Ring time before voicemail

[Morecambe]

With BT Mobile, is the time before switching to voicemail limited to 20 seconds? A recent post suggests that it is, other posts elsewhere suggest not. Even the suggested dial code to change the time varies according to where one looks. In a recent call to BT technical, the person was not aware that the time could be changed, and as for what code to use, it was suggested that “that was in the phone”, so no help there.

I used **61*+447953222222*11*20# and the call forwarding time was subsequently seen to be set for 20 secs. I now have 4 rings, (previously only had 2 rings). But if I repeat that dial code but use 30 instead of 20, I am informed that registration has been successful, however subsequent checking using *#61# indicates that time is still 20 seconds.

All I am seeking is a definitive answer to what should be a basic question on setting up a phone using BT Mobile. Either the maximum time is limited to 20 seconds, or I am dialling in an incorrect code. My understanding is that other network providers normally have a 30 second maximum, one or two having 25 seconds max.  So 20 seconds appears unusually low, which makes me think that I am doing something wrong.

regards

[imjolly]

@Morecambe 

that looks like your own mobile number and is so you need to delete before you get more scam calls than you can handle

[Morecambe]

Not my mobile or anywhere near it. But must admit not sure exactly what it is, so have changed the last 6 digits as that can be seen everywhere and appears to be some form of generic number which can be used to change time.

[Keith_Beddoe]

Its the BT Mobile Voicemail Number, not your mobile number.

[Morecambe]

Taken from BT’s own Help FAQ, 

“ Can I change the time it takes before my calls are forwarded to voicemail ?”

“Yes. You can change the time it takes before your calls are forwarded to voicemail to a maximum of 30 seconds, in denominations of 5 seconds. Simply call **61*+447953222222*11*no. of seconds# e.g. **61*+447953222222*11*5# for 5 seconds.”

Clearly experience suggests this is incorrect, perhaps possibly outdated, as unable to increase time beyond 20 seconds.  Thus my original questions still stand.

[Morecambe]

As no answer forthcoming from BT community, I had a look at the EE community. Users were having identical problems, ie  unable to change the time before forwarding to voicemail from 20 secs. It appears to be quite an old problem and one for which no solution had been found. They also had received the same rubbish from their Technical Support, being told that the time is fixed at 20secs, or it is set in your phone, etc, etc. Why can’t Tech Support people just say they don’t know, instead of making a fool of themselves.

But interestingly, there was a post from one person who had been trying and had failed to alter the time from 20 to 30 seconds . He then discovered that if he put the SIM in an old phone, he could successfully change the time from 20 to 30 seconds. After returning the SIM to his new phone, it could be seen that the time was now set at 30 secs. Think his new phone was a Galaxy S9 and his old phone was an S6.

On seeing that post , others have since replicated the process and successfully changed their time, so it appears to be a workaround that works. Why an old phone should act differently to a new is unknown, also don’t know if the problem is unique  to later Galaxy phones; I have an S23.

Just need an old phone now, my old phone went back as a trade-in!!

[ctrlz]

It may well not work. The ring time is set at a network level and it’s not something BT allow users to change. The code is correct however only works on supported networks who allow their users to alter that setting, which BT don’t.

[Morecambe]

This is part of the problem, so many conflicting opinions but no-one really knows. You can’t even get a definite answer out of BT or EE, the network providers.

But as for saying that BT does not allow change, this is totally contrary to the BT Help FAQ as I quoted in message 5 of this thread. Furthermore, I started off with 2 rings before being forwarded to voicemail, I now have 4. I was merely wanting that little bit longer, ie increase my current 20 seconds to 30. Getting past 20 seconds is what I, and seemingly countless others, have failed to achieve, and it would be nice to know why.

As for the code, it is correct for BT/EE. The other networks, like Vodafone, have their own codes, all of which can be readily found.