I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on 'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to 'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
In uk.telecom.voip J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on
'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to
'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
I don't know in equipment terms, but I think some of them have already been turned into wifi hotspots and offer additional services like browsing and texting. So quite possibly those are on the broadband already.
Presumably BT Payphones has an arrangement with Openreach so the cutoff
dates for residential customers don't apply to them.
On Wed 18/02/2026 14:20, Theo wrote:
In uk.telecom.voip J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on
'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there
wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to
'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate
for a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I
thought I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
already been >> turned into wifi hotspots and offer additionalI don't know in equipment terms, but I think some of them have >>
services like browsing and >> texting. So quite possibly those are
on the broadband already. >> Presumably BT Payphones has an
arrangement with Openreach so the >> cutoff >> dates for residential
customers don't apply to them.
There are quite a number of alternative phone service providers and in
their boxes there is a fitting in the roof that connects the call
through cellular.
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on >'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to >'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
On Wed 18/02/2026 14:20, Theo wrote:
In uk.telecom.voip J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on
'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't: >>>
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to
'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
I don't know in equipment terms, but I think some of them have already been >> turned into wifi hotspots and offer additional services like browsing and
texting. So quite possibly those are on the broadband already.
Presumably BT Payphones has an arrangement with Openreach so the cutoff
dates for residential customers don't apply to them.
There are quite a number of alternative phone service providers and in
their boxes there is a fitting in the roof that connects the call
through cellular.
I would imagine Openreach - if they_are_ hoping to remove the old-fashioned 'phone kit (what I'd been calling POTS, but that may be
the wrong term) from exchanges - will be very reluctant to leave it in
place just for the little-used 'phone boxes. (That's why I assumed
they'd move to VoIP. Or, as I fear is more likely, 'phone boxes will disappear altogether, by minor change - probably a "statutory
instrument", which OfCom love so much - in legislation.)
On 19/02/2026 11:25, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
I would imagine Openreach - if they_are_ hoping to remove the old-fashioned 'phone kit (what I'd been calling POTS, but that may be
the wrong term) from exchanges - will be very reluctant to leave it in place just for the little-used 'phone boxes. (That's why I assumed
they'd move to VoIP. Or, as I fear is more likely, 'phone boxes will disappear altogether, by minor change - probably a "statutory
instrument", which OfCom love so much - in legislation.)
In the days when phones were vary rare, public phone boxes were really welcome. Along with paper maps and so on.
All overtaken by history
In uk.telecom.voip The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid>
wrote:
On 19/02/2026 11:25, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
I would imagine Openreach - if they_are_ hoping to remove the old-fashioned 'phone kit (what I'd been calling POTS, but that
may be the wrong term) from exchanges - will be very reluctant to
leave it in place just for the little-used 'phone boxes. (That's
why I assumed they'd move to VoIP. Or, as I fear is more likely,
'phone boxes will disappear altogether, by minor change -
probably a "statutory instrument", which OfCom love so much - in legislation.)
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically
elderly) subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment
but do the VOIP conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or
VDSL cabinet. I would not be surprised if older payphones are
handled the same way.
(do payphones need anything special for billing purposes? ISTR
'metering pulses' being a thing once upon a time, not sure if they
still do)
In the days when phones were vary rare, public phone boxes were
really welcome. Along with paper maps and so on.
All overtaken by history
Ours has only just had the equipment removed. I think the box itself
might be listed ('group value'), but evidently not the functionality.
It was the older 'cards and coins' type - no internet features.
Theo
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically elderly) subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment but do the VOIP conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or VDSL cabinet. I would not be surprised if older payphones are handled the same way.
(do payphones need anything special for billing purposes? ISTR 'metering pulses' being a thing once upon a time, not sure if they still do)
In the days when phones were vary rare, public phone boxes were reallyOurs has only just had the equipment removed. I think the box itself might be listed ('group value'), but evidently not the functionality. It was the older 'cards and coins' type - no internet features.
welcome. Along with paper maps and so on.
All overtaken by history
Cards? They were were used for leaving your 'phone number behind,
weren't they? "For a good time, call xxxxxxx".
