No landline telephone network after 2025

Hayling Island u3a

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and ISDN lines will be switched off by 2025. You can see a statement from OpenReach here. Instead, telephone calls will be made via:

  • Broadband
  • The mobile phone network

Unfortunately, there's very little information to help you prepare for the change, and what there is comes from providers touting their own solutions. Here's what I've been able to glean so far...

Will it just affect phones?

No, the switch-off affects everything connected to the telephone network including:

  • Fax machines
  • Alarm systems
  • Aid call systems
Can we keep our telephone number?

Simple answer: yes.

However, it's unclear how providers will handle the change. BT, for example, has nothing I can find on its site and continues to sell landline phones without any warning.

It does sell Voice Over IP (VOIP) - internet phones - but, for the time being, they are aimed at businesses.

There's no indication of how new voice services will be charged. Given the way internet phones work, you'll be able to choose from a huge range of different providers offering their own blend of services - and costs. So there's a fair chance you'll want to change provider. My best guess is that you'll be able to take your number with you to a different provider - like you can with mobile phones - but I don't see a guarantee of that.

Can we keep our existing phones?

Simple answer: yes.

I expect there will be products that allow you to:

  • connect your phone(s) to a plug that works like the PSTN
  • replace your DECT hub

Either way, the new box of tricks will connect your phone(s) to the new phone network via broadband or the mobile phone network.

However, you might not benefit from the full range of services that will be offered by the new, digital phone network.

Will we need a phone?

No.

Many people already use mobile phones instead of landlines. And I expect you will be able to make and receive calls from your landline number using a mobile phone.

Also, the new service will be digital and one of the benefits it brings is that you'll be able to make and receive calls on a range of devices I expect these will include:

  • PC's and laptops
  • Smart speakers - such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home (or Nest or whatever they call it this week)
  • Video calling devices - look out for enhancements to Amazon Show, for example
  • Smart TVs
  • Game consoles
Do we need to do something now?

If your current phones work OK and you've no good reason to change, stick with what you have, wait and see.

You'll no doubt get offers from your landline provider eventually - but you might be able to get a cheaper/better service by shopping around.

For the time being, if your phone uses rechargeable batteries and they don't keep a charge, consider extending their life by replacing the batteries - most phones allow you to do that.

If you rely on, or make heavy use of, other equipment that connects to the phone line:

  • Consider, alternative technologies. For example there are other ways to transfer images besides fax.
  • Contact your alarm or aid call providers and ask what they're planning - again, it might not be best to accept their first offers.
Are there things we shouldn't do?

Unless absolutely necessary, I suggest you shouldn't:

  • Invest heavily in any device that requires a phone line.
  • Sign a long-term contract for any service that requires a phone line.
  • Buy an internet phone now - as far as I can see devices on the market are either:
    • Business-oriented (i.e over-complex and expensive)
    • Tied to specific services
    • Or both

Group report

Reading B

Our last meeting together as a group was a year ago on 25th February and we had a good time over tea and cakes discussing the wonderful Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I was able to give out the next month's book Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella, I don't think any one of us had any thoughts that this was the last time we would be able to meet up again till when?? And that there would be no more books as the library closed until it opened up in a very different format in the Summer when lockdown restrictions had lessened somewhat.

Over the last year we have kept in touch by email and occasional phone calls; the meetings in gardens or indoors in small numbers when finally allowed not being practicable for our large(ish) group. However group members were able to collect and return the books on our list to the library lobby each month. A big thankyou to all of the group members for their continuing commitment to our group and their enthusiasm in reviewing the books each month.

Below are the books we have read recently together with some of the comments members sent me.
August - Joanna Trollope - City of Friends
Mixed reactions to this one, some loved it, some thought the friends were not very nice people to know!
September - David Jason - Only Fools and Stories
As you would guess, a commentary on the TV series and a reminder of some of the best bits we watched many moons ago.
October - Ann Leary - The Children
An American family saga found to be quite confusing but not too difficult a read. Not to everyone’s taste but as one person commented ‘it passed some time in lockdown’
November - Robert Harris - Munich
Very strong historical story line, based on events leading up to WW2, but a lot of military names, ranks and characters to keep track of. Not to everyone’s taste, but those who persevered found it a compelling and engrossing read.
December - Ella Griffiths - The House at Sea's End
Unanimously enjoyed, and although a murder mystery it was much light relief after Munich. Everyone wanted to read more by this author
January - Dan Brown - Origins
Very good story telling and compelling storyline. As usual with Dan Brown, there was lots of well researched factual details to augment the plot.

