This topic

Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:57:11 GMT

We've had an issue with our landline for a couple of weeks. We have dial tone, can call out but when we receive a call and answer the call is cut off. Openreach have tested 'everything' twice and say it's inbound BT, BT continue to send Openreach engineers. We're stuck! we cannot even divert calls to a mobile. VERY frustrating being caught between their politics. Anyone else experience this? We're thinking the only solution is to cancel the line. TIA

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

PaddyB — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 19:58:37 GMT

Hi @neil121,

Thank you for posting. I'm sorry if you're having problems receiving incoming calls.

Does this happen on all incoming calls or only on calls from certain numbers? Have you tried another phone, just to rule out an issue with the phone itself?

Thanks,

Paddy

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 20:19:57 GMT

Hi Paddy, thank you. the issue happens with all types of calls - so every incoming call. Openreach have tested the single socket I have and the handset. It does the same when they plug their engineers handset in. They have tested (twice), my handset, socket, line to house, line down the poles to cabinet, cabinet to exchange. It would be very helpful if we could at least divert the line but unable to. Even the engineer couldn't do it.

Thanks again

Neil

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

iniltous — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 10:01:59 GMT

Are you on PSTN or Digital Voice ( so plugged into the router or plugged into the wall socket ?)
If still on PSTN , it’s likely an exchange equipment problem and although strictly speaking not Openreach responsibility, given the solution is simply to get different equipment allocated and ‘rejumper’ the line to that ‘new’ equipment, it’s Openreach that perform that action…TBH , it’s not a common issue ( calls cutting of on answer ) but if the copper pair has been checked and is OK , and your phone instrument is OK , it only leaves the exchange equipment

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 18:37:26 GMT

Thank you... PSTN as direct into socket. We only use their landline services. Openreach have been great - twice - and tested everything, They believe its the exchange but BT keep pushing it back. We have a third appointment in January with Openreach which is a waste of time... and we still don't have a phone!.. very frustrating.

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:22:57 GMT

Faulty line card port in the exchange I expect.

As @iniltous has said, just needs connecting to another EN (Equipment Number), assuming that there is a spare ones that is not faulty, as its all very old now, hence the movement to Digital Voice.

Perhaps, with the "stop sell" of PSTN, they cannot raise a repair task, or there is no-one left who knows how to do it.

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

RobbieMac — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 19:42:21 GMT

Hi @neil121

Thank you for your posts and welcome to the BT Community!

I am sorry that you incoming calls are cutting off. A tad frustrating - which I can fully appreciate. It's disappointing that it's taking a little longer to get to the bottom of the issue. We can pick up from here and stay with you until everything is repaired.

I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 21:05:44 GMT

Thank you Keith, I very much appreciate your candid and honest response. That sort of makes sense now.

Sadly BT couldn't provide us with fibre connectivity but an alternative provider could. Perhaps I need to flip the line to digital with the other service provider. My only concern then is loosing our BT email accounts.

All something for me to look into.

Many thanks again and Merry Christmas

BR Neil

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 21:09:51 GMT

@neil121

Make sure you reply to the private message from @RobbieMac

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 21:18:11 GMT

yes, have done.... thanks again

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 22:01:23 GMT

BT do have a solution to provide Digital Voice over an existing copper pair using a low speed broadband connection of 500Kbs, and a Smart Hub 2 on the end.

The connection would not provide Internet connectivity, just VOIP.

This is for landline only customers like yourself.

Meanwhile, I cannot see any reason why your existing PSTN connection cannot be fixed, even if its only an temporary solution until the closure of the PSTN network in 2025.

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

iniltous — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:20:09 GMT

Something to have in mind , the fact that your complaint is about telephony suggests that telephony is important to you , not every ISP or Alternative Network provide telephony with their services, so you could have to use a third party VoIP provider, ( so another ‘fee’ on top of the ISP charge ) and as far as your BT email, if you stop being a BT customer you can use the email by logging in via a web browser to ‘BT’ and use the service that way ( so no email clients ‘pushing’ an indication of new emails etc , ) or you can pay BT for the premium email service but obviously that’s also in addition to whatever your new ISP charges you

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:20:54 GMT

Thanks, that at least helps me understand and provides some options..... all the best

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:23:02 GMT

Thank you. I'm hoping they will fix it, however now I have more information I can at least consider other options should they be unable too. The only reason we have the land line is for two dementia parents and the only way they can contact us.

Thanks again

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:33:09 GMT

Does it cut off if you receive calls from other people?

What happens if you call your home phone from a mobile?

Are the calls from parents direct, or via a monitoring service?

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 12:08:13 GMT

Hi thanks for asking... in response to your questions;

Does it cut off if you receive calls from other people? Yes... any & every incoming call

What happens if you call your home phone from a mobile? Same, cuts off

Are the calls from parents direct, or via a monitoring service? Direct BT landlines..

Its all pretty consistent, can make out going calls but every incoming call cuts off...

thanks again

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 12:14:25 GMT

@neil121

It does sound like an exchange equipment fault.

Have you been contacted by any of the moderators?

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

NeilO — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 12:45:48 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe I can see @StuartH has picked this up

Neil

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 14:03:08 GMT

@NeilO

Hopefully he can get the EN changed in the exchange, that would be a good start. Probably a worn out relay not providing the line voltage when the call is answered.

Its quite an achievement to keep these old exchanges working, considering most of the maintenance staff left years ago.

Re: Landline phone cuts off when answered

neil121 — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:25:27 GMT

Hi Keith, yes several people have contacted me via this forum - which is good - all suggesting a possible issue in the exchange. I have an engineers appointment on the 2nd so hopefully they can get to the bottom of it.

Thanks again for contacting me

all the best Neil