Posted 11 May 2023

Landline Only with calls?

Old aged disabled mum.
Doesn't/can't use internet.
Only requires a phone line with calls included.
Wants to have phoneline to keep the phone number she's had forever.
Never had a mobile and not keen (which would've been a good option aside from a new number.)
Is that still possible to have just a land phone?
If not, anyone know the cheapest way to go please?
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  1. mshaw213's avatar
    BT don't really advertise it online, but they do have a landline only option which can be taken with a calls package. We had to arrange this when my Mother in law moved from a house to a flat during COVID.

    She's paying just over £25 a month, and this includes unlimited anytime calls to landlines and mobiles (and she doesn't need to hang up after 60 minutes to avoid charges). She originally had 500 minutes which was nearer £20 I think, but she was burning through those quite quickly as it was her only way of keeping in touch with the outside world.

    You'll need to phone BT up and explain the situation and that you need a phone only service.
    krankup's avatar
    Author
    Sounds a potential route.
    Theyre currently with TT. Husband passed away. Transferring things into her name now, considering the options before we contact TT but keeping her old number is important to her.
    Thanks everyone for the ideas and info so far.
  2. KodaBear's avatar
    If she is claiming benefits including pension credit then she can get BT Home Essentials. £10 a month for the landline with unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines and mobiles.

    This will be sold only as a digital voice service now. So she will be sent a BT Router and provided with a very slow speed broadband connection with the calls routed through the internet. The phone must be plugged in to the router to work, not the telephone socket on the wall.

    Whoever she is currently with will be moving her to a similar platform, or terminating her service in due course. All infrastructure operators are switching off the analogue copper phone networks right now.

    If not claiming benefits there’s no cost effective option. And yes I know it means losing the number but Asda do a SIM for £4 a month with unlimited minutes and texts with no contract and no end date. And as others have mentioned there’s either devices that you can connect your existing landline phones to, or desk phones that accept SIM cards if that would make the transition easier than getting used to a mobile handset.
  3. TristanDeCoonha's avatar
    Landlines will soon be internet / VOIP.
    BT is heading that way. Virgin is already there, and I expect all others to follow as many use the BT lines, and it is probably cheaper for the companies.
    If she needs the old style feel, then why not get a landphone style handset attachment for a mobile? They do exist, then she just uses the dial pad to make a call as before.
    MadeDixonsCry's avatar
    Can she keep her landline number? That's the requirement.
  4. melted's avatar
    There is, or was a budget BT Basic service for people on various benefits.


    If mobile data works out cheaper than landline rental, could port the landline number to a voip service (I think sipgate? have a free one, after porting fee). I would think it would be possible to set up a mobile to receive voip calls, or possibly to use a 4g modem with a voip adaptor to connect a wired phone.



    The analogue service is gradually being withdrawn and will be replaced with voip over a broadband connection. (edited)
  5. one_eight_seven's avatar
    There are desk phones that take a SIM card so I would look into them. It will look and should work like one the one she’s familiar with already and it will be cheap as a few quid a month if you have a look on here for deals.
  6. 001Cisco's avatar
    I am not aware if the landline number can keep forever.

    It may be best to get a mobile phone with dock. And sign up for RWG mobile £35 for 2 year plan
    amazon.co.uk/s?k…oss
    krankup's avatar
    Author
    I'm still hoping to persuade her with this setup thank you
  7. innocent's avatar
    Just get VOIP desktop type phone, set it up and I think some VOIP providers let you port the number.
  8. AndyRoyd's avatar
    I am not aware if the landline number can keep forever.
    Port the landline number to a VOIP service and the landline number is the VOIP accountholder's for as long as the current 01x / 02x telecoms structure exists, regardless of copper phase out.

    Porting a landline to VOIP typically costs from zero (Voipfone) to £25+,
    then there is a consideration of:

    a) cyclic/monthly service fee (zero for old skool Sipgate; or £1.44/m A&A; or £3.60/m Voipfone inc misc features; or others)

    b) how to access the VOIP service that requires data to send/receive audio.
  9. dcx_badass's avatar
    BT are turning off the analogue phone network in 2025, but anyway. I have family on an ADSL2+ with unlimited calls deal with NowTV which works fine. They only use the internet for catchup on their TV, but really you could just not even plug the router in.
    nowtv.com/bro…and

    Also see this, BT has options for £15 & 20.
    moneysavingexpert.com/com…fs/ (edited)
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