BT Digital Voice and DECT - answerphone issues
Discussion
A few months ago, BT swapped me over to FTTP and Digital Voice. The supplied a basic phone, which plugs into the routercin the garage, and a wifi adaptor which connects to my Panasonic DECT base in the house.
All seems to work, except for the answerphone on the Panasonic- I haven't had a single message since the swap.
Today, I tried to make a call, and the dial tone was a series of tones, not continuous. Googling revealed that this was the voicemail prompt.
I checked the BT phone, and I have a load of voicemails.
Looks like the BT phone is picking up the unanswered calls, diverting to voicemail, rather than the Panasonic recording the message.
Problem is, I don't see any notification, because the BT phone is in the garage, and the Panasonic obviously doesn't flash the "message" light.
What can I do to stop this?
All seems to work, except for the answerphone on the Panasonic- I haven't had a single message since the swap.
Today, I tried to make a call, and the dial tone was a series of tones, not continuous. Googling revealed that this was the voicemail prompt.
I checked the BT phone, and I have a load of voicemails.
Looks like the BT phone is picking up the unanswered calls, diverting to voicemail, rather than the Panasonic recording the message.
Problem is, I don't see any notification, because the BT phone is in the garage, and the Panasonic obviously doesn't flash the "message" light.
What can I do to stop this?
I presume turning off the BT voicemail would then have your DECT phone ringing until its answer machine picked up to allow your caller to leave a message on it.
A quick search gives me this .... "You can turn off BT Digital Voice voicemail by managing your calling features through your BT online account or the My BT app. You can also dial 15710 from your phone, which disables the service, or contact BT customer service."
A quick search gives me this .... "You can turn off BT Digital Voice voicemail by managing your calling features through your BT online account or the My BT app. You can also dial 15710 from your phone, which disables the service, or contact BT customer service."
Techno9000 said:
I presume turning off the BT voicemail would then have your DECT phone ringing until its answer machine picked up to allow your caller to leave a message on it.
A quick search gives me this .... "You can turn off BT Digital Voice voicemail by managing your calling features through your BT online account or the My BT app. You can also dial 15710 from your phone, which disables the service, or contact BT customer service."
Tried doing it by calling 15710. I can alter the answering period to short, medium or long, but not turn it offA quick search gives me this .... "You can turn off BT Digital Voice voicemail by managing your calling features through your BT online account or the My BT app. You can also dial 15710 from your phone, which disables the service, or contact BT customer service."
Mr Pointy said:
If you set the BT voicemail to the longest setting & the Panasonic to less than this, does it pick up before the BT voicemail kicks in?
I'm guessing it would, not sure that the maximum 30 seconds is enough for me though.Also, I'm not sure if the BT phone knows that the call has been answered by the Panasonic phone.
I know for sure that, if I answer a call on the BT phone, the Panasonic will see it as being unanswered, and start recording, or flag it as a missed call.
The whole Digital Voice thing seems to be a bit of a mess.
When I get a call, the BT phone rings for a couple of seconds before the Panasonic rings, and sometimes the ring of the Panasonic goes a bit funny - continuous ring for several seconds, then back to the normal intermittent ring sound.
Not sure if these problems are caused by using the BT WiFi adaptor? Might have to try a direct wired connection, but that'll mean moving the router back inside the house, and using two existing cat5 cables with a coupler in the loft at the comms "rack"
Edited by clockworks on Tuesday 11th November 11:02
I have a similar set up but with Siemens answer phone. BT useless at advising obout implications of change but engineer was brilliant.
I have remote phone with adapter but it is not connected to system/router at all.
My answer machine is plugged into the green phone socket on the back of the router.
It all works just the same as before the change over including the 3 wireless extension phone. My understanding is that the free BT phone-together with chargeable battery pack is for emergency use only as phone socket does not have the low power supply that so that you can plug a single handset into what used to be the box (or splitter for phone/broadband) at the point of entry of cable into the premises.
Looks a
Hopefully just unplug the BT phone from the back of the router and replace with answer machine phone cable.
IAs I understand your setup router is in garage - so you still wont see indicator on answer machine base but with setup I have all phones(wireless connection to base station i.e only have to plug 3pin 240v plug in. A flash red light show msg received on qll handsets
HTH
I have remote phone with adapter but it is not connected to system/router at all.
My answer machine is plugged into the green phone socket on the back of the router.
It all works just the same as before the change over including the 3 wireless extension phone. My understanding is that the free BT phone-together with chargeable battery pack is for emergency use only as phone socket does not have the low power supply that so that you can plug a single handset into what used to be the box (or splitter for phone/broadband) at the point of entry of cable into the premises.
Looks a
Hopefully just unplug the BT phone from the back of the router and replace with answer machine phone cable.
IAs I understand your setup router is in garage - so you still wont see indicator on answer machine base but with setup I have all phones(wireless connection to base station i.e only have to plug 3pin 240v plug in. A flash red light show msg received on qll handsets
HTH
Edited by twokcc on Tuesday 11th November 11:44
Edited by twokcc on Tuesday 11th November 12:02
twokcc said:
I have a similar set up but with Siemens answer phone. BT useless at advising obout implications of change but engineer was brilliant.
I have remote phone with adapter but it is not connected to system/router at all.
My answer machine is plugged into the green phone socket on the back of the router.
It all works just the same as before the change over including the 3 wireless extension phone. My understanding is that the free BT phone-together with chargeable battery pack is for emergency use only as phone socket does not have the low power supply that so that you can plug a single handset into what used to be the box (or splitter for phone/broadband) at the point of entry of cable into the premises.
