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HowdyPartner's avatar
HowdyPartner
Joining in
10 months ago

Old Bakelite phone does not ring with incoming calls.

Hi,

Been with Virgin for over a year and thought I’d use the land line for a change instead of mobiles. So I bought a Bakelite phone as it looked cool. Phone rang when first connected but next day hasn’t worked since. Dial tone works, outgoing calls work, incoming calls work but the phone doesn’t ring when someone calls.

I’ve looked at various chats. 
I’m lost. I’ve investigated using various rotary phone links to digital boxes and bought different things but nothing makes the phone ring.

I’ve bought a phone capacitor as suggested on another chat; I’ve tried a voip phone adapter; I’m just getting bored buying things people suggest and they don’t work. Turned off the answerphone. Had a virgin man come round who said it was just the phone and I need a digital one. Not helpful really.

In layman’s terms, I need a device to change the line to mimick the old phone line that is dead. But it has to go between the Virgin hub (i assume) and the rotary phone. 
People have suggested a grandstream HT801 but I’m hesitant as things haven’t worked in the past. Also, a Cisco SPA 112 has been aired.

Any ideas?!

4 Replies

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  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    10 months ago

    Have you tested the phone elsewhere since you first installed it (in a conventional telephone socket of a friend, family member, neighbour etc.) to make sure it does still ring for an incoming call?

    Do you have other phones plugged into the line from the VM hub (by adapters, splitters etc.)? If you do, does the vintage phone ring when it is the only device connected?

    The VOIP adapters would only be of any use if you moved to a VOIP service provider. VM does not offer a true VOIP service.

    • HowdyPartner's avatar
      HowdyPartner
      Joining in
      10 months ago

      Hi,

      thanks for responding. 
      The phone works on my friends old phone line. My one is dead and not used.

      Don’t have any other phones connected from the hub.

      Do you know what device can be used from between the Virgin hub and the rotary phone to mimick the old style phone line? Seems crazy there’s nothing out there to do this.

      I’m aware all the phone lines are being removed completely so I probably need a long term solution as all bakerlites/rotary phones will be obsolete otherwise. 

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    10 months ago

    The socket on the back of the VM hub emulates the behaviour of a telephone socket. The key difference is that there is no ringing capacitor in the adapter which VM supplies (unlike a telephone master socket on the wall for a conventional line)

    There have been quite a few past topics where vintage rotary phones have been made to ring with this adapter

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

    but there is no guarantee that it will work for your phone.

    The adapters are generic items so, if you have bought one with a ringing capacitor in, it should work.

    Post up a link to the adapter you purchased for comparison and have you checked that the item you were actually sent was definitely one with a ringing capacitor in?

    Did you buy the rotary phone already converted to work on a modern line (with rotary to tone conversion already done and a BT plug fitted) or did you buy a kit to do the conversion yourself?

    If you bought the phone already converted, have you referred back to the supplier of the phone for further advice?

  • Vikki_M's avatar
    Vikki_M
    Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
    10 months ago

    Hi HowdyPartner

    Thanks for your post and welcome to our community.

    We're sorry to hear your phone handset isn't working. 

    Have you received one of our adaptors in the post?

    Do you have another phone handset you could try please? The older models such as rotary dial may not be compatible. 

    Please pop back to us when you can.