Switched to fibre - options for extension phone not near hub

[Bmfield]

Prior to the switchover to fibre: My VM comes from outside near the front room and I have a corded phone plugged into a landline socket there. My broadband runs to the hub in the back bedroom upstairs as I have a wired connection to my desktop computer. I have a single cordless phone plugged into a landline socket in the back bedroom.

Switch to fibre - I've now plugged my cordless phone into the back of the hub but obviously the phone in the front room doesn't work now as it's not connected to the hub. It's too far away to run a cable from that phone to the hub.

I need to know what my options are please now so that I can still have a phone in my front room. I know I could buy another cordless phone for there but that's likely to mean buying a whole new 2-phone set as I doubt I can buy an extension phone by itself. 

Is there any way of connecting my corded phone to the VM fibre phone line without going through my hub, particularly as it's plugged in on the inside of the wall exactly where the VM box is on the outside of the wall?

I'm looking for what the most practical/cost-effective option is please - I don't particularly want a load more cabling added in the house if it's not necessary.

[jb66]

There is no way to make the phone work without somehow wiring it to the hub, buying a cordless setup or running a wire from the hub back to the front room is the only two options

[goslow · Accepted solution]

Options might include:

• Buy an additional satellite handset/charging cradle for your cordless setup. Plug the base station in upstairs with the hub. Use the satellite handset/cradle downstairs. Same manufacturer may offer slightly different add-on handsets which may work. Compatible handsets are often listed as accessories in the phone manual.
• If your existing cordless system is 'GAP compatible' add in another GAP compatible handset (which would give you basic functionality of the additional handset such as make/answer calls)
• Buy a new cordless system with two handsets
• Search on eBay for a charging cradle/power supply only for your make/model of existing cordless phone. Plug the base station in upstairs with the hub. Use the existing handset downstairs but seated on the additional charging cradle to keep it charged.
• Get VM to modify your phone wiring by running a new phone cable from the hub which follows the path of the existing coax cable to the hub. This would keep any new wiring route to a minimum. Join the new phone cable into the existing phone wiring in the omnibox outside. VM should do wiring mod's free of charge.

[Bmfield]

Thanks a lot for this. You've put in in simple terms to help me understand how this works. Looks like getting an additional handset is the best option as installing a cable would involve running it through 2 bedrooms, and then down the front room's wall inside (which won't look particularly good). I've found out my existing cordless system is GAP compatible, so I'll find out what handset I need from the manufacturer.

[goslow]

What is the make/model of your current cordless phone?

A GAP compatible handset should connect to your current system but may offer just basic functions (e.g. receive calls and dial out). Advanced functions etc. might not be reliable.

There would be greater chance of more functionality using a GAP compatible phone which is also a closely-matched model with your existing setup from the same manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer for more info (I think BT, for example, has free helplines for each of its phone product range). Also check the manual for your existing phone and see if it lists on its accessories page some compatible add-on satellite handsets.

If your existing cordless is an older system, a final option would be to look on eBay and find someone selling the same make/model system as you have at the moment and just get an extra handset to add on that way. That would be exactly matched to your existing make/model but with the usual caveats when buying from eBay.