B4RN Voice FAQ's

Package summary:

• Calls to 01, 02 and 03 UK landlines

• Calls to 07 UK mobiles

• 200 Inclusive minutes per month to Canada, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland & Mainland Europe

• Voicemail

UK number prefixes included in the package:

• 01 geographic numbers.

• 02 geographic numbers.

• 03 UK wide non-geographic numbers.

• 07 mobile numbers (but not 070 "follow me" numbers).

• 0500, 0800 and 0808 Freephone numbers.

UK short numbers included in the package:

• 999/112 to call Emergency Services (police, ambulance, fire and HM Coastguard) in an emergency situation.

• 101 to call the Police for non-emergency enquiries.

• 105 for the National Power Cut Service. 

• 111 to call the NHS for non-emergency enquiries, 111.nhs.uk. 

• 119 to call the NHS for help with coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations, testing and NHS COVID Passes. 

• 159 for the ‘Bank fraud helpline’.

• 116 000 is the contact number for Missing People.

• 116 111 is one of the numbers for Childline in addition to 0800 1111

• 116 123 is the Samaritans.  

• 195 UK Blind and Disabled Directory Enquiries (Requires pre-registration)

UK number prefixes and short numbers not included in the package:

Calls cannot be made to non inclusive numbers such as premium rate numbers. UK numbers with the following prefixes are more expensive and are not included in the package and will not work:

• 070 personal numbers. These are different from mobile numbers, often referred to as "follow me" numbers.

• 084 service numbers

• 087 service numbers

• 09 premium rate numbers

• 118 Directory Enquiries

• 123 Speaking Clock

International numbers not included in the package:

Calls cannot be made to International numbers not included in this list: Canada, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland & Mainland Europe

If you wish to move your existing phone number to B4RN Voice (a process known as porting), it is vital that you do not cancel your existing landline contract until your number has fully ported to B4RN Voice. If you do cancel your existing landline service prior to completion of the porting process, you are very likely to lose your number. You should also check prior to signing up to B4RN Voice whether you will have to pay any penalties to your existing provider for ending your contract early.

It is possible to move your existing number to B4RN Voice and the process is known as porting. This incurs a one-off charge of £30 and can usually take one to three weeks.

It is vital that you don't cancel your existing phone contract prior to completion of the porting process otherwise you risk losing your number.

If you prefer to have a new number, we can offer you a local number at no additional cost.

B4RN voice is designed as a simple "plug & play" solution that does not require an engineer to install. Your existing handset simply plugs into Phone port 1 on the B4RN router. If you're not able to easily plug your handset or cordless base unit into the B4RN router due to its location, please talk to us about possible solutions before you commit to B4RN Voice.

You don't need a special handset to use B4RN Voice. Most corded and cordless handsets will work with B4RN Voice and will simply connect into the phone port on your B4RN router. In the case of a DECT Cordless system, it will be the base unit that is connected to the phone port in the B4RN router.

If you have internal extension wiring to serve corded handsets around the house, you'll have to consider either replacing those with cordless handsets or reconfiguring that wiring away from the BT Master Socket to the B4RN router phone port.

If you have one of the latest BT Digital Voice Essential or Advanced handsets then these are unlikely to work with B4RN Voice as they are tied to the BT router.

In order to access your B4RN Voice Voicemail (and use keypad inputs for entering codes or navigating switchboards) from your handset, the handset must send DTMF touch tones from its keypad using RFC2833. Some older handsets may not be able to do this so you may need a new handset if you wish to access voicemail this way. However, you can easily access your voicemails using the B4RN Voice smartphone app. If you have an existing phone with a built in answerphone, you can continue to use that by ensuring the B4RN Voice Voicemail service is disabled.

You can use VoIP specific handsets with the B4RN Voice service although we cannot guarantee that all models of handset are compatible. If you feel confident configuring the VoIP phone, we can supply SIP credentials for it.

Remember, in the event of a power cut, your B4RN router and handset may not function unless you have a backup power system such as a battery or generator. From 2025 this will be the case whatever phone provider you chose.

In the event of a power cut, assuming you can provide power to the router and aren't able to use a mobile phone, we would recommend having a simple corded handset that doesn't require external power.

The existing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) carries a low voltage power connection directly from the telephone exchange, which is sufficient to power some basic corded handsets without needing to plug them into a power outlet. As part of the move to digital, power will no longer be sent down the line. This means that your phone service and B4RN router will not function in the event of a power cut unless you have a backup power system such as a battery or generator.

