Virgin Media Community

[Simono1958]

Since the recent enforced switch from copper to fibre Virgin has compromised my phone system, which is based on twin (expensive) Beocom 6000 wireless phones. I can make outgoing calls as usual with them but with incoming, they do not ring and callers are quickly disconnected, or else told the line is busy. 

My backup wired phone is not ringing either, although callers just getting no answer, so if I pick up the handset on this when I know that a call is being made, I can receive it. But who knows when someone is calling them if the bell doesn't ring!

Calls to 150 have been lengthy and useless with referrals to higher level engineers who do not follow up and have no solutions - increasing the REN signal hasn't worked for example. 

The best workaround I have achieved so far is to plug an old ADSL filter into the adaptor/converter provided by Virgin and a doubler into that. If I plug just my wired handset into the doubler then I can hear the phone ring and receive calls. I understand that this is because an ADSL filter, although unnecessary in itself, provides a 'ring' line. If then on answering an incoming call on the wired handset I want the benefit of my wireless phone, at that point only I can plug in the wireless phone, the call will be maintained and I can pick up and wander around with the wireless handset. Of course, after the call I have to unplug the Beocom wireless handset again to ensure I can hear and answer the next call.

This isn't really a satisfactory system.

If someone manages to solve this please can they post their solution.

If nobody manages to solve this then do we collectively have a case against Virgin Media to require it to provide replacement wireless phones that work with the new fibre system they are wanting to introduce. Or is it a case of migrating to a provider who supports phones like the Beocom 6000?

[Natalie_L]

Hi Simono1958, 

Welcome to the Community and thank you for posting. 

I am very sorry to hear you are experiencing issues with your handset not ringing when receiving an incoming call. 

Just to check, has the Hub been rebooted since you first noticed the issue?

Also, can you please expand on what the team have advised when reporting the issue?

Thanks, 

[goslow · Accepted solution]

---

@Simono1958 wrote:

Since the recent enforced switch from copper to fibre Virgin has compromised my phone system, which is based on twin (expensive) Beocom 6000 wireless phones. I can make outgoing calls as usual with them but with incoming, they do not ring and callers are quickly disconnected, or else told the line is busy. 

<snip>

---

Not doubt you have searched for past topics on this forum and found the past mentions of problems with the Beocom 6000 phone. Similar issues have also been mentioned on the BT forum. As far as I know, there has not been a solution to the problem that I have come across. It seems to be a particular issue with that phone model and other B&O phones.

The non-ringing of phones post-switchover to the hub is caused by there being no 'ringing capacitor' in the hub's phone connection (whereas there is such a component in the traditional telephone master socket). This issue tends to effect older model phones (generally early 2000's and before).

Some people have reported success with this type of adapter in getting old phones (in general) to ring

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

which is a 'RJ11 plug to BT socket adapter with ringing capacitor' and can be bought online (from other suppliers too) for just a few pounds. This single adapter is doing the same thing as the ADSL filter+VM adapter combination you already have set up by providing a ringing capacitor.

The adapter will NOT fix the problem with the Beocom phone, most likely though (just reduce the number of adapters for you). No guarantees it will help with your backup phone ringing here either so use at your own risk if you decide to buy one.

One of the last topics I replied on about this was here

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Incoming-calls-failure-after-switch/m-p/5102011

It does contain a bit more background info but no fixes, unfortunately. No further update either on whether the OP on that topic got the Beocom phones to work on a new BT line. I would be doubtful as similar problems are also mentioned on BT user forums.

All suppliers are now using phones-via-router to supply customer landlines, and traditional telephone landlines are no more, so the same issue may persist even with a different supplier.

[Simono1958]

I have been through the diagnostics/remote attempt to fix with two front line, at least one next stage and also one 2nd stage VM engineer. Yes of course this involved rebooting which I did before calling and during consultations. Also, before the switchover I confirmed with someone that any phone with an RJ11 plug would work. The second stage engineer offered to increased the REN.

I don't understand why there isn't a database that all customer staff/engineers can refer to that contains the insight already available/ Virgin position. Although not expressed by anyone I spoke with I believe the message given to customers needs to be something along the lines of:

1) The switch to fibre/router from copper by 2024/5 has been nationally agreed by government/OfGem and there are no derogations. An emergency call only backup system will be provided, however, in the event of mains failure, where a customer does not have a mobile phone/connection.

2) Older handsets (e.g. pre 2000) although appearing to have an RJ11 plug, e.g. such as the Beocom 6000 may not work when plugged into the router using the adapter Apart from the workarounds I have described and confirmed by others in this community, Virgin is offering no alternative fix and the customer will need to acquire another compatible handset. Virgin has no plans to support customers whose service is compromised by its switchover by providing a replacement handset for customers unable to receive calls.

3) Customers are welcome to consider migrating to other communications providers who support the older handset technology.

Although this message is uncompromising and evidences the actual low level of real customer support being provided by Virgin Media, it would save a lot of wasted time.

[goslow]

All valid points. Unfortunately, VM never seems to learn any lessons from past problems in the way you are suggesting.

The matter of old model phones not ringing (due to the ringing capacitor issue) gets mentioned over and over again on here yet, as you suggest, knowledge as to the cause of the non-ringing issue never seems to filter out to the wider VM operation. By pleading ignorance of recurring problems, VM also builds in a certain 'plausible deniability' into the support process. After messing about with fixes that don't work, and wasting a lot of time trying to find out information, the customer is forced to give up and buy a new phone. The problem is then 'fixed' for the customer and goes away for VM too.

Doubtless VM's (and the other telecoms providers) preferred future vision for landline phones in the home is that they provide one single point of connection on the back of the VM hub and the customer uses a cordless phone system. That removes a lot of future problems for VM in dealing with landline faults (such as home extension wiring or multiple corded phones in the home etc.).

The unfortunate fact is that this is one of those examples of a technological change which causes a few failures of existing equipment along the way. Any workarounds (such as the ringing capacitor adapter) are just that, workarounds only, as the technology has moved on and certain kit from the past is no longer compatible any more.

I have a recollection of a past topic (where the customer's phone was not compatible and it was a well-known issue) where VM offered to provide an account credit towards the cost of a replacement phone system.

They should probably offer something similar in your case since the issue with the Beocom 6000 phone is well documented on here and there does not seem to be a known fix for it at the moment which VM can offer you. I agree, I can't see why you should have to foot the bill for a new phone setup as a result of a change which has been imposed upon you and VM cannot offer a fix for.

[Data]

Perhaps this might help:
https://forum.beoworld.org/forums/topic/beocom-6000-and-virgin-voip/

[Matthew_ML]

Hey Simono1958, thank you for reaching out and letting us know this.

I understand this is frustrating however we have started the migration of customers now to the new VOIP line.

We also know that not all phones will be compatible with this and we are sorry about this, however we only provide the line not the actually phone. Thanks