I hope it doesn’t mean more masts - if so someone please remind me to go move onto a farm or into forest before 2025 
We were going to arrange for Openreach to install a landline as we are becoming increasingly fed up with paying through the nose for Virgin Media’s broadband. We’d planned to use a telephone line, non-broadband WiFi, or at least try it out to see if it could cope with our needs.
Now we have a choice of Vodaphone’s Home Broadband, as we seem to be in a 5G area, or stay with Virgin and continue to use VOIP with their WiFi. Each of them seem to charge around £40 or more a month and I’m sure we could have found a cheaper option.
Would be amazed if Virgin doesn’t get in touch once you set the ball in motion. They did it to us when we’d signed up elsewhere, and Virgin have given us a contract for 2 years (I think) for £33 pcm all in, but we had to send back their TV box thingy, which was no issue since we could never get it work anyway (and would only have given precisely the same channels we have now anyway).
Are you sure? Now I am confused …
The way I understand it got nothing to do with analogue or digitial …just straightforward . …landlines are going to end.
Quote: Experts are warning that older people could be “adversely impacted” if landline telephones are phased out in the next four years.
The switch to digital calls is being driven by the telecoms industry as part of a major shake-up.
Millions of landline customers would be forced to make calls through the internet or rely on mobile phones.
The upgrade would also reportedly impact other services that run on the existing telephone network, including alarm systems, phones in lifts, payment terminals and iconic red telephone boxes .
I understand it to mean our phone on the table in the hallway will be a thing of the past.
This is interesting though …
“Given that about half of older people over the age of 75 are not online, this could be a particular problem for our oldest citizens, especially if they lack the support of family or friends to help them.”
I would never have thought the number was so high.
I was seriously thinking of doing that, or telling them that we’re thinking of leaving, but we’ve already had 18 months on a ‘special offer’ which ran out a couple of years ago so I’m not sure they’d wear it.
I’d be more than happy to tell them to sod off if we had an alternative in place because, to be perfectly honest, despite my having written to them about same they have pretended not to understand. I have found their customer service generally is appalling, probably because they know they know they have no competition around here.
Where does that leave those of us without mobiles? Are we to be forced into using using them? If so - is that not an infringement of our ‘human rights’ ?
said in robotic voice
You must use mobile
It must be iphone
You will receive texts on how to use it
You will learn
Or be forgotten
This is the way
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Bet the military will still have a landline, just in case, first to satellites, just in case. 
Interesting @Morticia. Not my understanding of the situation at all. We all know how some “experts” like to kick in with doom and gloom at times, just to get noticed and satisfy their salaries.
If I’m wrong, then apologies to everyone I’ve misled.
I find it unconscionable that anyone will be left high and dry though.
They were in the pandemic!
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If you have WiFi, you can use VOIP.
No, you could be right … I’m not sure myself now.
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My “Landline” is a VOIP([^1]) connection provided by my ISP no need for copper any more. Uses a normal phone it will be no problem when the phone system is turned off even for old folks.
My whole suburb is fibre only but if you just want a phone that is what you get.
Technology moves on but it hasn’t left people who want a fixed phone behind.
([^1]: VOIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol)
I don’t think I have WIFI - and have never heard of VOIP!
How do you access the internet?
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Maybe via a cable some cowboy spliced into a nearby telephone pole. Acts really useful as a washing line too. 
I’m sure that many, if not most, people have WiFi via a telephone line. My mother in law is one of them.
If the reports are true that telephone lines will no longer be used for traditional telephones, perhaps they will still allow their use for WiFi?
Unless fibre or 5G mobile signals are provided for everybody, then most people will not be able to access the internet. Certainly a vote-loser or even a cause of rampant emigration!
Yep. Years ago when we got on t’net, we plugged our network cable from the PC to a splitter box which was plugged into a standard phone socket.
Would be amazed if Tabby’s setup is still the same. But we await and see
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We already have an EE PAYG mobile, Zaphod. We only use it for emergencies when we are out and about.
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