BT charged a customer for over a year for a landline phone service that was not working after the company switched it to Digital Voice. The service stopped functioning in May 2025, but billing continued at £32.99 per month despite repeated complaints.
The customer spent weeks waiting on hold with BT, answering security questions before being transferred between departments. In December 2025, two engineers visited and found a severed wire caused during the Digital Voice upgrade. They said a cherry picker was needed to reconnect the line at its original location and promised to return, but they never did.
Key Facts
- BT billed a customer £32.99 monthly for non-working landline service.
- The landline stopped functioning in May 2025 after switching to Digital Voice.
- Customer waited hours on hold before being passed between BT departments.
- Engineers found a severed wire from the Digital Voice upgrade in December 2025.
- BT promised to return with a cherry picker but failed to complete the repair.
Digital Voice Transition Issues
The case highlights problems during BT’s migration from traditional landlines to Digital Voice technology. Customers across the UK have reported service disruptions and billing complications during the transition. The Digital Voice upgrade requires new equipment and infrastructure changes that can cause outages if not properly managed.
BT has faced criticism for poor communication and delayed repairs during the rollout. Many customers report difficulty reaching customer service representatives who can resolve technical issues. The company has millions of landline customers who must transition to the new system by 2025.
Customer Experience and Ongoing Problems
The affected customer experienced long wait times and repeated transfers when trying to resolve the service outage. Each call required lengthy security verification before being redirected to different departments without resolution.
After engineers identified the severed wire problem in December 2025, they promised to return with specialized equipment but never completed the repair. This left the customer paying for a service that provided no phone functionality for months.
What We Know — and What We Don’t
Verified by the source:
- The landline service stopped working in May 2025 after the Digital Voice switch.
- The customer was billed £32.99 monthly despite having no working phone line.
- Two engineers visited in December 2025 and found a severed wire.
- BT promised to return with a cherry picker but did not complete repairs.
- Call volumes to BT customer service increased during the Digital Voice transition.
Still unconfirmed:
- How many other customers experienced similar billing issues.
- Whether BT has a formal policy for refunds during service outages.
- The total number of unresolved Digital Voice installations.
- Specific timeline for completing the remaining repairs.
Why It Matters
This situation reflects broader challenges facing UK consumers during BT’s major infrastructure upgrade. Millions of landline users must migrate to Digital Voice technology, and service failures or billing errors can affect many households. The case also demonstrates customer service difficulties during large-scale telecommunications transitions.
What To Watch
BT customers experiencing similar issues should document all communications and request billing adjustments in writing. Regulatory investigations into Digital Voice transition problems may prompt changes to how companies handle service disruptions.
Ofcom has previously fined telecommunications providers for poor customer service during major upgrades. Further regulatory action could force improved compensation processes and clearer communication about service outages.