BT plans to switch all landline phones to digital phones. Originally the Big Switch was scheduled for the end of 2025 but has been delayed. It is now planned for the end of January 2027. BT has said they will contact customers ahead of the change to let them know when they’ll be making the switch.
The switch over to “Voice Over Internet Protocol” (VoIP), which uses a broadband connection, is going to provide clearer call quality and allow users to easily divert calls to their mobile if they’re out of the house, and prevent the majority of scam calls – according to BT. We suspect it is also going to save them a lot of money from no longer having to maintain the physical phone lines. Let’s hope they pass that saving on to the customers, rather than only the shareholders!
Many people have concerns about the switch. For example, what can people who have personal alarms, which rely on landlines, do during a power cut (meaning your internet won’t work). BT has joined forces with the national charity, Neighbourhood Watch, to provide information days, where customers can go along to find out how the switch might affect them personally. There will be advisors on hand to answer any questions a customer might have.
Sadly, there is no information day in Camber, nor even one as close as Rye. Here at the newsletter, we contacted Neighbourhood Watch, who are overseeing the information days, to ask if we could have an information day in Camber. We even offered to volunteer to host a meeting at Camber Memorial Hall, and were told this:
‘I know that is a shame that a lot of people are a fair way from the events. Unfortunately we only have resources to run a handful of events across the county so there are a lot of gaps!’
However, they did send us an information leaflet which BT had given them to hand out at these information meetings, and advised us that customers could find useful information on the BT website and on the Neighbourhood Watch website.
Digital Voice | Digital Home Phone | BT
Our Digital Voice Project with BT | Neighbourhood Watch Network (ourwatch.org.uk)
We feel BT, (which is worth millions of pounds), is taking advantage of a volunteer network (Neighbourhood Watch) and not providing them with sufficient resources to comprehensively reach all the people who have concerns! The Newsletter Team will continue to challenge BT on this matter, with a view to bringing and information day to our doorsteps!
Meanwhile, there are information days at the following locations:
Tenterden – 9th October, 14.30 to 16:30
Tenterden Library, 2 Tenterden Gateway Manor Row, Tenterden TN30 6HP
New Romney – 16th October, 10.30 to 13:30
The Romney Marsh Community Hub, Sunflower House, Rolfe Lane, New Romney, TN28 8JR
Battle – 21st November, 13:00 to 16:00
Battle Library, 7 Market Square, Battle TN33 0XB
