Home phone not ringing

[Oleh]

After being made aware of the switchover info, plugged in adaptor to modem and phone into adaptor. Finally worked a day later than the letter said and everything seemed good but soon realised that the phone wasn't ringing. Tested it from mobiles and friends landlines and still to this day nothing. Poor Indian guy from tech support that I've spoken to for 15-20 minutes couldn't help either.

Currently using a BT Relate 600, probably since the mid nineties that was aquired when Friends and Family was rolled out and wouldn't be at all suprised if this is the main culprit of the ring not working but before I get a new phone, just checking I've not done anything stupid in the meantime. So...

• VM Adaptor in TEL 1 on HUB 3 Modem
• BT Relate 600 plugged into VM Adaptor
• Dialling tone on TEL 1 but not on TEL 2
• No ring on any incoming call

Maybe a silly question but brand of telephone is irrelevant, if I get a brand new cordless BT or Panasonic phone it should work with your adaptor?

[carl_pearce]

With that type of phone you may need one of these:

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/2370-esscable-rjp-bts/

 Includes ring circuit which enables the phone to ring. 

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[Client62]

On the bottom of the BT phone verify the ringer is set to High.

[Lee_R]

Hi @Oleh thanks for posting and welcome back to our community.

Sorry to hear your handset is not ringing from your side. And for any inconvenience this may cause you.  Do you have the opportunity to test another handset with your line?  Also, when you have the opportunity would you consider following the advice of your fantastic fellow community members?  
Regards

Lee_R

[goslow · Accepted solution]

Some phones require an electronic component (called a ringing capacitor) which is present in a master phone socket on the wall but not in a VM adapter from the hub.

Some people have reported success for the non-ringing problem using this as a replacement for the VM adapter

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

though there are no guarantees it will fix your problem so keep that in mind if you decide to buy one. It is a generic part

RJ11 plug to BT socket adapter with ringing capacitor

so you don't have to buy specifically from the eBay listing above.

The non-ringing problem usually applies to older phones (early 2000s and before).

Alternatively you could consider the switchover as a chance for a phone update and switch to some cordless phones (which is possibly/probably the best way to use the 21CV phone connection via the hub). Plug the cordless base station into the VM hub and use cordless satellite handsets around your home where required.

[Oleh]

@carl_pearce - Appreciate the advice, however does this replace the Vm Adaptor or is it an addition to the flow? Part of me would rather get a compatible new phone than have a conga of cables

@Client62 - Ringer volume has always been set to high, even tried on low just incase high had failed somehow.

@Lee_R - Assuming all I have is the VM Adaptor, what type of handset is likely to work? If no handset is likely to work, why did VM not include the ringing circuit in their tech?

[carl_pearce]

Is replaces the VM adapter, so plugs directly into the HUB (Discard the VM adapter).

[Client62]

VM did not expect folks to still be using phone instruments that were designed only work with BT's 1981 style of phone sockets.

[Oleh]

This is basically the answer I knew was going to come from the start if I'm honest. Just wildly fustrating that I'm being forced to spend money updating some thing that wasn't broken

Cheers to all who replied. Many thanks

[goslow]

If you happen to have an old ADSL microfilter lying around in a drawer somewhere (the thing we used to have to plug into every phone socket in the home in the days of ADSL), those do contain a ringing capacitor so, for the purposes of tesing, you could connect that in line with the VM adapter and see if your phone rings

VM hub>>VM adapter>>ADSL microfilter>>BT Relate 600 phone

The ADSL microfilter is not suitable for long term use, just testing purposes only, as it was not designed for a VM line but if it produces a ringing sound it might give you more confidence to try/buy the replacement ringing capacitor adapter.