Digital Voice Handset faulty

[Chookgate]

Does anyone know how to report a faulty digital voice handset? The one received with the installation of superfast broadband has not worked since day two of receiving it. As soon as a call is received it reboots, which it also does every time a button is pressed. I've resorted to taking out the batteries and throwing it in a drawer.  I have been unable to figure out how to report this, I keep being directed to problems regarding either broadband or digital voice. Both work, it's just the actual handset that doesn't work.

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

@Chookgate 

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

It could be that the batteries are no good, as it seems a common issue with this phone. They are often faulty when originally supplied by BT.

You can prove this by temporarily swapping the batteries to ordinary alkaline ones, but do not put it on the charger base.

If the phone works with alkaline batteries, then it proves the rechargeable ones are no good, and need replacing.

[Chookgate]

@Keith_Beddoe 

Thanks, don't know why I didn't think of trying that. I've put a pair of non-rechargeable batteries in and it appears to be working. I'll see how it goes over the next couple of days.
New question - do you know how to get replacement batteries compatible with the charging stand?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Chookgate 

Just replace them with the same capacity, or slightly more if you cannot get the exact ones.

There are plenty available online.

The charging circuit is quite basic, and unlikely to overcharge the batteries.

[Gaz112]

My handset was synching 24/7 not allowing most incoming calls because it couldn't synch. It's been reset and batteries removed for hard reset but problem remained. It was unusable and when it rarely did work after a reset there artifact clicks, deafening for the caller (unheard for me). I found an identical handset online (just not BT logo) and it works perfectly! BT have bought cheap bad batches it seems. So much for DV being no extra costs!

[Keith_Beddoe]

@Gaz112 

Judging by what has been posted before, some supplied batteries are very old, and useless.

High internal resistance means that when in use, random disconnections/clicks are quite possible, as they cannot provide the current needed.

Easy to prove by trying normal alkaline batteries.

[Chookgate]

@Gaz112
Interesting, mine was doing that when it wasn't rebooting, it's been lying in a drawer unused for a year (old pre digital voice phone works fine hard wired into back of router). I just thought I'd post a question when I found this forum this morning looking for how to disable 1571. I have to say, so far the alkaline batteries suggested by @Keith_Beddoe are working.

[Chookgate]

@Keith_Beddoe My phone worked perfectly with the supplied batteries for the first day or two - I wonder if the problem is the charging stand? I've ordered some rechargeable batteries from a company named after a rainforest, so we'll see if the stand charges them!

[imjolly]

@Chookgate 

if you read other similar forum posts you will see the change in batteries solved the problem so the charging stand is not the problem - the cheap rechargeable batteries are

[Keith_Beddoe]

It has been mentioned before that the charging circuit is very basic and this is possibly the cause of battery problems. But old expired batteries are the most likely cause. One poster reported that the supplied batteries had a date 14 years ago.