Increasing phone 'ringer' volume...

[UKDJ]

My parents were 'upgraded' to a digital landline some time ago (no broadband).

They use cordless landline phones, but despite the ringer being as high as possible it is not loud enough! I was looking at some kind of plug in amplifier device but most don't seem compatible with 'digital' landlines, so I am now thinking of getting an extra 'fixed line' phone just for the extra loud ringer. As I am disabled I haven't been able to look at where their existing cordless base unit is plugged in to a phone socket! Are 'digital' landline phone sockets the same as the older ones, or do I need a special type of fixed line phone (connector) for VM landlines? TIA

[Client62]

From experience with older parents "some time ago" and "can't hear now" are a common problems
that are far less to do with the phone ringer volume and much more to do with the passage of time.

As your parents are using cordless phones why not just move one of the handsets to better position.

If you do require a loud bell, a BT style of splitter image below and perhaps this :

https://www.best4systems.co.uk/plug-in-bell-ringer.html

[Carley_S]

Hi @UKDJ 

Welcome back to the community forums 

Sorry to hear of the concern with how loud the ringer is now on our parent's landline. 

If their landline is now digital, it'll connect directly into one of our routers. This would be required even if there is no broadband service at the address. The router itself would be for a landline service only and wouldn't be serviceable for the internet. 

There is an adapter used to connect a phoneline into the back of the router that looks like the image below. This allows the landline to connect into the TEL 1 port of the router for use. 

[UKDJ]

Thanks for your reply @Client62

So, can I assume that the phone sockets haven't changed since they were converted to 'digital' by VM and the amplifier in your link will work with a digital landline?

[UKDJ]

UPDATE:

I contacted the company and, unfortunately, that ringer 'doesn't work with digital' AND has been discontinued - for the same reason...

Thanks anyway.

[Client62]

The phone socket on the back of an VM Hub is 100% Analogue just like the wall sockets it replaced.

VM have confused so many customers by the use of words Digital and VOIP in marketing material.

I can imagine that asking if the BT Ringer would work on a Digital line would result in a "firm No",
but you are connecting it to an Analogue telephone line.

Here is a used one on eBay

Looking on eBay other smaller telephone ringers are available at low prices.

[UKDJ]

I guess, for the price - if I can get one! - it might be worth a try.

I am also considering contacting VM directly on their behalf, as they can't be the only customers with hearing issues and maybe VM can provide a solution...

Just goes to show, 'new' (cordless) technology isn't necessarily better as there are plenty of fixed line phones on the market with 'loud' ringers for 'hard of hearing'!

[Kath_F]

Hi UKDJ, 

Thanks for coming back to us on this. 

I'm afraid we don't provide anything that will increase the volume of the ringer so it's not something we will be able to advise on. 

The community can offer suggestions on third party devices though 😊

Thanks, 

[UKDJ]

Good to know - if a somewhat poor service, to what must be quite a sizeable client base.

[jb66]

It's not poor service, it's just your technological understanding on how cordless phones work is inaccurate.

Virgin can send a signal to make the phone ring, they can't control your privately owned cordless handset volume.

It's a bit like buying a TV with really poor speakers and then calling sky for them to turn the volume up.  Or buying a slow car and complaining to the  BP petrol station that you want them to make your car faster!