I hope this gives you an idea of what a reading group gets up to in lockdown.

Finally, we would like to add a big thankyou to all of the staff at the library who are always there to greet us with a friendly smile and are doing a great job in very difficult circumstances. Also a big thankyou to Matthew, the reading group co-ordinator, for keeping us supplied with books.

Pat Bailey

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Painting & drawing 2

We set up a WhatsApp group and have used this and emails to keep in touch.
In July 2020 we all met in the park (distanced of course) and put together ideas for the next year’s programme which started in September. We were hopeful of meeting in the hall by then! How things have changed. We did manage a few weeks of four at a time meeting weekly at the kind invitation of the Men’s Shed. This provided a chance to paint together on a rota basis, but then that stopped with the November lockdown. However we have worked to the programme from home and put pictures of our efforts on WhatsApp.

January programme subject was hats and umbrellas, here are two examples of our work.

 

 

We can’t wait to meet again but in the meantime we will continue to paint and share.

We hope to make an exhibition of work completed in Lockdown for our contribution to the Open Day.

 

 

 

Lesley Vincent

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Card making & paper craft 1, Card making & paper craft 2, Card making & paper craft 3

We are all hopeful that by the time you are reading this newsletter that we will be experiencing some form of social interaction but at the time of writing we are still in lock down.

Knowing that we would be unable to meet I have been preparing card kits for the groups to complete at home, This January was slightly different in that I set everyone a competition to produce a 2021 calendar. I provided a few basics and the criteria was to use the piece of white card and the calendar provided, the rest was up to each person's imagination, and entries had to be returned by the end of January.

You can see from the photograph how wide and varied the entries were and choosing a winner was very difficult.

 

 

The first prize was won by Ann Dodson and runner up was Eva Jessett. Everyone received a small gift for entering as you can never have too much stash for making cards!

Anne Hollis

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Philosophy 1

The philosophy group has been meeting during the Covid experience using Zoom, kindly managed by Jim Norman. The group has reduced in number due to issues relating to access to the necessary technology and problems of hearing using Zoom. We hope that those group members who have not been able to join the Zoom group, will rejoin when/if things return to normal. Zoom is definitely preferable to having no meetings at all, but we have found it to be more constraining than face to face meetings (there are particular problems for the group chairman, but everyone experiences the need for patience in order to get a chance to speak). That being said, we have still had some lively meetings, with Covid, and Donald Trump providing us with some obvious topics. Our regular group now comprises about eight people, and that is about the right number for a lively but controlled discussion. Much more than eight and it becomes difficult for people to get a chance to speak. We generally use the method of raising the hand to indicate a wish to speak, but in moments of excitement this discipline tends to break down!

I won't bore everyone with a list of topics we have discussed, but let me just say we are never short of topics or volunteers to start off a particular discussion. I would issue my usual invitation to anyone wanting to join the group to see if we suit you, but under the present circumstances we don't have the capacity for new members. However when things get back to normal we will review the situation and let everyone know.

Mike Silvester.

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Ukulele Thursday afternoon, Ukulele Thursday morning

Now a familiar scene for many groups, some members from the Thursday and Friday Ukulele Groups have continued to meet. Throughout last summer we played in the garden to occasional applause from the neighbours (thankfully no vegetables) followed by a brief spell indoors when the ‘Rule of Six’ applied. Throughout the winter we continued using Zoom each week but look forward to meeting and playing live again. As backgrounds show we play in varied locations. We can only imagine what we might sound like live together once again when nobody is muted and timing is everything!

We play a range of songs from as early as the fifties to comparatively recent numbers and are always prepared to experiment with new suggestions. The aim is to have fun and we do have laughter.

Whenever Hayling Island u3a has its open day (currently scheduled for September) we hope to be in action, perhaps with a spare Ukulele or two for someone to give it a try.

Photo with kind permission from members of the group.

Peter Haskell

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Reading 3

When I wrote the report on this reading group for the last Newsletter, the ‘Rule of 6’ had just come in, and we had arranged that as we only had 8 in the group at that time, 3 members would take the book and not come to the meeting and the other 4 plus myself would be able to space out really well in my lounge. We had 1 meeting like this in October and then the 2nd lockdown came in November and we moved into Tier 4 and then Tier 5 and further restrictions, so we have not been able to meet at all since then.

