UK Landline phones to VOIP

[Geffers]

Who's happy with landline phones going to VOIP by end of 2025?

Of course we have no option but we are always told digital is better, clearer, more functions etc. My opinion is that using whatsapp or similar often get a lot of lag and end up talking over each other. Also often get incidents of chatting away to find the line has dropped.

My experience so far of VOIP is - not as good as a landline.

Geffers

 

[Retro]

Oh, this is a good one and I think the answer is... clear as mud. First off, did you know that phone calls have actually been digital since the early 80s? Yup, BT's System X shown off in 1979 and put into service a year or two later is digital. The last mile from the exchange has been analog however, so it's not an end to end digital chain, yet it has very little lag.

Mobiles are digital and while there's a noticeable lag if two phones sitting near each other are connected, it doesn't seem to hurt conversations that much normally. Also, at work, we've used VOIP phones for a decade or more now and while there's lag there too, again, it doesn't seem to hurt conversations much. If the lag gets too much on an individual call though, then it can be disruptive.

The silent drop: now that can happen, so I've gotten into the habit of checking if someone is still there if I don't hear from them for a short while during conversation.

Now, VOIP has the potential to bring about much better sound quality, similar to Wi-Fi calling on smartphones, so I hope it does as I really hate that distorted, scratchy sound of the typical landline, with mobiles being rather worse. I've never seen it in action, not even a demo, so can't say how good it sounds.

So, hopefully, your fears of an inferior service once it's rolled out will be unfounded.

System X (telephony) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Geffers]

I often have issues with talking over each other, guess this must be down to lag, mainly whatsapp but some Alexa calls too.

Currently landlines are powered by supplier batteries, hence can work in a power cut, that won't happen with VOIP.

Ah the halcyon days of morse code

Geffers

 

[Retro]

From the sound of it, lag on WhatsApp and Alexa may not be so well controlled. I know what you mean about talking over each other though: I've had arguments with family where thinking about it afterwards, I thought that the lag made it worse as it looked like we were interrupting each other when we probably weren't. I'm more mindful of that nowadays.

Re the VOIP power issue, handsets and (I think) VOIP routers are mandated to have batteries in them to cover power cuts, but that won't help if the broadband connection is down due to the power cut, so agreed that this is a step backwards and in some extreme cases could lead to loss of life, say in a fire, perhaps. But, progress, eh?

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