A MAJOR change affecting thousands of people who use landline phones in the UK is on its way.
Virgin Media is in the process of sending out new advice to all its customers who use the ageing devices.
1
It comes as the service provider continues to move all landline phones over to a high-speed broadband connection.
Digital Voice, a UK-wide initiative, is forcing everyone with a landline to go digital.
This affects anyone with a landline phone, regardless of who their supplier is.
Landlines were traditionally wired in through the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via legacy copper networks.
In recent years the country has been outfitted with fibre broadband networks, and now landlines are being moved to work on these networks instead as the PSTN is too old and expensive to maintain.
“To make sure all your services are tip-top for the future, we’re switching all our customers to our fibre phone network,” Virgin Media said on its website. “This upgrade is rolling out nationwide, and we want to make sure everyone’s ready.
“The Digital Voice Switchover is a big change, but it’s designed to make landline services more reliable and future-ready.”
That means if you have a landline, it will need to be switched to work over your home broadband connection instead of being plugged into your home’s phone line socket.
The firm’s advice mirrors that set out by BT and the UK government.
Virgin said there is “no extra cost” to switch, and that your phone number will stay the same.
“To keep you connected to all the people and things that matter, we need your help to change how you plug your phone in and switch over to our new, ultra-reliable fibre network,” Virgin said.
“When you switch, your phone will need to be plugged directly into the WiFi Hub.”
The WiFi Hub is the name of Virgin’s home WiFi router.
The firm says if you don’t already have a Hub, it will send one to you.
If you do not have home broadband, you are unlikely to have the Hub, but it is necessary to have one in order for your landline service to switch to a digital connection.
Virgin Media confirmed you will not be forced to buy a broadband plan if you don’t want one, it’s just that you need the WiFi Hub in your home to plug your landline into.
“If you’ve already switched over to our fibre phone line, meaning your phone line is already connected to the WiFi Hub, then you’re up and running on our new network, and there’s nothing for you to do,” a spokesperson for Virgin said.
“To make sure you continue to get the great service you expect, you’ll need to follow a few simple instructions from us when the time comes.
“So, it’s important that you keep your eye on your letterboxes and inboxes so you don’t miss this information.”
What to do in an emergency
Virgin says landlines will stop working on the new technology if there is a power cut.
In a statement, the company said: “In the unlikely event of a power cut or a network disruption, you won’t be able to make or receive calls on your landline.
“Always keep a mobile phone charged and handy.”
The firm directs customers without a mobile phone, and those with accessibility needs who rely on landlines, to ask about the provision of an emergency backup line, a battery-powered second phone line.
You should be on the lookout for a letter or email from Virgin Media concerning your specific switchover date.
“On this day, you’ll need to use an adaptor to plug your landline into our WiFi Hub,” Virgin said. “We’ll either send you the adaptor and step-by-step instructions or arrange for an engineer to carry out the switch for you.”
Digital Voice is said to be a better quality phone line as it will be going over a faster digital broadband connection rather than an analogue copper wire.