But I have been able to collect the books each month from the library and the members of the group come to my house and do the swap either safely from a distance or from my doorstep. It is not ideal but better than nothing. The person whose book choice it is for the month and in “normal” times would ‘lead’ the meeting is responsible for sending me the main review and notes on the author, but several others in the group e-mail me their thoughts also and I then put them together and e-mail them to all the group.

We continue to read a variety of books, some we enjoy others we do not, but that is the beauty of Reading Groups, we get to read books that we might not necessarily pick off the shelves ourselves and very often we enjoy the surprise - not always though!!

In the Autumn Newsletter I mentioned that I had a vacancy, I did think that I would have to wait until the u3a was up and running again in the Community Centre before I could advertise it, but to my delight I received an e-mail from Susan enquiring if she could fill it. I met her myself on a sunny afternoon in October, she took the book we had at the time and was looking forward to meeting 4 more members in November. But this was not to be, and so she has not yet met any more of the group, but is taking the book each month and it has been a joy to have her particularly as in January we read ‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ - not a good read for the majority of us but Susan ‘loved it’. I do have another vacancy now, if anybody reading this article thinks they would like to join us, please do contact me. We hope it won’t be too much longer before we can get back to meeting in person, even if to begin with it is in the garden.

The picture shows some recent titles we have read along with the cups for the tea and chocolate biscuits. We just need the people again!!

 

Pauline Brice

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Group report

Science and technology

During lockdown the group has been largely dormant.
However there is a proposed u3a Exhibition at present planned for September. S&T will have a poster showing past talks and some ideas for the future. Our first meeting is also planned for September.
Unfortunately Brian Cox will not be giving that talk, but we are always looking for new speakers.

Mike Lynch and Ann Pearcey

This is an article published in the Spring 2021 edition of the Hayling Island u3a newsletter

Video conferencing notes and guidance

Hayling Island u3a

If you are new to video conferencing then there are any number of applications in the market including:

  • Microsoft’s:
    • Skype
    • Meet
    • Teams
  • Apple Facetime
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp
  • Google Hangouts
  • Zoom

Our web site provides a free video conferencing facility via each group's page, so go along and have a look and set up your first group meeting.

What do you require to join in a video conference?

  • a Computer PC, Laptop, Tablet or phone, a larger screen has its advantages.
  • speakers (external or internal) or headphones
  • a microphone
  • a decent internet connection with a good data allowance.

The following notes help you join and participate in a Zoom meeting. Having read them, click here if you are interested in hosting your own Zoom meeting.

Participate in a Zoom meeting

The key to successful video conferencing is to ensure that you follow some simple rules:

  • Make sure that your face has the light shining on it by facing windows, or a table light, otherwise you will look dark to others in the meeting on their screen. You should be able to see yourself in your mini view screen and then adjust the lighting.
  • Make sure that you position the camera of your PC, laptop, tablet, phone so gives a head and shoulders view of you. This has the advantage that you will be close enough to the camera and microphone so that other users will see and hear you.
  • Should there be a large number of participants in the video conference (meeting), Mute your microphone and, when you wish to speak, hold your hand up or use the chat feature to send a message to the host (or others in the call). If everyone speaks at the same time no one will be heard. The host can also mute everyone to prevent interruptions.

Test your computer

To ensure that your computer equipment is OK for video conferencing you need to check it is configured correctly. Use zoom.us/test to do this. When you are on the Test page just follow the instructions. There are tests to configure your microphone, speakers and video.

Below is a brief description of the icons you will see on the test and normal screens. When you move your mouse pointer over the screen you will see menus appear either along the bottom or top of the screen.

These are the icons you should see: (There are couple of other icon that the Host will see)...

Click/tap this icon to mute and unmute yourself. If you have a keyboard, you can also hold the space bar down to temporarily un-mute yourself. When someone speaks their screen will have a yellow border around it, because they have the ‘focus’.

Click/tap this icon to allow/disallow people to see you via your camera.

Click/tap on ‘Participants’ to list the names of people in the meeting. If you want to change your name (Zoom can give you the 'name' of your computer as a default). mouse over/tap your entry to see a 'More' icon; click/tap it to see a 'Rename' option.

