UK landlines being phased out 

If you depend on your landline phone, your telephone provider must offer you a solution to make sure you can make emergency calls during a power cut. This could be a mobile phone or a battery backup unit that connects to your landline phone and provides power in case of a power outage.

Thanks for the info. I do not so much depend on my landline but instead may need to phone the emergency or other services sometimes and then find that the phone will not connect due to broadband or even electricity supply problems. My BT broadband went down for a day only last Saturday but then inexplicably came back on Sunday. (The engineer did not call until Monday). I was still able to phone the 'faults' number using my hard-wired landline. This will not be possible after the landline becomes digital. I have an EE/BT mobile phone but the signal is weak in this area and usually non-existent indoors. This change may be a big improvement for the telephone companies who can then stop maintaining the copper telephone line infrastructure but it is set to be a poorer, more inconvenient and less reliable service for Joe Public. I will also have to keep my broadband box running 24/7. I usually switch it off at night. @@Syn-Star

You will still be able to have a landline, it is just a different technology. We would advise as a home user of BT to contact them, they can them advise of the changes and what you need to do.

@@Syn-Star Yes I understand that bit, but when there's a power cut, the internet goes as well. I have digital phones, so when the power goes I can plug in an older type phone.

If you don't have a broadband connection, your provider will supply one specifically to support the new digital system, but bare in mind you shouldn't pay extra for this. If you are worried about power cuts then you can opt to have a digital phone with a backup battery for this purpose for peace of mind. If you are worried and would like to switch from BT we would be happy to help and provide the right option for you.