Switchover cable removal?

[gbe]

Hi

I am due to have a technician visit next week to carry out a switchover of my phone service (two lines with multiple extensions) to VOIP. As I understand it, this means only a cable to the router will be required. Can anyone tell me whether the old cables and boxes will be removed from inside the house and also on the outside of the property. Some of the cables outside have been in situ for many years across brickwork and are now underneath new soffits/fascias etc. Might the technician climb on ladders and low roof to gain access to said cabling?

Thanks in advance.

[Paul_DN · Accepted solution]

Hi gbe,

Thank you for reaching out to us in our community and welcome, when changing over to our 20 Century Voice service the only change made is the phone line isn't connected via the wall socket and a connector is provided to connect via the Router.

We don't remove anything internally or externally.

Regards

Paul.

[pdomanski]

Hi gbe,

When the engineer arrives ask him/her what happens to the phone when there is a power cut or the modem goes down.

Mine was done a while ago and if there is work being done at Virgin or you lose power to your modem, you also lose your landline.

Don't think that contacting Virgin will reap rewards, as I'm not sure anybody with English as their first language works there. I've been in touch twice and told them my problem (no power, no phone) and they tell me I should try another phone or that they have looked into the problem and given me 'technical guidance provided' (Bull***t I'm afraid) and sending me letters with so many spelling mistakes and poor English it makes you wonder!

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @pdomanski 

This is the true, when the phone loses connection the internet it will be disconnected. We do offer a back up battery however for vulnerable or at risk customers which means in case of a loss of internet the phone will still be able to be used to call in an emergency. 

Thank you. 

[pdomanski]

Thanks for the reply Ash_C, but don't you think it would be a good idea, that if you already know (before reconnection of the phone line) that there could be a problem, you offered the customer a choice, i.e. line stays the same or supply back-up batteries?

[gbe]

Hi Paul_DN

Thanks for the reply. That is good to know. Does this mean that the obsolete cables and boxes then become the property of the homeowner who can remove or dispose of them as they see fit following completion of the work?

[Ashleigh_C]

I can completely understand your feeling @pdomanski but unfortunately all landlines will be transferring to VOIP line in the future with all providers, with all landline being converted by 2025. 

Thank you. 

[pdomanski]

I would think that after the switch any old BT cables and boxes within the property could be removed (don't quote me) but anything outside would still belong to BT

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @gbe can I just check which cables and boxes you are referring to? Do you mean the telephone sockets? 

Thank you. 

[gbe]

Hi pdomanski

I know what you mean about the call centre at Virgin. It seems very hit or miss whether you have a good or poor experience. Once I had navigated all the menus and recorded messages, I was fortunate to talk to a helpful lady about the switchover and she explained about not being able to use the phone in the event of a power cut or work being carried out by VM. I do find this a little worrying as we seem to have quite a few power cuts in this area. I guess I will just need to ensure I have my mobile phone charged at all times!