cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Fibre phone switchover

chrisjg
Joining in

Hi, 

I'm not keen on switching over, and only use the landline for incoming calls. 

The faq's say that incoming calls will still get through even if I don't switch.

How long will incoming calls continue to work? 

== in case people want to know more ==

Why don't I want to switch? 

1. Phone and hub are not physically close together, and neither are to be moved. 

2. Don't want holes drilled in walls/ceilings and more cables visibly routed through the house.

3. Health issues mean landline is needed for incoming calls from health professionals. Landline is rarely used for outgoing calls. Health pertains to someone in the house, but the person supporting them changes, so the mobile number of one carer is not the most practical solution.

== other solutions we are considering ==

1. Cancel the landline and buy a cheap mobile phone as a replacement. Keep it plugged into the charger and keep it where the landline sits now. But this requires another contract, and payment setup, etc. Which is 10x more complicated when setting things up on someone else's behalf - even with all the relevant permissions and paperwork in place. 

2. Cancel all virgin media (phone, broadband, TV) and move to a different supplier. If we've got to move things, drill holes, etc, why not go somewhere cheaper.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Roger_Gooner
Alessandro Volta

Or use DECT.

--
Hub 5, TP-Link TL-SG108S 8-port gigabit switch, 360
My Broadband Ping - Roger's VM hub 5 broadband connection

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

12 REPLIES 12

Tom_W1
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hi @chrisjg thanks for your post although I'm sorry to hear of your concerns raised regarding the landline switchover. 

To be clear here, once the switchover has occurred (you'll receive communications about this soon if you haven't already) you will lose access to the landline including incoming calls unfortunately, if you don't connect your device to your Hub. 

You have mentioned you don't want the Hub/Phone to be moved, it would either need to be this or for us place additional wiring around your house from your landline, directly to your Hub but we will of course do this discretely. 

All UK providers are moving to the 21CV network by the end of 2025, so this is not just Virgin Media that are doing this so changing to another provider is only going to slow the process down a little - this will become standard across all providers and is due to advances in technology.

If you do require any further support or advice with this, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Many thanks

Tom_W

Roger_Gooner
Alessandro Volta

Or use DECT.

--
Hub 5, TP-Link TL-SG108S 8-port gigabit switch, 360
My Broadband Ping - Roger's VM hub 5 broadband connection

That's a pity,

I guess we'll just cancel the phone service (and look to other providers for TV and broadband, who look cheaper for the same packages - I've just checked).

Even though the dect phone (suggested in a different answer) is a viable option, buying one costs me money to keep what I already have. I'm not happy about that.

No matter how carefully the cable and wire are routed it would still add holes to the house walls. It would also need someone (your technician?) to move some large pieces of furniture (eg, a large wooden cabinet, corner work desk, sofa) in order to discretely route the new wires. The desk also has a desktop computer, printer, filing cabinet, etc. This seems like a lot of work for a technician or engineer to do (and of course put it all back again afterwards). All to keep what I already have, and you'll probably tell me that moving furniture is not part of the job. Which means getting someone in to do it (either friends or paying someone), as I'm not able to do it myself.

I should probably have looked at switching suplliers a long time ago, judging from the deals on offer, but I've been a bit lazy. This has given me the impetus and motivation to actually do it. 

Hi Chrisjg,

Thanks for coming back to us about this, I am sorry that you feel the only other option at the moment is to leave us. 

As Tom already mentioned, the whole of the UK and other providers will be moving into the digital age in regards to Landline, which means copper lines will be made redundant in future. 

If you still feel leaving is the best option, please call our retentions team on 0345 454 1111 option 1, 4 then 4, they will be happy to deal with your request after exploring what other cheaper deals they have to offer as a last effort to keep you. 

Kind regards,

Megan_L

If you switch away from VM to, say, BT, you'll get a smart hub which is connected to your phone socket. But that hub isn't where you want it, no problem as you just use a longer DSL cable to relocate the hub - except that this requires a whole heap of work. Now it's not so simple, is it?

--
Hub 5, TP-Link TL-SG108S 8-port gigabit switch, 360
My Broadband Ping - Roger's VM hub 5 broadband connection

CaptainSensible
Joining in

Further to crisjg's questions I have every sympathy. I've just been informed my landline will be migrated. There was no technical information, such as a single line diagram or pictures of the adapter which Virgin say they will send me. I couldn't find any details so I submitted a complaint asking if the adapter is wireless or has to be connected to the hub over Ethernet and I asked if the adapter will work with my existing basic landline phone. Virgin replied without addressing my questions saying I won't be sent an adapater `Since it is an offline platform, we are unable to send an adaptor because the home phone switchover requires your verbal consent....'  I've no idea what this means. Come on Virgin, just explain things in plain English with pictures please.

Hi @CaptainSensible,

Thank you for your post and welcome to our community forums. We're here to help.

I'm so sorry to hear you don't have fully clarity on the landline switchover. The adapter is not wireless and has to be connected from the landline to the adapter which will then be inserted into the router.

All customers will receive a letter in advance of their local switchover date, confirming the date and also providing further details along with the aforementioned adapter.

More details on the switchover can be found here but let us know if you have any further questions that aren't answered there.

Thanks,
 


Zach - Forum Team
New around here? To find out more about the Community Forums, take a look at our FAQs!


21-cv-connection-to-hub.jpg

RJ11 plug to BT socket adapter, connects to TEL1 socket on the back of the hub.

An ordinary landline phone connects to the adapter. If you need to use existing telephone sockets around the home, in conjunction with the phone connection from the VM hub, then VM should offer to modify your home phone wiring (free of charge as part of the switchover) to do this. This allows you to keep existing equipment in its existing location(s).

Refer here

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/landline/switchover

Do I need to book a technician visit?

You’ll need to book a free technician visit if...

  • You rely on your landline for accessibility needs or don’t have a mobile to make an emergency call – we’ll provide you with an Emergency Back Up Line so you’re always able to call emergency services.
  • You’ve got connected devices such as a burglar alarm linked to a control centre, use a telecare device, or have other phones connected to extension sockets. You’ll need to contact your provider and let them know about the switch if you have any of these to make sure they’re compatible with a fibre service.
  • The Hub and your home phone can’t be placed near each other.

Thanks Zac.