Digital Voice and Call Waiting

[HamishW]

We recently transferred to BT Digital Voice and are very pleased with it. For our own reasons we have chosen to remain using our existing answering machine which works perfectly. However when we answer a call and another person rings our number he is diverted to BT Voicemail which we never use and thus never receive the message. Can this be corrected. Thank you.

[imjolly]

try suggestion from previous post

https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Digital-Voice-How-to-disable-voicemail-func...

[VeteranISPUser]

Hi @HamishW   Is it because you have multi call (default) activated so the second call is not getting an engaged tone. You need to change it to single call. It is very easy to change using a DV HD handset, not sure how you do it without.

[HamishW]

I am currently using Panasonic Dect phones which may work with similar instructions. What instructions are required when using a BT Digital phone?

Many thanks.

[licquorice]

No, your Panasonic DECT phones can't be used to turn off multi call, it needs to be DV handset.

[chrisjp]

"However when we answer a call and another person rings our number he is diverted to BT Voicemail which we never use and thus never receive the message."
If the second caller leaves a message on BT voicemail you'll know about it because your normal dialtone will change to an interrupted one. It's then a simple matter to key in 1571 to listen to the message.
This seems to me to a be a useful feature rather than a problem. When you're on a call your own answer machine won't record a message from a second caller, but BT voicemail will.

[VeteranISPUser]

Hi @HamishW   

It is really worth having a DV HD Handset for situations like this. If you look on eBay they are very cheap. Just search for "bt hd phone". If only to change settings.

On a DV HD Handset you will find it in Settings under Line settings.

[HamishW]

It is a useful feature if you wish to use BT, but I have used trueCall for years and have had all of the advantages and more before BT thought of it..