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Message 1 of 5

Does BT clear down calls after a fixed period?

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I have a problem in that I'm trying to get an issue resolved with Disney's website technical support line.   The queue time (ie music on hold...) is typically > two hours.    My mobile provider Three,  close the connection after 120 minutes.   It's a housekeeping policy designed to manage things like pocket dials.   It means that out of four attempts I've only spoken to Disney twice and as soon as the desk agent puts me on hold,  the process runs continues to run and disconnects the call.

Does anyone know if BT landline services have the same policy?    It's really frustrating to get a call disconnected when you have been trying for four hours and your call drops out at midnight.

 

 

 

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Message 2 of 5

Re: Does BT clear down calls after a fixed period?

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@Steve_Withnell 

No, that would not apply to BT Retail phone connections, but it could be very costly if you have the wrong calls package.

https://www.bt.com/assets/pdf/BT_PhoneTariff_Residential.pdf

Be aware there may be a fair usage policy, so it would be best to read the T&Cs.

https://www.bt.com/terms/post1stsep2020voiceandbroadband

There is this mention which may apply "Fair Usage Policy applies: Maximum 1000 minutes or 150 calls a month. If either of these limits on inclusive calls is exceeded, BT will charge for these calls until further
notice."

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Message 3 of 5

Re: Does BT clear down calls after a fixed period?

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Thanks Keith, that's perfect.
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Message 4 of 5

Re: Does BT clear down calls after a fixed period?

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Normally the person making the call , controls the call, so the recipient can temporarily hang up , and come back and the call hasn’t cleared ( typically answering the call on one handset and then continuing the call on a different handset )  the call doesn’t clear immediately.

There were some small changes made relatively recently by BT where the time before the ‘called party clear’ signal was acted upon,  so that a called party could call out quickly , and not be held up by the previous incoming call not hanging up, but this ‘called  party clear’ signal is not necessarily within the control of the outgoing call provider, obviously a BT to BT customer is, but a call from a BT customer to a non BT customer isn’t.

If the company you called has there own ‘system’ setup to send a ‘called party clear’ signal at whatever time they think appropriate , for example, if after the  ‘your call is important, we will deal with you ASAP’ , they have a policy to clear the call after 2 hours , irrespective of the call being dealt with, there is nothing the company you use to make the call , can do about that .

It could also be your outgoing provider also limits the duration, but that’s less likely, a call answered and getting music on hold appears identical to a call answered and a conversation taking place , so your provider is not likely to simply cut the call off after what it thinks is an appropriate length of time…basically if Disney want to cut the call off after a period they chose, they can.

Listening to the initial ‘ringtone’ is different, your call provide can and will terminate your call if you sit and want to let a call ring out for hours , but this is the ringtone before the call is answered with an announcement saying ‘you are in a queue ‘,  if they reapply ringtone  while you wait, the call is still answered as far as your provider is concerned .

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Message 5 of 5

Re: Does BT clear down calls after a fixed period?

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Speaking of Disney, I kept getting cut off after a 2 hour wait (even when speaking to an advisor - the minute there was silence on the line the call cleared down). Disney insisted it wasn't them - turned out it was Three. Three had the two hour limit in place. The advice from Three "Just dial again - you'll be fine" -
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