This topic

Line ringing as Busy when caller isn't on the phone

stevensmith2003 — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:11:57 GMT

I think I know what the answer is going to be but I thought I would ask it, I regularly call one number at specific times but sometimes it rings engaged and even if I try calling it successively over two or three minutes it still rings engaged, when I eventually get through the person I am calling says they weren't on the phone.

is there something wrong with their line or is the fact that BT exchange can't cope with the volume of calls and because the system is busy I get an engaged tone even though the caller isnt engaged.

Its quite annoying when you make calls at pre-agreed times and then can't get through.

never used to have these problems in the old days, is there just not the capacity in the system to ring between exchanges anymore.

Re: Line ringing as Busy when caller isn't on the phone

iniltous — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:24:01 GMT

I think you are suggesting you are getting equipment engaged tone , rather than engaged tone ….although they sound similar EET does differ from ET , TBH , it’s not really credible that it’s equipment engaged tone , relatively speaking no one makes calls anymore, there will be no capacity problems given the huge decline in the number of calls made these days compared to yesteryear…

Presumably you are a BT customer , otherwise you would have no business posting here , but is the number you are calling also a BT customer, there are dozens of companies that provide telephone services not just BT , many have their own networks, also if you get engaged tone when calling this number (when you know they are not actually using the phone ) , the issue could easily be their own telephone equipment, or their telephone line , or their provider’s equipment, therefore the onus is on them ( once they confirm it’s not their own equipment by using a different phone instrument ) to report it to whoever they pay for their telephone service , it’s frustrating for you , but it’s not your problem

Re: Line ringing as Busy when caller isn't on the phone

stevensmith2003 — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:29:25 GMT

thanks for your reply, yes both numbers are BT numbers, the only difference is that mine is BT Digital Voice Line and the number I am calling is traditional phone line but on an sub exchange of the main STD exchange.

I hadn't thought about your comment about there being less people making calls but I guess your right so why the network would be busy is unlikely.