Digital Voice and Home phone not working

[cruiseblogger]

I dont know if its a co-incidence but our landline has stopped working today.  Broadband internet is fine.  Just the landline is completely dead.

In the meantime we have been waiting for the digital voice switchover.  I have been constantly chasing progress for the past year as I know there have been delays.  Anyway about 6 or 7 weeks ago we kept getting letters and text messages asking us to plug the phone line into the green port on the new WIFI Router hub,  We tried contacting talk talk prior to xmas to say we dont have a NEW wifi hub.  Its the same one we had four years ago.  I couldnt get them to understand and all they kept saying is would we like a new contract so I gave up.

Now we get weekly text messages reminding us to plug the line into a new box we dont have, I have just spent half a wasted hour on the web chat to no avail.

I dont know how to get this resolved, the person on the chat is ignoring what I am saying about not having a new WIFI hub and just testing the phone.  I know that youhave protocol procedures to follow but this is painful.

I just wand a simple answer and explanation and a new WIFI hub if we are due one so we can get this sorted.  

[Philile-TT]

@Gliwmaeden2 thank you for the support. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

I used to always sign out, but being busy on here, I just leave it signed in these days, @cruiseblogger.

Thank you for reporting the glitch though - worth @Philile-TT or other staff checking that out for you.

It will eventually sign you out itself  - sometimes the same day, sometimes after several days etc. The software is rather a law unto itself!

[cruiseblogger]

One final question, why cant I log out of this forum?  Iclick on sign out, it asks do i want to sign out of   khoros community app I say yes but am still logged in

[cruiseblogger]

I just want to say thank you, as for compensation, I dont think I can cope with the stress of applying, but many thanks for the info.  I will see how it goes

[Philile-TT]

Please wait for the delivery of that router to see if it does any changes. You can use the below link to access more information about compensation for loss of services. 

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/About-your-auto-compensation-credit/ta-p/2326583

[cruiseblogger]

Result, somehow I got through!  They are sending me a router 

[cruiseblogger]

OMG all I get is do I want to upgrade, do I want to leave, do I want to speak about a new contract, then it doesnt recognise digital voice

[Philile-TT]

Yes, it is. 

[cruiseblogger]

It this number specifically for the digital voice team.  I need to convey to them that we have NOT had the new router hub.  I assume this is why the phone is not working???

[Philile-TT]

@cruiseblogger the system indentifies you as a full fibre customer, can I ask that you call them or chat with them using the link below. The oprating hours are: Contact Number: 03451720074  

Opening Hours: 

VOICE - Mon-Fri: 9am-7pm; Sat: 9am-6pm; Sun: closed

WEB MESSAGING - Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm; Sat: 8am-7pm; Sun: 9am-7pm

How to contact TalkTalk Broadband - TalkTalk Help & Support

[Philile-TT]

Thank you for the information provided. 

[cruiseblogger]

Yes, when we ring it we get a strange voicemail saying leave a message, no dialling tone out, cant make or recieve calls. Yes we are at home

[Philile-TT]

I can assist with running a line test for the telephone to get a resolution to your fault. Are you currently at home? 

[cruiseblogger]

Yes indeed we do need help with this: Long and short of it phone line dead, no update on where we were at mid December, no new equipment etc.....................

Timeline

One year ago – February 2025  Had a letter

It said in brief ……broadband is provided by full fibre but our landline by old copper connection which is being retired. Its been provided at no extra cost.  There will be an increase of 12 pm.  However we are always looking to make sure you get the best value and listed options below:

Option 3 Switch to Full Fibre with digital Voice. 

• Keep your FF Broadband and get digital voice service to make calls over broadband line
• No increase to your current monthly bill, no change to contract and no change to phone no.
• Best option if we need to use our landline

 21 FEB Last year – I phoned to request this option, I aksed questions such as do we need a special phone, and can we plug our normal phone into it.  I was told no special phone needed, the phone we have would work fine

7th March last year I phoned for an update.  Was told high takeup, wait to hear from you.

31 March Web chat much same as above be patient

Beginning of April had a letter apologising for Delay and you would be in touch

Heard nothing until mid December – Update to your switch to Full Fibre & Digital Voice:

Pleased to let you know things are progressing we will continue with processing your switch to FF with Digital Voice.  On the back of the letter it said we previously sent you a wifi router hub but we see it hasn’t been connected yet and you would be in touch with the next steps

I therefore made a phone call on 19th December to try to convey we had not had this new router, which ended up in a very confusing conversation, with the guy trying to sell us a new plan, I couldn’t make him understand at all. So I gave up.

This week: Phone line gone dead.  Tried web chat. Asked to be put through to Digital Voice team  went through hoops after 40 mins, again had to end chat.  Just looked back and someone has opened a case – the chat says we understand you have no internet connection!  Honestly.  I said multiple times our internet is fine I am chatting on a desktop pc, I am on the internet we have a dead phone line .  We haven’t been sent the new WIFI hub etc etc.

Please someone tell me where to go from here.

[Philile-TT]

@cruiseblogger please let me know if you still require assistance with this? 

[Gliwmaeden2]

In the earlier Full Fibre days many customers had "copper leave behind", @cruiseblogger, so the older infrastructure for the landline, but the new installation for the full fibre Internet. 

Then last year people got notifications that they'd need VOIP or have to start paying £12 monthly to keep the old line active, or just not use a traditional phone number at all.

So quite a lot has changed in the course of the past year - but was that what your February letter was referring to?

Have you had Full Fibre for some time before that and just not a new router?

The mystery remains as to why you've not been sent the hub 2 or hub3.

Most traditional landline phones should plug in no bother, but it will be helpful if you can clarify what model of handset you actually use - for when the correct type of router eventually arrives....

Staff will follow up on THURSDAY this week, as the forum will not be available for support tomorrow. 

[cruiseblogger]

We had  letter in February LAST YEAR I requested option 3 on 21 feb 2025 which was Switch to Full Fibre with Digital voice  I was also told we would still be able to use our normal phone

In March we had another letter saying there was a delay and you would contact us later

In December we had a letter saying  we have an update on the move to Full Fibre with digital voice and it was being progressed.  It also said WE HAVE SENT OU A WIFFI HUB ROUTER BT WE SEE IT HASNT BENE CONNECTED YET.  Well I havent connected it because we havent had it and now keep getting text messages asking us to plug it in. and you would be in touch with the next steps.  No contact with us has been made apart from the messages asking us to plug in

I cant seem to get the message through to anyone that we have not had the equipment and now we are wondering why our phone line is dead?

[Gliwmaeden2]

The customer has said that NO router was delivered, @Philile-TT.

@cruiseblogger, did you specifically ask for VOIP with your full fibre order?

It has to be done at that time.

[Philile-TT]

I am really sorry you had to go through all this. I can see that your broadband is active showing that you are using full fibre data only. The fibre line is for the landline, are you using a normal handset or is it an handset that was delivered with the router? 

[cruiseblogger]

I have indeed and despite asking to be put through to the correct team, I get sent around in circles and then they try to sell me a new contract