Home Phone Switch Over & Extensions

[Steve356]

My home phone is supposed to be switched over tomorrow to the Fibre Network, so will require moving one of the phones we have nearer to our router. We have 3 other phones connected to extension sockets. Is it true that those extensions will no longer work?  If so, I'll be cancelling my current contract within the current cancellation period (before 31 October).  

[Zach_R · Accepted solution]

Hi @Steve356,

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

I'm sorry to hear that there appears to be some complications and confusion with the landline switchover. If you're unable to put the master landline in the same area as the router then we can help to arrange for a technician to come out and help with the wiring and set up.

As for multiple handsets in the home, you can find more information here and here.

Let us know what you think and how you'd like to proceed.

Thanks,
 

[Steve356]

Thanks for the response. 

According to those info sheets, the extensions should work then as they are all just handsets connected to the master phone/answering machine.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.  

[Zach_R]

Hi @Steve356,

Let us know how things go either way, and if there are any complications that you'd need our help with then we'll go from there and get them sorted.

Thanks,
 

[goslow]

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@Steve356 wrote:

Thanks for the response. 

According to those info sheets, the extensions should work then as they are all just handsets connected to the master phone/answering machine.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.  

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If you are using corded phones around your home (where each phone plugs into a telephone wall socket) then you will need VM to make modifications to your home phone wiring so that the extension sockets continue to work after switchover.

If you use cordless phones, the cordless base station plugs into the phone socket on the VM hub (via the adapter) and the cordless satellite phones work as before.

The standard cut/paste reply for anyone wanting telephone extension wall sockets reconnected post-switchover is ...

Ask VM (via the VM forum team on here, when they reply to this topic) to modify your home phone wiring so you can use your existing landline extension sockets via the phone connection from the VM hub.

VM should offer to do this free of charge for you as part of the switchover process.

Make sure they make modifications to your phone wiring so you can keep each piece of equipment in the same place (rather than the offer which sometimes crops up on here to move the hub to a different location)

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.

Alternatively, a cordless phone system allows you to use phones around the home with no wiring modifications or disruption. Plug the cordless base station into the VM hub and use the cordless satellite phones around your home as required. If you already have a cordless system, you may be able to add in another cordless satellite phone to the existing setup as/if required. If you needed to buy a cordless phone system, to avoid any rewiring work, this would be at a cost to you.

[Steve356]

All seems to have worked this morning. The 3 cordless phones are all working and the single corded phone is working too, but I'm OK if that stops working. I may buy a pack of 4 new cordless phones anyway as ours are quite old now and could do wit a refresh.

Thanks for all the help. I'll let you know if it all goes pear-shaped, but fingers crossed, it all continues to work OK.