This topic

Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 12:03:42 GMT

Digital voice activated just over two weeks ago, line finally got working yesterday!

Two weeks without landline and fault continually cleared on my account.

Right! everything is working OK now but a digital voice adapter arrived in the post this morning. I plugged it in near the hub and paired it successfully, nice solid green light and adaoter shows as registered on the hub. Received a call at that point and noticed the adapter was flashing regularly as expected. Call ended and back to solid green.

That's the end of the good news once again!

Plugged my spare phone into the DVA and got a dial tone, looks good? no! Tried ringing my landline from my mobile and handset plugged into the hub rang, the DVA flashed but the handset plugged into it did not ring. I answered the call on the phone plugged into the DVA and could hear myself on my mobile.

Plugged that phone into the hub and it rang fine.

Repeated the above test with a ringer plugged into the DVA and exactly the same.

Any ideas anyone?

I've had some bad service from BT over the years but this conversion takes the biscuit thus far.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 13:43:14 GMT

Just talked to a nice helpful chappie who thinks the DVA is DOA and would send another but BT are out of stock.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Devon_Dave — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:29:18 GMT

Try making a call from that phone to your mobile. Does your mobile display your home number?

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 10:46:23 GMT

Hi and thanks for taking the time to suggest help.

Have tried your suggestion and my mobile phone rings and displays the caller number.

Still no ring in the other direction.

Do you happen to know if the DVA comes apart easily? it's more than just the four screws. BT are dtill out of stock of DVA's for this week.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 10:53:34 GMT

Just an idea, do you have a microfilter, as the DVA may have issues with the phone, if the phone has a separate ring wire?

If that is the case, then if you plug a microfilter into the DVA socket, and then plug your phone into the phone output of the microfilter, then the ring wire will be reproduced, as the microfilter has a capacitor inside which extends the ring wire connection.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 11:24:00 GMT

Go to the top of the class that man!

Yes the phone plugged into a microfilter plugged into the DVA rings to an incoming call.

Question is as to whether the DVA is faulty with a broken ringer circuit, as BT helpline should really have known about this if not.

Thanks for your help and I will update if and when the new DVA arrives.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 11:33:59 GMT

@Chris_Sav

The answer is simple, the DVA probably only has a two wire presentation, as that is what all modern phones use, as they have internal capacitors to separate the DC line voltage from the AC ringing current.

The DVA is not likely to be faulty, but without knowing how its wired, its not possible to tell.

Modern phones are two wire, older phones are three wire, and rely on the capacitor within the master socket.

I am sure that other people are going to have the same issue.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 11:38:56 GMT

@Chris_Sav

Something else.

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/user-guides/Digital-Voice-Adapter-userguide.pdf

Phone doesn’t ring anymore?
If your home phone is more than 10 years
old, there’s a chance that it might be
incompatible with the Digital Voice Adapter.

So that would imply its only a two wire device.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 11:55:56 GMT

Thanks

The bit you missed out was "Cal 0800800150"

Whiich I did and they had not got a clue, obviously not on their decision tree!

Thanks for your help anyway, does not increase my opinion of BT one iota, forcing me onto a new service that I have already had to buy a UPS for my router and my phones did not work on the DVA either and BT were no help..

Yes

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

imjolly — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 12:01:57 GMT

@Chris_Sav

out of curiosity is your phone more than 10 years old?

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 12:06:15 GMT

It does not surprise me that CS did not know the answer, its a legacy issue that only people like myself, who have spent their whole working life on telephone systems, would be aware of the need for a "bell" wire. It goes back to the days of mechanical dial telephones (1960s)

I suspect that CS would only suggest that you buy a new phone from BT. A new DV is unlikely to be any better. I can see lots of people with older phone, having problems.

A simple adapter, with a capacitor inside, would solve the problem, but I doubt BT would bother.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Chris_Sav — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:23:27 GMT

I have no idea of the age of the phones but safest to say they are not new! so probably are ten years old.

