Telephone Line for Elderly People with No Broadband Needed

Digital Voice is a modern phone service that works through a broadband connection instead of the old copper telephone network. It allows customers to keep a home phone service while the UK moves away from traditional analogue landlines.

It may also be described as a digital landline, internet phone line, VoIP home phone or landline replacement service.

The UK landline switch-off is the gradual move away from the older copper telephone network towards digital phone services that work using broadband and internet-based technology.

As the copper network is retired, many customers will eventually need to move to a Digital Voice or similar internet-based telephone service to keep a home phone line.

Yes. In most cases we can transfer your existing telephone number to the new digital phone line service.

Since September 2023, telephone number transfers normally require the line to move to a new digital phone service. Because we operate our own telephone network and platforms, we can often help customers keep their number when moving home, relocating to another part of the country or moving abroad.

No. We send the telephone number transfer request to your current provider for you.

Your existing provider may write to you by letter or email to confirm the transfer. After the transfer completes, they may send a final bill for any outstanding charges.

We will keep copper-based telephone customers informed about the move to new digital services and the timetable for change.

Where possible, the timing of the move remains the customer's choice. However, as the copper switch-off approaches, customers who leave the change too late may risk losing service or their telephone number.

Yes. The provider you are moving to will normally handle the transfer process.

If you port your number out of the Simple Telecoms network, you will not be eligible for a free port back to us until 36 months have passed from the original port-out date. If you want to move the number back within that period, a charge will apply.

The account and telephone number must remain live and fully paid until the transfer completes. Disconnected accounts and non-live numbers cannot normally be transferred.

Yes. Most standard telephones will work with the new digital phone line service, including many handsets with built-in call blocking. In most cases, there is no need to buy a special phone.

Existing copper-based telephone extensions will stop working when the line is converted to Digital Voice.

Depending on the installation, Openreach may be able to fit a Voice Reinjection plate. This can route the voice service from the router back onto existing home telephone wiring, provided the extensions were installed by Openreach and not by a third party.

We usually recommend using a cordless phone system, such as a Geemarc cordless Liberty phone kit, because older extension sockets and internal wiring can cause future faults.

Important: Openreach is normally responsible only up to the back of the main telephone socket. Faults on internal extensions may be chargeable.

Devices currently plugged into the telephone wall socket may need to connect to the telephone socket on the router instead.

This can include care alarms, telecare devices, intruder alarms and other specialist equipment. You should check with the device provider to confirm that it will work with an internet-based phone service.

If needed, we may be able to provide a second line on the router for these types of devices.

Yes. We can usually set up a second telephone line and number on the same router. This can be useful for alarm systems, care devices or other specialist equipment.

The router can often be programmed remotely, so it may not need to be returned. Discounted line rental may be available for the second line.

Yes. We can provide a standalone broadband-only service without a phone line.

However, depending on the service you choose, you may lose your existing telephone number.

Read more about broadband options.

Every provider has a cost to connect a customer through Openreach. Some providers recover this by tying customers into 12, 18 or 24-month contracts.

We use a clearer approach. We charge an upfront activation, connection or installation fee so the service can stay simple, transparent and avoid unnecessary long contract commitments where possible.

Your first invoice usually includes the full month in which the invoice is issued plus the whole of the following calendar month. This means the first bill often covers around two months in advance.

If your service goes live part way through a month, the first bill may also include charges from the live date to the end of that part month.

The Direct Debit name shown on the bill payer's bank statement will appear as Simpletele.

Yes. A paper bill can be sent to your address each month.

We also provide online billing, which can allow a trusted friend or family member to help monitor the account if needed.

Yes. You can change your call plan by contacting us. The new plan will normally start from the next billing period.

An administration charge of £9.99 including VAT applies when changing call plan.

Yes, but broadband cannot be added to the Basic Cloud or Super Saver Cloud service.

Eligible digital phone-only lines can be upgraded to include broadband later. Once broadband has been added, it may not be possible to downgrade back to phone-only without changing the service. Please ask us to confirm the current options before ordering.

For current options, call our sales team on 0330 122 0000.

First, restart your router. Please do not factory reset the router unless we ask you to do so.

We can run checks and test calls through your account to confirm whether the phone service is online and routing calls correctly. Many Digital Voice problems are linked to the broadband connection, router, handset, extension lead or cordless phone batteries.

• Plug the telephone directly into the router to test for dial tone.
• Check cordless phone batteries are charged.
• Check the handset is not set to silent.
• Make sure the router and phone are connected and powered on.
• Try another handset if available.

We will not book an Openreach engineer visit unless the customer authorises it and accepts that charges may apply if the fault is found to be with customer equipment, internal wiring or site access.

Digital Line Basic Care - included: faults can be logged with Openreach between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and bank holidays. Openreach aims to respond within 72 working hours of a valid fault report, excluding allowable parked time.

Digital Line Standard Care - £1.99 per month inc VAT: Openreach aims to respond within 48 working hours of a valid fault report, excluding weekends, bank holidays and allowable parked time.

Digital Line Enhanced Care - £14.99 per month inc VAT: Openreach aims to respond to or fix the fault within 24 clock hours, including weekends and public holidays, excluding allowable parked time.

Digital Line Premium / Critical Care - £19.99 per month inc VAT: Openreach aims to respond to or fix the fault within 8 clock hours, including weekends and public holidays, excluding allowable parked time.

If you have a chronic long-term illness or disability and need a faster repair response, we strongly recommend considering a higher fault care level.

Digital Voice needs power and a working broadband connection. During a power cut or broadband failure, you may not be able to make calls, including 999 calls, unless suitable backup arrangements are in place.

Customers should keep a charged mobile phone available as a backup where possible. Customers who are vulnerable, elderly, have a chronic long-term illness, have a disability or depend on medical equipment should discuss additional support and backup options before switching.

Some customers who need extra support may be offered a battery backup unit to keep the router connected for a short period during a power cut.

Important: a battery backup unit will not power every device, such as a telephone handset, care alarm or medical device. Customers must make suitable backup arrangements for those devices.

1571 voicemail messages are stored for 30 days. After that, they are automatically deleted.

Yes. To record your outgoing voicemail greeting, dial 1571, press option 3 and follow the voice prompts.

Yes. If you no longer need 1571 voicemail, call us on 0330 122 0000 and we can switch it off for you. This is not currently a self-service option.

To help protect customers, barring is automatically applied to international calls, premium rate numbers starting 09 and some 08 numbers.

International call barring can be removed on request. Premium rate barring cannot usually be removed.

This is important if you use a care alarm, medical device or catalogue company that relies on certain 08 numbers. Please check with the equipment or service provider before ordering.

Yes. You can ask a trusted friend or family member to help you switch to Digital Voice. We may contact you to confirm who that person is before proceeding.