommended on here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhinocables®-Socket-Telephone-Adaptor-White/dp/B00EVS5UZ2/

If you are correctly cabled, but it's still not working then Vodafone have not enabled the service correctly.

A simple call to Vodafone should sort it as they frequently don't do it, however as you have found they seem totally incompetent.

Try the livechat if you haven't already, https://www.vodafone.co.uk/bbservcd/

[teuchter_61]

HI Jayach

After another two very frustrating and non-productive days talking to Vodafone customer 'service' personnel, a breakthrough has been realised, viz:

I discovered that the box the router came in (last year, for our non-fibre broadband connection - apparently a new router is not required when upgrading to a fibre connection) states that "you'll need a phone adapter to connect your phone to your hub. If you ordered a telephone package with your broadband (which we did) we will provide an adapter when we install your fibre connection box" - only problem being that Vodafone (a) denied the need for/existence of such adapters and (b) subsequently informed us that the only solution would be for us to buy new VOIP-enabled handsets! (A quick Google search shows that they cost in excess of £90 or so....) We have never heard of anyone having to buy VOIP telephones upon upgrading to a fibre connection.

One does have to wonder why (a) no-one at Vodafone has ever thought of informing us of the need for such VOIP handsets (not the initial sales person who sold us the upgraded package; nor the engineer who came to fit the fibre box and connect our house to the fibre optic cable, nor any of the countless customer 'service' (sic) staff whom we have spoken to over the past three weeks.) Had we known of the need for this new hardware, it would certainly have made us think twice about the upgrade.

Teuchter

[Jayach]

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@teuchter_61 wrote:

I discovered that the box the router came in (last year, for our non-fibre broadband connection - apparently a new router is not required when upgrading to a fibre connection) states that "you'll need a phone adapter to connect your phone to your hub. If you ordered a telephone package with your broadband (which we did) we will provide an adapter when we install your fibre connection box" - only problem being that Vodafone (a) denied the need for/existence of such adapters and (b) subsequently informed us that the only solution would be for us to buy new VOIP-enabled handsets! (A quick Google search shows that they cost in excess of £90 or so....) We have never heard of anyone having to buy VOIP telephones upon upgrading to a fibre connection.

Teuchter

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More proof of the uselessness of Vodafone "support".

If you were to get a VoIP handset, it will not work unless you purchase a VoIP contract for it from a 3rd party.

Your standard BT style handsets, either wired or wireless (DECT), will work perfectly with the THG3000, using the adapter.  I've not known of anybody being supplied the adapter by Vodafone.

[THG3000-IPv6]

RJ11

This is very strange, BT introduced the British telephone sockets on 19 November 1981 as per the Wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_telephone_socket

DSL filter has BS 6312 431A connector to plug into the phone socket and on the other side micro filter with RJ11 for modem and BS 6312 (UK standard) female plug for the telephone line

But the Router (THG3000) offered by VF to customers for FTTP has 2 x RJ11 sockets for a telephone to be connected

Looks like BT have done the same,
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=BT+Smart+Hub+2&iax=images&ia=images

but have not found picture of the "Digital Voice customers only" sticker pealed off, but looks like RJ11

What is strange that the BT Home Hub
https://www.filesaveas.com/bthomehub_usb.html

still has the BS 6312 (UK standard) female plug [green]

Looks like going digital will bring demise of BS 6312 in favour of RJ11