ISP BT Begin Offering Standalone UK Home Broadband Packages
UK ISP BT appears to have quietly introduced a new product page for “broadband only deals,” which remove the requirement to bundle in a home phone (voice) service (probably SOGEA). Previously, you either got a traditional copper line or a Digital Voice (VoIP) solution, but not a standalone option.
The change, which was spotted by Andrew over at Thinkbroadband, is not something we’ve seen before from BT’s consumer division. The text on BT’s page states: “Never use your home phone? Now you can get our great value broadband without a landline phone service. It’s fast and reliable, and comes with your own personal speed guarantee.”
The catch here is that the ISP does not, at present, appear to be offering their standalone solutions at a lower price point than traditional packages that bundle in a phone service (some of their affiliate bundles are actually cheaper than the standalone options). As such it’s difficult to see why anybody would pick the standalone deals if they bring no clear benefit, but any cost saving would only ever have been fairly small anyway (i.e. the voice component of a traditional copper line doesn’t add much to its cost).
Obviously, if you have a home phone number and you pick one of these packages then you’ll lose it, so bear that in mind.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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EE only seem to be offering stand-alone and the costs again are no cheaper than a provider with a phone line. So like you say strange why anyone would choose these as no cost savings offered.
If you want to remove the possibility of getting billed for calls or don’t want to have to pay attention to price changes for calling features that you don’t even use then it could be a worthwhile option.
…and if you’re plagued by nuisance calls…
Eventually, everyone will need to adopt this, as Openreach switch off the PSTN on 2025.
You will not be able to order a phone line from 2023 onwards, and all providers will be selling broadband only services (SOGEA, SOADSL, SOTAP, FTTP).
Providers are getting in now, as to not cause confusion further down the line, when consumers won’t be able to order a bundled line and BB service.
> Eventually, everyone will need to adopt this, as Openreach switch off the PSTN on 2025.
Even then ISPs can still sell broadband with phone, but the phone service will be provided via the router, e.g. as Sky and Vodafone already do, and BT’s “Digital Voice” which is being rolled out in stages.
May be in preparation for Digital Voice which can be either an addition product or bundled “free” going forward. Would apply initially to FTTP but may help differentiate this service from FVA and standard landline on FTTC/G.fast.
FVA is no longer being sold and is being phased out. Anyone wishing Digital Voice with BT MUST use the Superhub as it acts as the DECT phone base station.
I’m not sure how it can be a preparation for Digital Voice.
You don’t usually prepare for something by offering a service without it.
Since (at least) March this year every single FTTP only BT line used Digital Voice already.
The FVA product was officially withdrawn from sale in March but BT were offering Digital Voice before then.
Some of their FTTC (both VDSL and G.Fast) already comes with Digital Voice instead of a PSTN service.
Digital Voice is pretty much ready for a full launch.
The trials completed last year and they were on both FTTC products (VDSL & G.Fast) and FTTP.
This just looks like BT offering a product that people have been asking for for years now.
I never ever use my landline.
I would take this over my current BT FTTP every time.
I don’t use, need or want a landline.
It’s a bit of a slap in the face for anyone who assumed no landline = no line rental = much cheaper bills.
I’ve always thought ISP’s would charge the same for no PSTN, but with a VOIP service.
I’d have hoped for £1-£2 per month cheaper for no landline at all but I’m not surprised it’s the same price.
@PIP. Correct but many people currently have FVA or Copper landline simply because it has always has been a dependency for their BT Broadband. But many of these are simply lying dormant or used at the included call plan. Therefore BT is not making any additional revenue. Therefore it may be in BT’s interest, overtime, to move people to broadband only unless they actually want a telephone service. It is then clearly defined by customer data and reduces their overhead/volume of transferring customers from PSTN to Digital Voice.
They can then set pricing, bundling marketing later.
The Smart Hub 2 provides both an integral Dect base and a ATA for a corded phone (not loop disconnect). Although BT will be selling their Dect based solutions and will seek to upsell the DV service with additional functionality.
@John: “I don’t use, need or want a landline.” So how do you get your fibre broadband service then, if not via a landline to your premise?
Seems like its preparation for removal on new pstn activations
“bear” that in mind (as in “carry”), not “bare” 🙂
But some people only use broadband whilst naked… 🙂
Also ideal for people who want to port their landline number to a VOIP provider so that it is completely “unbundled” from their Internet service.
Makes things simpler if you want to change Internet providers in future and not have the potential worry of a botched landline number porting to the new provider when doing so.
Removing the phone service doesn’t appear to be an option with FTTP
It’s there for me but it’s the same price
A standalone broadband option would probably suit a rented property particularly those in multiple occupation, that mitigates against any flatmates incurring a huge phone bill that others would then become liable for.
If that’s a concern then an outbound call bar is trivial, and still allows for 999 calls.
I called BT on october 16th to cancel a mobile i`ve got with them, i also enquired about getting rid of my landline at the same time ( i`ve got FTTP ) and the “advisor” stated that i couldnt get rid of it cos its needed for my fibre,now i knew then and i know now that thats complete bullshit. He would NOT take it off my account. I`ve got a mind to report it to Ofcom.
Openreach are now allowing Fibre Only Dropwire, and CP’s can order FTTP whilst at the same time removing the copper feed from the pole DP at the same time as installing FTTP, thus uninstalling the copper service/products at the same time as ordering FTTP.
Not sure how many CP’s know or consume this, but I would suspect BT will be one of them.
With Openreach withdrawing PSTN from 2025 (stop sell nationally from 2023), and the move to an all IP world, copper will be uninstalled on more FTTP orders moving forward.