Landline Not Working After Switching from BT FTTC to EE FTTP

[DickInKent]

I have just transitioned from BT (on FTTC with BT SmartHub2 & DECT on DV port working fine) to EE (FTTP installed yesterday), but the phone not working (error not dial tone). The EE callcentre Tech said my old hub wasn't compatible with EE, and will now send me a replacement EE hub (I have to return the old one). I am concerned ..
1. why H/W incompatibilities (not just firmware/config fix), given all the standards compliance?
2. EE router should have been provided early (like the red-end cable that I WAS sent before install)
3. I am temporarily without my landline
4. other  posts here complain same number transitions may add delay
5. installer said circuit "may take 28 days to settle": surely such adjustments only needed for copper to recalibrate ?

[Mod edit: Added title]

[JimM11]

@DickInKent The BT Smart Hub 2 has an ATA port to connect your landline phone, The transition from FTTC/FTTP is the one, and your Phone just may take 24-48hrs to swap over.... Lan port 4 is were that BT hub connects to your new ONT, and you do have to check that EE has not dropped your landline off with your Transfer to them.....

Were you using the Dect side off the BT Smart Hub 2 connected device wise? https://192.168.1.254 that will allow you to connect and look at your BT Hub. Do think carefully if you wish to keep the BT one or head down a rabbit hole EE Hub depending what they send to you.

  BT Forum will be able to say what the current FW for your hub is at, think last update was around the December timescale.

From the BT Forum, that i could see one posted..... 

As of April 2026, the current firmware version for the BT Smart Hub 2 (SH2) is v0.45.00.08028

Smart Hub 2 firmware upgrade - BT Community

[DickInKent]

My BT SmartHub2 has a DV port to my DECT hub. It all worked OK under BT ISP but EE ISP stopped as I noted. From the admin port (192.168.1.254 and admin login) the Home->Advanced settings->Technical log shows
Firmware version:v0.46.02.10311-BT

Firmware updated:Wed Dec 3 00:35:24 2025
Board version:R01
GUI version:2.0.1 30_06_2025

but my Q about standards (why need to change H/W?) stands

[JimM11]

@DickInKent That's it you do not need to, the BT Smart Hub 2 will work as expected DV wise, EE app and not fully as a later version like the EE Smart hub 6/7 Plus or the 7 Pro for parental controls etc. See the link below to the current EE and BT  Versions. The EE Smart Hub Version SH20A is the equivalent but NOT identical to your BT Version.

https://ee.co.uk/help/broadband/getting-started/compare-our-range-of-broadband-hubs

Different types of BT Hub | Broadband Help | BT | BT Help

You should see on that BT Hub your registered landline Phone number, and all the details about it first page front and centre.

EE told you a load of B S. 

Edit:- Question who moved you over, did BT do it, did EE do it, or did you do it all yourself?

From WSH on the BT Forum so does look like you may be on the latest currently.

"" 

Yes, it is v0.46.02.10311-BT.

I've been running that since the 12th of December, (and I'm usually late to get it).

There was posts about a later build version, 0.46.02.42261, but it seems to have caused problems so I think they pulled it.

Time-wise, we must be about due for a v47.

""

[DickInKent]

@JimM11 Facts ..
1. the BT SmartHub2 with my DECT hub on DV port had worked happily for 24mo
2. the FTTP installation c/w ONT was done by Kelly Comms (contractor)
3. broadband (incl WiFi from my prev router) works fine (good speeds) but DECT fails
4. call to EE tech eval'ed [quickly as known prob] and EE sending new hub (model tbc)
5. [hopefully Mon 24/8] we will see if my DECT works with new EE hub
6. your statement that BT SH2 will work is b/s, and your rubbishing EE premature
7. my expectation [given intl stds] of H/W compat stands, so reason for fail (#3) unknown

I will report result (after #5) and what EE hub model actually supplied
- BTW I won't return BT SH2 unless/until new hub works for both BB and DV

[JimM11]

@DickInKent Go for it.

[DickInKent]

Happy to report that the EE router arrived as scheduled and the DV port has behaved perfectly (my DECT hub and 4 remote handsets can all receive incoming and make outgoing calls). Still unclear [to me] why the BT SmartHub2 [that had worked and provided DV for 2 years] gave error tone to my handsets. Certainly the comms standards [for VOIP etc] should have meant the BT hub should have continued with the upstream EE servers, but clearly had'nt worked. At least the hardware switch to the EE router has worked solidly. My conclusion is that [at least] one of those routers is incompatible with the standards. Hmm!

When my previous BT contract was nearing end I explored options and costs for future service provider. The BT quote included a landline rental of £3/mo +PAYG usage, whereas the EE was FOC rental PAYG usage, and on negotiation the BT Sales team suggested I took the EE deal (maybe BT are concentrating on business, whereas EE are focussing on residential customers). In practice as a family we use bundled mobile contract to make calls (so no PAYG charges) but still useful to continue with central landline for anyone to call us. Thus landline useful despite mantra that landlines are passe.

BT/EE need to grasp the compatibility nettle technically and commercially, to ensure transitioning customers get the appropriate kit delivered/recovered to avoid the pain we experienced. At least the problem had an EE-tech-known solution, but solution needs to shift-left !

[XRaySpeX]

@DickInKent : Well done! A successful conclusion!

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@DickInKent wrote:

 Certainly the comms standards [for VOIP etc] should have meant the BT hub should have continued with the upstream EE servers, but clearly had'nt worked. At least the hardware switch to the EE router has worked solidly. My conclusion is that [at least] one of those routers is incompatible with the standards. Hmm!

---

Unlikely! Considering that BT designed DV & its standards & protocols & that EE just followed BT, the BT SH2 should handle it on both BT & EE BB. Others are successfully using it on EE BB after possibly initial teething troubles.

[YorkshireMidge]

@DickInKent  Regarding the branding in BT Consumer, it does seem to be the case that EE is being positioned as the premium bells and whistles consumer brand, and Plusnet as the budget brand. What is less clear is the situation with the BT brand and that does look set to be retained in BT Consumer as something in middle due to the brand recognition it has.  

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/03/strategic-shift-as-bt-no-longer-being-ditched-as-uk-co...

That being said, we have an old BT YouView box and eventhough that is completely decoupled from our service (we just use it as a video recorder), a firmware update on that a while back changed all the internal branding to EE. So maybe the transition away from the BT brand in BT Consumer will just be a slow one over several years?

As an aside, I'm surprised too that you hit your problem as I'm using a BT Smart Hub 2 instead of the EE hub at the moment (FTTC in my case) and I wouldn't have thought the delivery method would make any difference to the operation of DV.  

[DickInKent]

@YorkshireMidge clearly any hub has to present login credentials to the upstream VOIP/SIP server (presumably BT & EE have distinct servers with non-overlapping accounts), so my final tea-leaf conclusion is that the hardware is probably all compatible with standards etc, but that the account claims are somewhat baked-in to the firmware so that the easiest solution was to swap the BT->EE router. My repeated plea is that they chase out such gremlins to ensure interworking without hardware changes, but meantime the logistics should conduct such swaps to avoid customer pain.

I think we all believe that theory that standards should be fully adopted by all products [thus BT SmartHub2 SHOULD have worked unchanged] but practice has given a different outcome this time round.

 @YorkshireMidge please update the group with your experiences if/when you upgrade FTTC to FTTP