This topic

Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 08:25:18 GMT

By choice I receive very few phone calls, and due to being away for several weeks, I was late switching my landline to the new digital service.

Here's the problem. On the very few occasions when anyone calls me, the phone rings and I attempt to answer it, but it doesn't work. The phone keeps ringing until the caller gets fed up and stops trying, and I'm left wondering what's stopping them from getting through. Any ideas?

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 08:29:11 GMT

@peadea

Where is your phone plugged in, is it in the green socket on the back of the smart hub 2?

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 08:39:18 GMT

Yes, my phone is plugged into the green socket labelled 'phone' in the back of my brand new hub.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 09:43:30 GMT

What model phone is plugged in, is its wired, or is it a DECT (cordless) base unit?

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 11:47:19 GMT

It's a BT phone, cordless with a base unit. It only says 'BT' on the phone, but underneath the base unit there's a sticker saying 'BT 3550' and 'Item Code 083052'.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 12:05:01 GMT

Quite often cordless phones will keep ringing for a couple of seconds after you answer, but you should still be able to answer the call.

I assume the handsets keep ringing, and when you pick one up and press the answer button, you cannot take the call?

Have you a basic wired phone you could try, to prove whether is a fault on the home hub?

Have you tried a factory reset of the home hub?

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 16:40:16 GMT

I've had the phone for years. When it was connected as an ordinary landline, whenever anyone called I was able to answer. It's only since it's been connected to the hub that it no longer works as a phone. It rings, but I can't answer the call, and I guess that the person on the other end just gets fed up and ends the call. I don't have another phone to connect, but as I said, the phone worked fine in the past, but just doesn't work now. Resetting the hub didn't make any difference at all.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 17:55:00 GMT

Possibly a faulty home hub.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 18:07:40 GMT

Well that's a shame if it's faulty. It was brand new a few weeks ago.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 18:31:30 GMT

I would see if you could borrow a basic wired phone to see if that allows you to answer the phone, that would prove whether its the ATA interface on the hub which is not working properly.

That would be unusual, as you can get dial tone and make outgoing calls, which would imply that there is DC continuity.

Cordless handsets normally have the option to automatically answer calls when the phone is taken off the charging base. If that option is not selected, then you need to press the green answer button on the handset to answer the call, otherwise it will just keep ringing.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:05:00 GMT

I got an old phone as you suggested, connected it, and didn't even get a dial tone out of it. I reconnected my other phone and now it doesn't have a dial tone either. I phoned my landline from a mobile, and the phone rings, but I still can't answer it. Eventually my mobile suggests that I leave myself a message. Maybe people have been leaving me messages, but as the phone doesn't connect, I'll never know.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:21:21 GMT

Its sounds like the home hub is not configured for your phone number.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:21:50 GMT

It can't be anything to do with the way the hub is configured. I went through a complete diagnostics test and at every stage the equipment and connectivity passed with flying colours. So, I tried a test call from my mobile to my landline, and yes, it worked. Then someone tried to phone me, and it rang and rang and rang, and I couldn't take their call. So, I tried another test call from my mobile to my landline, and that also failed. Clearly, something is wrong, but BT don't seem able to figure out exactly what. This has only happened since the digital switchover.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

licquorice — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:34:47 GMT

How did you reset the hub? Via the hub manager only performs a soft reset, try a full factory reset by pressing the recessed button for about 20 seconds until the lights flash.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:17:51 GMT

I think I may be getting there slowly, having just come off the phone with BT. Although my test call failed earlier today, I was able to take a call just now from BT without any problem. They also did more diagnostic tests. They think the only problem could be the age of my phone. It's not ancient, but it's a few years old. Apparently my next step is to get a brand new phone, connect it and hope for the best.

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

licquorice — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:37:48 GMT

Hmm, the age of the phone shouldn't make any difference.

Did you try the factory reset?

Re: Phone rings even after I answer

peadea — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:42:40 GMT

I tried the factory reset the other day, as well as the bog-standard 'turn it off and turn it on again'.