In the event of a power cut, assuming you can provide power to the router and aren't able to use a mobile phone, we would recommend having a simple corded handset that doesn't require external power.

Personal safety alarms work via sensors located throughout the home, or as personal devices worn on the body. Alarm units may be triggered by personal or environmental events such as bed occupancy, temperature changes and motion, detecting specific movements and events that require emergency assistance, to which monitoring centres can then respond.

Traditionally these systems have connected to remote monitoring centres via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Units that worked via PSTN will not work on a VoIP service such as B4RN Voice. This will be case with all "landline" phone providers from 2025.

Customers will need a "Digital" enabled alarm that connects via ethernet or wi-fi to your B4RN router or SIM card to the mobile network.

You may also need to consider battery back up. Many systems have built-in battery back ranging from 24 to 72 hours depending on the product.

Talk to the provider of your existing safety alarm to check if it is Internet (or IP) capable. If not, they should be able to recommend suitable equipment.

Traditionally these systems have connected to remote monitoring centres via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Systems that worked via PSTN will not work on a VoIP service such as B4RN Voice. This will be case with all "landline" phone providers from 2025.

Customers will need "Digital" enabled equipment that connects via ethernet or wi-fi to your B4RN router or SIM card to the mobile network.

Talk to the provider of your existing equipment to check if it is Internet (or IP) capable. If not, they should be able to recommend suitable equipment.

Many people today use DECT cordless phone systems that are easy to connect directly to the B4RN router. If you have corded telephones that use extension wiring back to the BT Master Socket then you'll need to consider either reconfiguring that wiring away from the BT Master Socket to the B4RN router phone port or purchase a DECT cordless phone system. The benefit of a new cordless system is that you'll be able to position handsets exactly where you want them (each handset will have a charging station that needs mains power) and also walk from room to room whilst a call is in progress.

The B4RN Voice voicemail service enables you to:

• listen your Voicemail from your house phone by dialling 5001 and entering your PIN when requested. Voicemail Menu options

• use the user portal to set up email notification of voice messages. You can even set it up so the message is attached to an email as an audio file.

• use our B4RN Voice smartphone app to access your voice messages anywhere in the world wherever you have a Wi-Fi or data connection.

If you have an existing phone with a built in answerphone, you can continue to use that by ensuring the B4RN Voice Voicemail service is disabled.

In order to access your B4RN Voice voicemail from your handset, the handset must send DTMF touch tones from its keypad using RFC2833. Some older handsets may not be able to do this so you may need a new handset if you wish to access voicemail this way. However, you can easily access your voicemails using the B4RN Voice smartphone app.

Enabling or disabling the voicemail is carried out in your customer portal. Voicemail is disabled by default.

If your B4RN router is powered off, perhaps due to a power cut, anybody calling will be able to leave a voicemail for you to listen to later. Note that this only applies to the B4RN Voice voicemail service. If you've elected to use your own answer machine built in to your handset, then you will not be able to receive voicemails if the router is powered off.

We recommend downloading Linphone which is available from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Once downloaded we can provide a provisioning URL on request. You'll be able to make and receive calls and listen to your voice messages wherever you have a Wi-Fi or mobile data signal.

We recommend downloading Linphone which is available for GNU/Linux, macOS and Windows Desktop. Once downloaded we can provide a provisioning URL on request. As long as your PC or laptop has a microphone and speakers or you use a headset, you'll be able to make and receive calls.

With VoIP services such as B4RN Voice, you will need to dial the full number including the STD code (the area code, for example 01524) when making an outgoing call.

To log into your B4RN Voice account using a web browser, please use the Web Portal to sign in.

If required, we will have sent you an adaptor which enables your existing handset to connect to Phone port 1 on your B4RN router. If you haven't received this prior to 7 days of your B4RN voice service going live, then do contact us. You can plug the adaptor into Phone port 1 as soon as you get it and then plug your phone into the adaptor on live day.

Follow this link to see an image showing how to connect your phone to the router.

On the day your B4RN Voice service is made live, the Phone light on your router will light up. You can now connect your phone to the B4RN router.

Once the Phone light is lit on your B4RN router, you can remove your telephone handset from its BT wall socket and connect it to Phone port 1 on your B4RN router using the adaptor if needed.

Now test the service is working as expected by making an outgoing call and making an incoming call from your mobile phone (or get someone to call you). If you have any problems at this stage call us on 01524 555887 option 1.

As soon as your service has been made live (provisioned) look out for an email from us. This will explain how to access your customer portal so you can set up or amend email notifications and Voicemail PIN.