Automatic line disconnect after a set period

[Banff]

I have a strange request - I'm looking for an in-line device that will automatically disconnect a line after say 30 or 60 minutes without any human intervention.

The Reason:

My 95 y/o father  shuffles around his house with a handset in his pocket in case of emergencies and occasionally he accidentally opens the line - which requires texts and phone calls to neighbours to call round to tell him.

The Problem:

He has an emergency alarm activated by a pendant around his neck. However, the alarm system shares the phone line and if the "hook is off" it won't work - hence the need to "auto-hang-up" after a preset time. Regrettably the alarm has been used several times over the past months.

Does anyone know of such a device or does BT offer this option? Even better if an average silence detector is available too.

Many thanks for reading this - I'm sure those of you with elderly friends or relatives will understand!

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Banff 

Welcome to this user forum.

If the alarm unit is wired correctly, then the phone connection  should be connected via the alarm unit, so that it always has priority over outgoing calls.

My late parents had one supplied via Age UK, and it had  a connection socket for the phone, and a lead to plug into the phone socket. If the phone was in use, it would give an alert message, then disconnect the line shortly afterwards, so it could make the call. Its worth checking to see if its wired correctly, and the base unit for the phone, is plugged into the correct place.

There is no automatic release of a BT line, so if he does not hang up the phone.

If its being held for a long time, then a mains timer in the lead to the phone base unit could be programmed to momentarily disconnect the mains supply at a time when he is unlikely to be on a call. A short disconnection of about 20 seconds, should be enough. 

[Banff]

Thank you very much for your speedy and very detailed reply. 

I think the base units are both tee'd into the same socket but will explore the daisy-chaining options immediately!

Thanks again.

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@Banff wrote:

Thank you very much for your speedy and very detailed reply. 

I think the base units are both tee'd into the same socket but will explore the daisy-chaining options immediately!

Thanks again.

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Its probably been done that way to make it easy to install. There are only a few different manufacturers, and they should all have that daisy chain feature, for exactly the reason you describe. 

I cannot remember which make my parents had, but it had an alarm button and two pendants.

[Firefox1701]

If you don't have any luck any other way,  it might be worth giving this forum a try:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=111

Many of the people on there are engineers and ex-engineers,  and I've found them very helpful.    I wouldn't guarantee they'll be able to point you to any kind of proprietary device that does what you require it to do,  but they may be able to give you some instructions as to how you might come up with a workaround.    Worth a shot if you don't have any luck any other way.