Bt's New Internet Phones

[CurlyWhirly]

Has anyone tried to use the new style of BT telephone with internet access and an e-mail facility?

I needed to make an urgent phone call yesterday (and I stupidly left my mobile phone in the house) and it is very confusing as there are 3 different sets of keypads!

The one on top didn't work as my keystrokes weren't recognised and so I tried the set of keypads in the centre of the telephone but after successfully entering the first 2 numbers the phone made a funny noise and so I felt I had to put the telephone receiver back and to my delight my money was refunded!

Also the keypad on the base of the phone didn't work either but I could tell that these keys were meant for internet access as one of the buttons had www on it and another had a @ on it so I expect this key was meant for sending e-mails?

If you ever see a BT phone with a small screen attached to it around 10" x 8" then by all means go ahead and attempt to make a 'normal' phone call and I wish you luck as I couldn't get the hang of it :huh:

This was very similar to the internet phone I used:

[-pops-]

Nice challenge there for the phone box vandals.

Wonder if the keyboard is pee proof (or worse)?

[Gandalph]

By the time you get through to the Fire Brigade, the house across the road will have burned down. :lol:

[lester1]

By the time you get through to the Fire Brigade, the house across the road will have burned down. :lol:

I recently saw one here about 1/2 mile from the firestation, looks like it might be quicker to walk :P

[CurlyWhirly]

By the time you get through to the Fire Brigade, the house across the road will have burned down. :lol:

Yes quite.

Next time I must remember to take my mobile phone!

[Gandalph]

It makes you wonder whether BT has taken into consideration our senior citizens that are not abreast of modern technology. When BT announced a while back that they were going to remove the Public Call Boxes from the streets in and around Berwick upon Tweed because they were being vandalised and were costing more to maintain than they were worth there was a public outcry. A lot of people said that it was their only means of contacting the Police and other emergency services as they did not have a telephone installed because of the quarterly charges, too expensive, even without making calls. Local MPs made their case to BT and they agreed to leave some of the telephone kiosks in place. The local residents in the vicinity said they would keep an eye on the kiosks and try to make sure that vandals didn't do any damage. As these kiosks are outside and in line of sight of many houses the scheme has worked well and vandalism is down by 81%.

I only hope that if these new public phones take off, that BT remember these elderly people and leave them with something they can use in an emergency.

[CurlyWhirly]

It makes you wonder whether BT has taken into consideration our senior citizens that are not abreast of modern technology

I am not a senior citizen (yet) and am quite savvy with modern technology though by no means an expert, but I was absolutely baffled as to why I couldn't make a simple phone call from this type of phone box :huh:

There were 3 phones in the area where I went and the 2 'normal' phones were in use so I thought rather than wait I would use this internet phone but in the end I gave up and waited for one of the other phone boxes to become available.

While I was waiting, a youth went in the (now vacant) phone box and he had no trouble using it to make a phone call so obviously I am not as savvy with modern technology as I thought I was :(

[Gandalph]

It makes you wonder whether BT has taken into consideration our senior citizens that are not abreast of modern technology

I am not a senior citizen (yet) and am quite savvy with modern technology though by no means an expert, but I was absolutely baffled as to why I couldn't make a simple phone call from this type of phone box :huh:

There were 3 phones in the area where I went and the 2 'normal' phones were in use so I thought rather than wait I would use this internet phone but in the end I gave up and waited for one of the other phone boxes to become available.

While I was waiting, a youth went in the (now vacant) phone box and he had no trouble using it to make a phone call so obviously I am not as savvy with modern technology as I thought I was :(

Morning Curly,

I think your post adds weight to the Senior Citizens dilemma. Even people like us that try and stay abreast of the fast moving pace of digital technology will have our problems at times. I know I have and I'm still a young kid. :rolleyes:

Putting myself in the shoe's of people that haven't got a clue about mobile phones and digital this and that, I would be totally lost walking into something like that new phone. Still I suppose that's progress.

[CurlyWhirly]

Putting myself in the shoe's of people that haven't got a clue about mobile phones and digital this and that, I would be totally lost walking into something like that new phone. Still I suppose that's progress.

My mother is in the similar situation as I was with the phone box and it is even worse for her as she doesn't know how to set a recording on a DVD recorder or even use an ATM.

I can understand why BT are bringing out these new internet phones as for them revenue from fixed lines is dwindling month after month but bringing out an internet phone that is difficult to use IMHO doesn't make much sense :blink:

[andsome]

I never go out without my mobile, and YES I can use it.

[CurlyWhirly]

I never go out without my mobile, and YES I can use it.

Good for you andsome :rolleyes:

[andsome]

I never go out without my mobile, and YES I can use it.

Good for you andsome :rolleyes:

It's like I have always maintained. Not just a very pretty face, but highly intelligent as well.