I have had a hunt around in various old BT router boxes and found a total of three filters, never had to use them as BT had so much trouble getting ADSL working here originally (ally cabling through village) that they put an ADSL faceplate on. Looks untidy with the filter but at least it works.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

imjolly — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:31:10 GMT

from the adapter notes that @Keith_Beddoe posted BT were obviously aware that older phone of 10yrs or more could have problem with not ringing just as @Keith_Beddoe described. It would have helped if BT had posted the solution as well

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

smc78 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:06:16 GMT

@imjollywrote:
from the adapter notes that @Keith_Beddoe posted BT were obviously aware that older phone of 10yrs or more could have problem with not ringing just as @Keith_Beddoe described. It would have helped if BT had posted the solution as well

So our line has moved to DVA today and have plugged in adapter, paired it with router but phone won't ring.

Having read this thread looks like issue is phone being over 10 years old. Any tips as to what to look for in a new phone, just needs to be a basic phone as is not really used much. Thanks.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:10:46 GMT

@smc78

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630

Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

smc78 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:34:45 GMT

@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78
See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630
Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.

Tried that but phone still didn't ring

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:47:37 GMT

@smc78 wrote:

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

@smc78

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630

Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.

Tried that but phone still didn't ring

Most microfilters have the extra component (capacitor), and provided the plug from the microfilter is plugged into the DVA socket, and the phone itself is plugged into the phone side of the microfilter, it should pass the ringing current onto the ring wire of the phone.

The broadband side of the microfilter is not used.

The only phones that may have an issue, are those with a mechanical bell inside, but these usually have a dial, which would not work anyway.

All modern phones should work just fine, as they only need two wires.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

smc78 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:53:44 GMT

@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78wrote:
@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78
See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630
Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.
Tried that but phone still didn't ring
Most microfilters have the extra component (capacitor), and provided the plug from the microfilter is plugged into the DVA socket, and the phone itself is plugged into the phone side of the microfilter, it should pass the ringing current onto the ring wire of the phone.
The broadband side of the microfilter is not used.
The only phones that may have an issue, are those with a mechanical bell inside, but these usually have a dial, which would not work anyway.
All modern phones should work just fine, as they only need two wires.

I will need to have another play about with it.

Should filter still be plugged into wall and then another with phone into adapter?

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:58:30 GMT

@smc78 wrote:

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

@smc78wrote:

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

@smc78

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630

Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.

Tried that but phone still didn't ring

Most microfilters have the extra component (capacitor), and provided the plug from the microfilter is plugged into the DVA socket, and the phone itself is plugged into the phone side of the microfilter, it should pass the ringing current onto the ring wire of the phone.

The broadband side of the microfilter is not used.

The only phones that may have an issue, are those with a mechanical bell inside, but these usually have a dial, which would not work anyway.

All modern phones should work just fine, as they only need two wires.

I will need to have another play about with it.

Should filter still be plugged into wall and then another with phone into adapter?

Yes, if you are on FTTC, you need both. One to act as an adapter to allow your home hub to connect to your phone socket, assuming you do not have a filtered socket.

The other one needs to plug into the socket on the DVA, and then the phone then plugs into the microfilter.

It may seem a bit unusual, but there is more to a microfilter than you realise.

Re: Phone plugged into digital voice adapter works but does not ring.

smc78 — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 19:46:13 GMT

@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78wrote:
@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78wrote:
@Keith_Beddoewrote:
@smc78
See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Phone-plugged-into-digital-voice-adapter-works-but-does-not-ring/m-p/2182545#M78630
Add a microfilter in the lead to the phone, as it has the components to enable the phone to ring.
Tried that but phone still didn't ring
Most microfilters have the extra component (capacitor), and provided the plug from the microfilter is plugged into the DVA socket, and the phone itself is plugged into the phone side of the microfilter, it should pass the ringing current onto the ring wire of the phone.
The broadband side of the microfilter is not used.
The only phones that may have an issue, are those with a mechanical bell inside, but these usually have a dial, which would not work anyway.
All modern phones should work just fine, as they only need two wires.

I will need to have another play about with it.
Should filter still be plugged into wall and then another with phone into adapter?
Yes, if you are on FTTC, you need both. One to act as an adapter to allow your home hub to connect to your phone socket, assuming you do not have a filtered socket.
The other one needs to plug into the socket on the DVA, and then the phone then plugs into the microfilter.
It may seem a bit unusual, but there is more to a microfilter than you realise.

Well I tried putting filter on again and this time it worked, no idea why it didn't earlier. Thanks!!!