Phone not ringing on incoming calls

[MontysDad1]

Hi,

I’ve just started having a problem with my cordless answerphone (a BT product), which now does not ring for incoming calls. We’ve had this phone for years & it’s worked perfectly. 

The phone does not ring when an incoming call is placed, and the answerphone also does not pick up. Outgoing calls seem unaffected. Although the phone registers incoming calls on the display, we can’t connect to the call and the phone appears to drop the call after one or two seconds. The display shows a missed call thereafter. 

I recently bought a new Panasonic answerphone and experienced exactly the same issue - at first I thought it was the new phone, but after reinstalling the previous BT one, the problem continued. Although initially, the BT phone did ring when test calls was placed from another landline & mobile, it’s since stopped receiving again.

We have a broadband/landline splitter box, installed by a BT engineer some years ago, which has worked faultlessly up to yesterday. The broadband is still working fine.

I’ve read elsewhere this could be a line card issue, so want to know what the best way is to resolving if the is the case. Any help would be much appreciated, as I work from home so need the landline every day.

Thanks

[Keith_Beddoe]

@MontysDad1 

Yes it does sound like a faulty port on an exchange line card, but it could be a line fault causing "ring trip", but that would normally result in a short ring.

Have you reported this to BT?

[imjolly]

have you tried using a filter in the test socket to see if that makes a difference just in case the problem is a faulty faceplate

[MontysDad1]

Hi Keith,
No, not reported to BT yet, wanted to get some clarification of the problem first. Any tips on the best route for reporting?

[MontysDad1]

No, not tried that, and not entirely sure how to. The socket we have describes itself as Master Socket 5C, and has only two ports that I can see.

[imjolly]

you need to remove the faceplate  there are no screws just squeeze the sides and front should come off revealing the test socket.  just connect old style filter and then your phone or connect phone direct without broadband and then see if phone works.  if it does then faulty faceplate in no change then report fault to BT

make sure when you replace faceplate that it clips surely back into place

[MontysDad1]

Right-o, I’ll give that a go. Thanks

[MontysDad1]

No change, so will report to BT. Wish me luck…

[MontysDad1]

Hi,
I’ve ascertained that the fault lies with the line, not the phone & have contacted BT via phone & text. And here’s the problem - I don’t have an account with BT for the phone or broadband, but my supplier only provides the service, not the infrastructure. As such, they cannot resolve this issue.
BT say (via an automated bot) they cannot verify my number etc, and repeated calls just result in the same outcome - reply PHONE to text which results in the same thing every time. It’s useless and never ending cycle of despair. Is there a number I can actually speak to someone? Rapidly losing the will to live!

[imjolly · Accepted solution]

If you are not a BT customer then you need to report the phone fault to your ISP.  there is nothing BT Retail can do to help you and your ISP needs to contact openreach to get your fault fixed

this is a forum for customers of BT Retail