New digital phone line and new hub and being unable to use answering machine

[bizzey]

DM had a new hub put in ....as she panicked over something that was not clear in the letter they sent her !

She took it upon herself to organise this

Since then her answer machine has not been picking up messages.

It just goes to 1571 (BT)

Person on phone said that the new digital service does not connect to answer machines .

I have got engineer coming out tomorrow to her house ... while I am there ...

But has this happened to anyone else ?

DM is an 85 year old ...and can't manage 1571 ...she likes to see the answer machine flashing (!) to know she has got messages .

She can't even hear the difference between ring tones to know she has a message !

How can I help her please .

Thanks.

I am ready for a battle not really!..I am so tired doing all her other things ! I could have done without this battle !!

I’ve explained how to sort this - see earlier post

Sorry @Theteapotsbrokenspout 😕

So I increase her rings to X so answer machine picks up before 1571 ?

You need to increase the number of rings on 1571 to maximum and make sure her answerphone is set to less number of rings than 1571.

Thank you 😊 👍

Does she call back using 1471?

Ha ha ...yes ...I have had lots of discussions with her about the 1471 ring back !

I think she still does it !

Long story !

I have told her to hang up and just ring the number as she knows who's number it is of by heart .

She just automatically presses #3 !

We were switched earlier this year. We don't use an answer phone - we only have the landline because our two elderly mums won't call mobiles, so not many others use it. We prefer people call back rather than leaving a message. I cannot find a way to disable 1571 - it's very annoying.

I got my mum a bt call minder phone (3handsets) and built in answer machine from Argos. It has big buttons!

It announces calls so scam callers generally can't be bothered and ring off before they get through.

The answer machine beeps and flashes so you know it has a message.

I have the same one. Both of us have digital lines. Although I'm not best pleased that BT allowed my mum to get a digital line when she doesn't have a mobile phone as if the broadband goes down she is without a phone in case of emergency.

We had similar with my mum's phone. Her BT phone was changed to EE for some reason. EEs answer service was kicking in before her phone.

I changed it so her phone kicked in after 4 rings but it doesn't leave her much time to answer it! She was supposed to be calling to switch off the EE answer service.

@Elieza ask BT for a back up battery and handset which means she should not get cut off if mains power to hub goes down. Dm cannot use a mobile due to sight issues and they are not supposed to leave vulnerable people without contact in an emergency.

Thanks!

It gets even more complicated now !

BT / Open reach person came .
Changed settings.

Answer machine worked and received message.

I go home .

Chat DM later and she said a friend left message ...but she never got it .

I tested something out . (!!)

Turns out if DM ',s land line is in use ...IE on phone to me on my landline ..
When I ring her at same time from my mobile phone ...to her landline...it does not go to engaged signal ...it rings and goes to 1571 .

Phew !

So people are ringing when her phone is engaged...but do not know ...and lave a message instead ...that she doesn't know about !

And when I try to check on her of an evening...I would think she is not in as opposed to her phone being engaged !

If her phone was engaged ..I would be happy knowing she is chatting to someone at 9.30 -10pm at night instead of not answering her phone !

Omg ...I so hope this makes sense !

What next !

She is 85 living alone ..I do check in with her at night ...in case anyone thinks I am being controlling ! 😞

Yes the caller is told they are being directed to vm. In dm case she has a back up phone on same number which rings even when she is on her regular phone, presumably when someone is leaving a message!

@PiggyPlumPie
Sorry sorry orry !

cant edit your name out 😕 😅!

My DM is the same about refusing to call mobiles. Drives me mad, especially as our landline has stopped working since the digital changeover and BT refuse to do anything about it as we don’t use their router (have to have a special one for work).