I think that some BT contracts allow for free Voip calls by plugging in to the router Has anyone tried it.? Does it have to be a particular kind of voip phone or would anyone, eg Tesco phone do?Do they have portable phones ?

Or you can choose (when first signing up - you can't change from an 056 number later) to have a standard 01 or 02 number (the same STD code as the line your BT broadband is on).

Do you mean an ordinary fixed phone or a portable ?

I have a BT VoIP number with my Broadband Option 1 contract.

There are a few extra points worth mentioning.  If you opt for an 01/02 number, you will be assigned a number within your own area code, but not with a prefix matching your local exchange.  VoIP assignments have their own number ranges within the area code, e.g. my POTS line is 01692 58xxxx, but my VoIP number is 01692 539xxx, which few people recognize (or they think it's from another nearby C.O. which has 535xxx and 536xxx).

The Voyager router supplied with the BT contracts has an integral analog telephone adapter which, as noted, provides a standard analog line interface which should work with any standard POTS phone.  However, I have noted that the ring-voltage generator is rather weak.  It's fine if you plug in a modern phone with electronic ringer, but it can't cope with a standard 2500 set with a real bell.  The ATA accepts DTMF dialing only, by the way, no pulse.

If you connect your POTS line to the separate jack on the Voyager then you can use the same phone for VoIP and POTS.   Picking up gives you VoIP dialtone (higher pitch than standard), then if you want POTS you dial your prefix (default is 5 as noted above, but this is configurable).    Incoming calls on the POTS line cause the unit to switch the phone over and ring, so long as it isn't already in use for a VoIP call.   

When using the unit in this way to make or receive a POTS call, anyone calling to VoIP number will get a busy signal.  If you want the VoIP number to be able to receive calls when your POTS line is in use, you won't be able to feed your POTS line through the Voyager.

Paul_1966 wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2007 at 12:04am:

Mine is (01787 22xxxx in both cases).

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Is the third digit (22x) the same or different?   Looking at 01787 I can see two different exchanges in the 22xxxx range.    If your exchange houses a VoIP interface point though, you could have a number within the regular numbering range (i.e. a number which could just as easily have been assigned to a regular line).

Quote:


Are you actually using the BT Voyager router?  I rather inferred that you might be from earlier comments, but I'm not sure.

If so, then as Dave said, I assume you had two connections to the line -- One from the DSL jack for broadband connection, and another from the "phone line" jack to your line via a filter. 

With the Voyager router, any phone you plug into it will be connected to that incoming line unless and until the router successfully detects VoIP service.    So if you don't actually have VoIP service, when you pick up the phone you'll be connected directly to your regular (POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service) line. 

The Voyager has a BBV light on the front which comes on when VoIP service is successfully connected.  Once that's on, then the phone plugged into the back will ring for incoming calls on either service, but when you pick up to make a call you will be using the VoIP line unless you dial 5 (or whatever other code you select) first to select your regular line.