Hopefully just unplug the BT phone from the back of the router and replace with answer machine phone cable.
HTH
Because the router is now in the garage, next to the fibre terminal box, I can't plug in the Panasonic DECT base station. DECT range isn't enough to reach the other side of the house.I have remote phone with adapter but it is not connected to system/router at all.
My answer machine is plugged into the green phone socket on the back of the router.
It all works just the same as before the change over including the 3 wireless extension phone. My understanding is that the free BT phone-together with chargeable battery pack is for emergency use only as phone socket does not have the low power supply that so that you can plug a single handset into what used to be the box (or splitter for phone/broadband) at the point of entry of cable into the premises.
Hopefully just unplug the BT phone from the back of the router and replace with answer machine phone cable.
HTH
Edited by twokcc on Tuesday 11th November 11:44
I need to keep the DECT base in the middle of the house for a decent signal. I would have to move the router back to the same location, and would then need an ethernet connection out to the garage.
I've got ethernet cables in both locations, running back up into the loft. I could try joining them using an RJ45 coupler?
Alternatively, could I use a small 4 port switch to join the cables? I've got a spare switch.
To clarify, would this work:
ONT > cat5 > 4 port switch > cat5 > BT router
Pulling a new cat5 cable will be a right pain, but joining 2 existing cables is a possibility
I could then keep the BT handset just for emergencies (already have 2 battery packs for the ONT and router), and ditch the BT wireless phone adaptor.
I'm just wondering if putting a switch (or coupler) between the ONT and router is going to cause any problems?
Techno9000 said:
A coupler wouldn't introduce any problem beyond the possibilities of a poor connection, so it ought to work.
I imagine a switch should work as well, but why would you need to? It needs powering and may fail at some point in time.
I've already got a spare switch that I could try.I imagine a switch should work as well, but why would you need to? It needs powering and may fail at some point in time.
I would have to order a coupler
Be easier to try the switch first, then get a coupler if necessary for reliability
ow far is the fibre in box away from the existing position of the Panasonic base. ?
Rember when we used to use telephone extension cables to move phone position inside house. I would thick one of these would be suffient if you can get one long enough to route between fibre in box to back of answer machine, Very cheap from Screwfix etc
Rember when we used to use telephone extension cables to move phone position inside house. I would thick one of these would be suffient if you can get one long enough to route between fibre in box to back of answer machine, Very cheap from Screwfix etc
twokcc said:
ow far is the fibre in box away from the existing position of the Panasonic base. ?
Rember when we used to use telephone extension cables to move phone position inside house. I would thick one of these would be suffient if you can get one long enough to route between fibre in box to back of answer machine, Very cheap from Screwfix etc
It'd be very messy to run a new cable. Joining two existing cat5 cables and moving the router will be easierRember when we used to use telephone extension cables to move phone position inside house. I would thick one of these would be suffient if you can get one long enough to route between fibre in box to back of answer machine, Very cheap from Screwfix etc
clockworks said:
.....
The whole Digital Voice thing seems to be a bit of a mess.
When I get a call, the BT phone rings for a couple of seconds before the Panasonic rings, and sometimes the ring of the Panasonic goes a bit funny - continuous ring for several seconds, then back to the normal intermittent ring sound.
Not sure if these problems are caused by using the BT WiFi adaptor?
I kept my old standalone desk phone plugged into a BT wifi adapter and it's pretty iffy - doesn't always ring and incoming voice drops out during calls. I don't use it anymore - it's just handy for looking at the caller ID (when it works).The whole Digital Voice thing seems to be a bit of a mess.
When I get a call, the BT phone rings for a couple of seconds before the Panasonic rings, and sometimes the ring of the Panasonic goes a bit funny - continuous ring for several seconds, then back to the normal intermittent ring sound.
Not sure if these problems are caused by using the BT WiFi adaptor?
Also have a Panasonic DECT answerphone plugged into the router (appreciate that's awkward for you) and that works fine. Didn't have any issues with the BT system but I have the Panny set to answer anfer 6 rings so perhaps it's simply quicker.
Mostly we use the BT basic fibre phones. They sent us two and they work fine - call quality is excellent. Maybe you could use those, then you wouldn't need th separate answerphone in the Panasonic system?
Sheepshanks said:
I kept my old standalone desk phone plugged into a BT wifi adapter and it's pretty iffy - doesn't always ring and incoming voice drops out during calls. I don't use it anymore - it's just handy for looking at the caller ID (when it works).
Also have a Panasonic DECT answerphone plugged into the router (appreciate that's awkward for you) and that works fine. Didn't have any issues with the BT system but I have the Panny set to answer anfer 6 rings so perhaps it's simply quicker.
Mostly we use the BT basic fibre phones. They sent us two and they work fine - call quality is excellent. Maybe you could use those, then you wouldn't need th separate answerphone in the Panasonic system?
Good to know that the Panasonic DECT works properly if plugged into the router. I'll do that.Also have a Panasonic DECT answerphone plugged into the router (appreciate that's awkward for you) and that works fine. Didn't have any issues with the BT system but I have the Panny set to answer anfer 6 rings so perhaps it's simply quicker.
Mostly we use the BT basic fibre phones. They sent us two and they work fine - call quality is excellent. Maybe you could use those, then you wouldn't need th separate answerphone in the Panasonic system?
For years, I've had 4 phones around the house, 4 pack DECT does this fine.
I think the limit is 2 for the BT phones?
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