ADSL and PSTN Loss

[#1]

Seeing a change in terminology herein, which confused me, I did a bit of digging...

Openreach have a product called SOTAP.
BT Wholesale buy SOTAP and sell it as SOADSL.
Different terminology for the same thing.

I thought SOTAP was a voice only service where a user only has WLR (voice only) and no broadband.  Not very helpful ... but that is BT for you - should I really expect it to be better?

[#2]

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@Townman wrote:

I thought SOTAP was a voice only service where a user only has WLR (voice only) and no broadband.  Not very helpful ... but that is BT for you - should I really expect it to be better?

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In a word - no.

[#3]

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@Townman wrote:

I thought SOTAP was a voice only service where a user only has WLR (voice only) and no broadband.

You are describing "SOTAP for Analogue" which is a specific example of a SOTAP (Single Order Transitional Access Product)

"SOTAP" is the general term for any transitional technology which allows Openreach to decommission the analogue parts of their network,  typically by providing a temporary means of using SOADSL with some degree of emulation of an existing analogue service.

Taking "SOTAP for Analogue" as an example, that is a device which the customer plugs their analogue phone handset in to, and the phone works as it did before, however the line to the exchange is no longer analogue, instead the analogue signals are emulated via SOADSL.

Openreach could deploy other types of SOTAPs to overcome specific issues, such as PSTN connected alarm systems, lift warning systems, or whatever else they find before the 31st January 2027 switch off deadline.

All types of SOTAP are expected to be withdrawn by 2030, when the telephone exchanges start to be decommissioned.

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[#4]

Following the advice above, I contacted BT again.

The story this time was that broadband only over ADSL is possible.

I'll try again at some point for a majority verdict.

Does not fill a potential customer with confidence though.

[#5]

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@Archer wrote:

The story this time was that broadband only over ADSL is possible.

That is TRUE.  (although technically "broadband only" ADSL should be described as SOADSL).

Moving to any ISP supplying ADSL / SOADSL, they can ONLY provide broadband - as analogue voice CANNOT be ordered from Openreach.

Whether they also support VoIP or "Digital Voice" over your broadband data is a separate question, and you would need assurances that they are providing some sort of QoS (as previously discussed) to ensure your VoIP phone calls don't collapse if your ADSL broadband is being used by something on your home network, because your digital phone calls are sharing the VERY limited upload bandwidth that ADSL has available.

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