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on 'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to 'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
Y
On 19/02/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
Cards? They were were used for leaving your 'phone number behind,
weren't they? "For a good time, call xxxxxxx".
French lessons 0124 SEXY
J. P. Gilliver <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
I've just seen (13:5x, BBC1 as part of the news) the same feature on
'phoneboxes I saw this morning on breakfast; this time, I watched
carefully to see if there was any mention, which of course there wasn't:
When normal landlines are finally turned off, what will happen to
'phoneboxes? I presume they'll remain much as they are as far as the
user is concerned, just switch to VoIP.
I suppose it could be argued that such a question isn't appropriate for
a general interest report (though of course I feel the ending of
landlines has had far too little publicity altogether), but I thought
I'd ask anyway, as I thought it is an interesting question.
The question seems a bit academic considering that a phone box that
actually contains a phone is a very rare beast indeed.
Tim
The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Y
On 19/02/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
Cards? They were were used for leaving your 'phone number behind,
weren't they? "For a good time, call xxxxxxx".
French lessons 0124 SEXY
My father told me that a barracks he was in during WWII had a poster on
the wall showing one of the local 'ladies' and a message "Would you want
to catch a Social Disease from this girl?".
Undeneath, someone had written: "If so, ring 13284".
On 19/02/2026 13:26, Theo wrote:
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically elderly) subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment but do the VOIP conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or VDSL cabinet. I would not
be surprised if older payphones are handled the same way.
so how does FTTP work with no copper no exchange and no cabinet?
In uk.telecom.voip The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
On 19/02/2026 13:26, Theo wrote:
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically elderly) >>> subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment but do the VOIP >>> conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or VDSL cabinet. I would notso how does FTTP work with no copper no exchange and no cabinet?
be surprised if older payphones are handled the same way.
They leave a cabinet in place to supply the phone box with a copper phone line. The cabinet will already have fibre and power.
Or they upgrade the phone or more likely remove it.--
Theo
On 19/02/2026 23:01, Theo wrote:
In uk.telecom.voip The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
On 19/02/2026 13:26, Theo wrote:
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically elderly)so how does FTTP work with no copper no exchange and no cabinet?
subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment but do the VOIP
conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or VDSL cabinet. I would not
be surprised if older payphones are handled the same way.
They leave a cabinet in place to supply the phone box with a copper phone line. The cabinet will already have fibre and power.
so what does the copper connect to?
VDSL has no baseband
but I believe that some models of line card are already capable of
digitising voice traffic
On 20/02/2026 12:03, Theo wrote:
but I believe that some models of line card are already capable of digitising voice traffic
That's been standard since the 1980s, for both PABXes and the PSTN.
Packet switching in the PSTN (ATM) became common from the 1990s, and
most ADSL is actually using ATM from the exchange to ISP. ATM was
optimised for speech, with low latencies and bandwidth reservation.
Dropping uk.telecom, because should not cross post to a group and its parent.
Y
On 19/02/2026 13:57, Davey wrote:
Cards? They were were used for leaving your 'phone number behind,
weren't they? "For a good time, call xxxxxxx".
French lessons 0124 SEXY
On 20/02/2026 12:03, Theo wrote:
In uk.telecom The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
On 19/02/2026 23:01, Theo wrote:
In uk.telecom.voip The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote: >>>> On 19/02/2026 13:26, Theo wrote:so what does the copper connect to?
OR have a product 'SOTAP for Analogue' which allows an (typically elderly)so how does FTTP work with no copper no exchange and no cabinet?
subscriber to keep their copper line and existing equipment but do the VOIP
conversion in the network - eg at the exchange or VDSL cabinet. I would not
be surprised if older payphones are handled the same way.
They leave a cabinet in place to supply the phone box with a copper phone >>> line. The cabinet will already have fibre and power.
"but do the VOIP conversion in the network"
ie the cabinet contains an ATA that translates between POTS and FTTP.
Except currently it doesn't
| Sysop: | Amessyroom |
|---|---|
| Location: | Fayetteville, NC |
| Users: | 59 |
| Nodes: | 6 (0 / 6) |
| Uptime: | 00:03:05 |
| Calls: | 810 |
| Files: | 1,287 |
| Messages: | 196,153 |