This icon allows you to send a message to ‘everyone’, or one person in the meeting by selecting them. Consider sending questions to the speaker or host rather than everyone so they can see it and answer accordingly.

The Host can also ‘Record’ the meeting so that it could be shown to others at a later stage.

The host and and any participant (if allowed by the host), can share views from their device. For example, a presenter can share images or a PowerPoint presentation to attendees.

There are other more advanced features in the Zoom application, which I will leave you to explore.

Now that you have tested your computer you are ready to go.

Join a Zoom Meeting

To join a meeting without downloading the Zoom application you need a link you can click on from an email or notice invitation.

This is an example email notification sent from Zoom that shows a typical meeting link:

Fred Bloggs is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Tuesday School presentation

Time: Jan 12, 2021 09:15 London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/99999999999?pwd=ejhLeUptYWt4UjdKaFBORWYxd2tMdz09

Meeting ID: 838 0504 9148

Passcode: 345201

When you click the link you will be taken directly to the presentation. If you are too early, you'll either see a message telling you the presentation date and time, or one asking you to wait until the host starts the meeting.

Just before you join the meeting you will see another window that:

  • Asks you to confirm your name.
  • Allows you to join with/without video. If you elect not to show video (or if you do not have a connected camera) other participants will see a picture containing your name.

When you join the meeting you will see the host's screen and your image in a small window with your name on it. If you select 'View options' at the top of the screen you can switch to gallery view that attempts to show images of all the participants However, there is a limit to how many people you can see due to the screen size of your device. It's not a particularly useful option if there are a large number of participants.

Note that you can reduce the load on your internet connection by using 'Active speaker' view. You will see just one other person, but Zoom will try to switch automatically to the person who is speaking.

Hosting a Zoom meeting

Hayling Island u3a

This note explains how to get a copy of the Zoom software and use it to create an online meeting.

Download Zoom

If you want to host meetings using Zoom then you will need to download the ‘Zoom Client for Meetings’ application, this will allow you to schedule your own meetings and you can also use it to join in other meetings. We suggest you download the app from the Zoom download page as there are other apps that pretend to be Zoom and it's not always easy to tell the difference.

If you find yourself in a list of apps, the one you want is called ‘Zoom Client Meetings’ and has a logo like the one on the right. Install the application and follow the instructions to create a free or paid account. The free version has a time limit of 40 minutes, but you can always sign out and back in again to continue if you wish. The alternative is to pay for one of the various Plans that Zoom offers.

Create a new meeting

Run the Zoom application you downloaded and you will see this screen:

Click 'Sign In' and you will see this screen:

When you enter your email and password and click 'Sign In' to see this screen:

Here you can select to:

  • Create a new meeting
  • Schedule a meeting in the future and
  • Join a meeting.

I will leave you to explore these options, which are easy to follow.

Share your screen

The 'share screen' option shown during a Zoom meeting or the Zoom application allows the host or any participant to share their desktop or an open window. For example, if someone wants to use a PowerPoint presentation they open the presentation on their computer, click on ‘Share Screen’ and select the PowerPoint window to share it. Everyone in the meeting will see the presentation and follow it as the presenter moves from slide to slide.

As the host, you can prevent participants from using this feature.

It's usually best to share a window rather than your entire desktop to prevent alerts intruding on your presentation. It can get confusing, however. If, for example, you share a Windows Explorer window containing a list of images and click an image the other participants won't see the image because it displays in a new window - not the one you are sharing.

Start your meeting

Run the Zoom application and sign in as shown above.

When you created your meeting you set up a meeting ID and Passcode. Click 'Join' to see:

Enter your meeting ID and your name and click 'Join' to see:

Enter your meeting's passcode to start it. Participants will join automatically.

Group report

Music appreciation 2

So far, we have been unable to meet this year. Whilst some Groups have been able to meet on Zoom, Music Appreciation does not lend itself to Zoom Meetings. Andrea has been busy researching Bach and put together an excellent programme, which we should all enjoy when we are able to meet as a Group again. Last year, we had a very varied programme exploring music by Elgar, Clara Schumann, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, King Henry V111, Johann Strauss (both the Younger and the Elder) and Bizet. In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Music is the universal language of mankind.”

All Group members will be contacted as soon as we are able to meet again.

Sue Humphrey and Maura Chapman.

This is an article published in the Autumn 2020 edition of the Hayling Island U3A newsletter .