New phone for 21cv?

[paulow]

We recently moved home and had a new VM installation, At the time I wasn't aware that I was committing our landline to the "21CV" system, I couldn't understand why I was told that I wouldn't be able to transfer our old number although I have since been told that I could (by an engineer not customer service) I waited a few days for the transfer to be activated only to discover that I could make outgoing calls but was unable to receive calls, We have been told that we need to purchase 21CV compliant phones although I don't know what one of those is. Our current Panasonic phone is only a couple of years old but clearly won't do, so where do I go from here? Are most new phones now suitable? If not are they readily available at a reasonable cost? Will I still be able to have more than 1 phone as long as the main one is plugged into the hub? Will I still be able to block nuisance callers? Or is there maybe  a way round this using our existing phones? I know there are a fair few questions here but you would have thought it could have been explained at the outset.

[nodrogd · Accepted solution]

There are no "special" phones for 21CV. All that happens with 21CV is the twisted pair copper wire used with the old master socket is replaced with a socket on the hub. It is not internet based, so does not require an internet (or IP) standard phone. You should be able to use any landline phone purchased in the last few years. You can use corded handsets or DECT multiples. They should work in the normal way.

You should also be able to keep your number if you still live in the same trunk dialling code area.

[HughJarsse]

So how does this work in a power cut then? old proper (separate) phone lines still function if the power goes off, will these new hub based ones still work if there is no power to the hub??

Mother in law has a 'lifeline' pendant, coupled to her landline phone, (BT) which, if power goes off, still works. Would be concerned if this would not operate in a power failure if on the new system..

[crany]

As far as i know virgin will provide you with a Emergency Backup Line that would allow emergenc calls during a power cut for vulnerable customers. Most DECT phones wont work on copper likes in a power cut also so you would need to have used a corded phone no clue how Alarm, pendents ect work

[goslow · Accepted solution]

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@paulow wrote:

We recently moved home and had a new VM installation, At the time I wasn't aware that I was committing our landline to the "21CV" system,  <snip> I know there are a fair few questions here but you would have thought it could have been explained at the outset.

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@paulow

Covering your questions in order ...

If you put through a request to port your number and you can make calls but not receive them then your number port may be ongoing or may be stuck in progress. One of the VM forum team will have to check the status of that for you.

As mentioned by others, any modern phone should work OK with a connection via the back of the hub. Problems normally only happen with much older phones (15+ years old) or where there are particular issues on an individual customer's connection. Your Panasonic phone should work OK if it is only a couple of years old.

The best arrangement for the 21CV connection is with a cordless phone system. Plug the base station into the hub then use as many satellite cordless phones phones as required.

It is possible to wire extension sockets to the VM hub. VM's published information online says that they will do this for you when the 21CV connection is set up.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/home-phone/virginphone#whatishappening

but based on the regular complaints about it on the forum it often does not happen in a reliable or predicatable way. It may be problematic if the existing phone sockets are a long way away from the hub and/or if a BT master socket is involved in the previous extension wiring.

The only way to deal with nuisance calls on a VM phone line is by buying your own third party equipment such as trueCall or by having a phone with trueCall screening features built in such as some of the phones from BT. There is no VM equivalent of BT Call Protect on VM landlines. Your existing Panasonic phone may have some simple features such as individual number blocking etc.

Hope that helps clarify some things.

[paulow]

Thanks for that, It looks like the phone number is maybe stuck somewhere as we can make calls but cannot receive them, I have reset the phone as well but still not receiving calls.

[Martin_N]

Hi paulow,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the community. 

I'm very sorry to hear about the issues you've had with your number on the 21CV system. 

I can certainly appreciate the frustration with this. I have taken a look on our side and have been able to locate your account. 

I can see you have spoken with our agents regarding this current matter and it has been flagged for investigation. 

Were you advised a time frame for this?

^Martin

[nodrogd]

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@HughJarsse wrote:

So how does this work in a power cut then? old proper (separate) phone lines still function if the power goes off, will these new hub based ones still work if there is no power to the hub??

Mother in law has a 'lifeline' pendant, coupled to her landline phone, (BT) which, if power goes off, still works. Would be concerned if this would not operate in a power failure if on the new system..

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This is a problem ALL providers will have to deal with shortly. Not just personal alarms, but house alarms will have to be provided in a different way when telephone “DSO” happens in 2025 & all the exchanges shut down for good. VM is installing an EBUL that will link to the mobile networks for 999 calls only. I assume pendant providers will also have to install some kind of mobile fallback solution.

[Roger_Gooner]

Pendants do not always have to rely on landlines as alternatives using a 3G SIM card to make a mobile call are already on the market.

[paulow]

As far as I am aware, we weren't given a time frame, however the phone now works (as of 26th May, thanks