Worth keeping phone lines?

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Sun Aug 11, 2024 7:21 pm

We have several phone lines running over our flat, an old BT line, a new BT line and a new virgin line. They are all currently unused as the landline now plugs into the back of the broadband router, not that we even have a landline phone connected to it anyway.

The lines are unsightly, they are surface mounted and stapled to doorframes and skirting, covered in decades of paint etc. Is there any reason to keep them now? It will be a big job filling the holes but I need to decorate most of these areas soon anyway so I thought I would rip it out of each room as I go along.

Also, what about the master sockets? Any reason to keep them? I guess I could put blanking plates over them maybe?

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sun Aug 11, 2024 7:54 pm

Keep the BT box you can plug in an old corded phone in a power cut, which I did recently. I have wireless phones now and I have removed some obvious redundant cables.

DWD

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Mon Aug 12, 2024 7:41 am

I don't think the BT master socket is connected to anything, we haven't used it in years and as I said we don't have a landline anyway. The Virgin master socket definition isn't connected as we had a new wall box recently and the engineer didn't connect the phone line up as he said there was no point, it wouldn't work. In a power cut I would just use my mobile.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Wed Aug 14, 2024 9:24 pm

If your phone connects directly to the router then even if you did plug a phone into any phone socket it will never work because you are on fibre to the home.

If you have Virgin as your ISP then yes, rip all the BT stuff out, and the OLD virgin stuff too.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Wed Aug 14, 2024 10:41 pm

its worth noting if you get a powercut on fibre your house phone wont work without a powerpack

toolbox · Post by **toolbox** » Fri Aug 16, 2024 12:44 pm

Not convinced about ditching landlines, talking to my daughter when she is on her mobile is; Eh! splutter, crackle, Oh Ill try the upstairs room, is that better? Silence. Ring Ring I'm in the summer house , can you hear me now?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri Aug 16, 2024 1:41 pm

toolbox wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 12:44 pmNot convinced about ditching landlines

You have obviously not got Fibre Broadband. (Or gone digital as some say) When you get FB (You get no choice, you just get told when it will change) All your phones will no longer work (No, not joking) You can have ONE phone plugged directly into the router, thats it. Yes if you have "portable phones" and you plug the main base station into the router they should work, just hope you don't get a power cut.

If it helps, a lot of other devices no longer work...........as they have no working phone line to dial out on, that includes anything with an "auto dialler" such as burglar alarms, vulnerable peoples "Help Buttons" lift communications (If you get stuck, and you press a button to speak to a person) There are countless other things too, BT announced many years ago it was going to happen, but I think most did not believe them.

It is also true of people that do not have BB at all but do have a phone, their phone will stop working.

Below is a picture of the back of my router, as you see it has ONE socket for ONE phone, as big-All says, powercut, no phone. We haven't used our landline phone in years so it doesn't really bother us. Maybe you should check to see what you have/is coming to you. Its not so much as ditching the landline, its more a case of remove the redundant cables.

: router.jpg (40.82 KiB) Viewed 744 times

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Aug 16, 2024 1:53 pm

We had a 4 hour power cut earlier in the year and it caught me out. My mobile was close to zero charge and we resorted to candles that were useless. I bought an LED camping light that lasts 8 hours and a small power bank to charge any devices if needed. There is a distinct chance that history will repeat itself now Labour has power as they have opened the floodgates for absurd wage claims and potential strikes, just like last time. Anyone who can recall the power strikes will know. I was considering a generator to keep my heating going in the event of a power blackout. What would be the best type to connect to my boiler? Would my power bank operate my router to give me Wi-Fi?

DWD

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Fri Aug 16, 2024 4:12 pm

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2024 1:53 pmWould my power bank operate my router to give me Wi-Fi?

Doubtful, powerbanks are usually 5v, routers are usually 12v. Don't forget, you don't need wi-fi for a smart phone to access the internet.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Aug 16, 2024 4:38 pm

I have car jump pack which is 12v can this run it? I think it has a three-pin socket from memory. I was also looking at inverter generators to run the heating what would be best do you think?

DWD

Rorschach · Post by **Rorschach** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 7:27 am

big-all wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2024 10:41 pm its worth noting if you get a powercut on fibre your house phone wont work without a powerpack

As I don't have a "house phone" this isn't really a problem.

wine~o · Post by **wine~o** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 5:40 pm

[quote=Someone-Else post_id=878580 time=1723815674 user_id=3736

Below is a picture of the back of my router, as you see it has ONE socket for ONE phone, as big-All says, powercut, no phone. We haven't used our landline phone in years so it doesn't really bother us. Maybe you should check to see what you have/is coming to you. Its not so much as ditching the landline, its more a case of remove the redundant cables.

router.jpg
[/quote]

Can I ask which broadband provider and which router ?

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:15 pm

its worth remembering old security systems 'health and welfare monitoring services and other services you may forget about can need your phone line to operate

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:23 pm

wine~o wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2024 5:40 pmCan I ask which broadband provider and which router ?

Yes, BT and I am sorry, I don't know, BUT here is a picture of the front of it.

: wine~O.jpg (64.9 KiB) Viewed 654 times

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:27 pm

big-all wrote: ↑Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:15 pmits worth remembering old security systems 'health and welfare monitoring services and other services you may forget about can need your phone line to operate

Too slow. Either that or you do not read all of thread.

someone-else wrote:If it helps, a lot of other devices no longer work...........as they have no working phone line to dial out on, that includes anything with an "auto dialler" such as burglar alarms, vulnerable peoples "Help Buttons" lift communications (If you get stuck, and you press a button to speak to a person) There are countless other things too, BT announced many years ago it was going to happen, but I think most did not believe them.