Forum Discussion

Thegovernoruk's avatar
Thegovernoruk
Tuning in
2 years ago
Solved

Compatible make model of phones

hi folks, 

I have Hub 5 with supplied adaptor. Can anyone tell me what make and model number of cordless phones they have working with it? I’ve tried two models of BT advanced phones and neither work. Virgin advise the line has been checked and working fine so think it may be incompatible phones. If yours are working with a Hub 5 can you tell me what your phones are please? Many thanks.

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    2 years ago

    Personally, I would suggest that you try and borrow a very simple corded phone from someone before splashing the cash on a new phone setup of any quality. There have been loads of topics on here when VM has advised new phones to solve a problem only to find out later on the original phones were fine and there was some other kind of fault.

    There have been a variety of issues reported with Hub 5 telephony, also the move to 21CV for some customers has caused issues and there have been problems with BT phones generally. Your number port also may not have completed correctly if a call does not connect when you answer.

    So you have a multiple set of possible issues (of which replacing the phones is only one of them). You need to go through some logical steps to pin down if you have a phone handset problem or a line problem.

    I don't have a landline phone any more but, when I did, I always had a super-simple corded phone handy for the purposes of diagnosing and testing faults and problems.

    I used the cheapest corded phone on Argos which is £10 for a simple corded gondola handset. Even if you later go on to buy a proper replacement system, this sort of device is always handy to have about for basic testing of the line IMHO

    https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3924358

    Even better would be something similar with a caller ID display to check caller ID is working too (for a similar price if you can find such a thing).

    If you can borrow something simple like the above then use a borrowed phone to test the line. It needs to be a 'modern' device (no more than 10 years old). If a super simple phone does not connect a call then you have a line problem. If a super simple phone works OK then your BT phone may be the issue, either with compatibility or some kind of setup issue with the BT phone.

  • Hey Theogovernoruk, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear this.

    Have you tried to do a Google Search on this, places like Argos, Amazon, eBay and more sell a lot of phones which do work with 21CV. Cheers 

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta

    There is no reason that model of phone should not work with a VM hub.

    In what way is the phone setup not working?

    In a previous topic you mentioned not having the phone cable for the base station.

    How are you linking the base station to the VM hub?

    Have you tested your Advanced Phone on a different line to check it is still working OK? You mentioned the system had been out of use for two years previously.

    If you use the 'paging' function (press 'Find' on the base to start/stop the paging process) do all the handsets ring (which will prove they are linked OK to the base)?

    • Matthew_ML's avatar
      Matthew_ML
      Forum Team

      Thank you for posting some advice goslow, 

      Hopefully this will give you an idea 🙂 

    • Thegovernoruk's avatar
      Thegovernoruk
      Tuning in

      Hi goslow, yes all two phones ring and cradle blinks to advise incoming call. I think I might need to try phones elsewhere as I got a new cable from cradle to hub just in case direct from BT just in case my phones are goosed. When with BT They supplied two free phones which was wi fi connection. Ie just plugged into mains not to hub. I have the adaptor supplied in slot 1 and the new cable goes direct into that but neighbours phone which is BT advanced as well didn’t work with my hub either. I was just hoping to have anyone on here tell me to buy eg Panasonic or Giga set blah blah cause they work with their hub 5. On saying that, I only get weekend calls and in fairness was the reason of getting rid of BT as we rarely use a landline now so not needing all singing and dancing phones as long as they work with this hub. Ideally a proven model of one someone is currently using. 

      • Matthew_ML's avatar
        Matthew_ML
        Forum Team

        Did you have a look on Google, I did a quick search and there is a few phones that pop up? 

  • I have recently joined Virgin Media and use a house phone. It has been connected to the back of the hub, and when I pick up the phone the tone is there. I can even call others and if they call me and I pick it up, I can talk to them. However, the phone does not ring. I have turned the volume up to max and it still does not ring through. I went and bought 3 other phones that I know worked fine and these also do not ring through. The tone is there when I pick up the receiver and I can dial others, but if somebody phones me I won't know. As I can only phone others at the weekend it was more for receiving calls as I don't have a mobile phone, but as I won't know when somebody calls, it kind of defeats the purpose of having one. So I am paying for a service I am not being provided with. When I called virgin media, they said everything is fine on their end but clearly it is not as I know these phones work fine with Now TV etc. It's like hitting my head against a brick wall, but when do these big corporations care for us mere peasants?

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta

      How old are the phones you are trying to connect?

      Some phones (usually from the early 2000s or before) require a 'ringing capacitor' in the connection to make the phone ring. A telephone master socket on the wall has the ringing capacitor but the VM adapter does not.

      For the non-ringing problem with old phones, some have had success with this item

      https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393200143905

      which contains the ringing capacitor. No guarantee it will solve your problem though. It is a generic item so it can be obtained from other brands/suppliers.