LANDLINE SWITCHOVER,

[MissGrace]

My phone was reluctantly on my part switched to fibre this morning (26.07.23) the adapter was fitted, but my telephone which is 10 years old will not audibly ring, I can call out, if I call my landline from my mobile it rings but you cannot hear it ringing now.  15 mins before the engineer came out to connect the adapter he rang my landline to say he was on his way, as soon as the adapter fitted -silence.  When I call  my landline number from my mobile when it rings even though I cannot hear it, I pick up the handset and can hear myself, so it works but no longer rings audibly, so I no longer know if anyone is calling me, how mad is this.  I have a heart condition and this phone is my lifeline, my old Nokia is not reliable as battery drops, I worry if there is a power cut the landline will no longer work and if I am taken ill as I was on Tuesday early hours I would struggle to call 999 or if they wanted to call me back they couldn't.. Friends always ring me during the week as I can only afford to ring anyone at weekends as that is the package I am on with Virgin.  I have looked on the back of my landline handset it says it is Approved for connection to Telecommunication systems, it looks like a phone out of the 1940s but it is not ancient.  Why would the switchover stop the ringing sound so I cannot hear anyone calling me, it does not make sense.  The engineer who fitted the adapter today said it is the phone and nothing  can do about it, but get a modern phone.  This is naughty Virgin media, I love my phone you should not make adapters that are not compatible. Any solutions please?

[goslow]

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 much older phones (early 2000s and before) so if your phone is only 10 years old there could be another issue.

If you have no reliable mobile, and you have medical needs, VM should offer to fit an emergency backup line for you. The RHS telephone in the pic below

This connects to the landline but, if the landline goes down, it switches to a mobile signal automatically

[Carley_S · Accepted solution]

Hi @MissGrace 

Welcome back to the community forums 

Sorry to hear that the landline is not making a sound when someone calls. Do you have another phone you can check to see if it rings on another phone? 

We can offer EBUL's for any vulnerable customers that relies on the landline service to contact for emergency reasons as they do not have access to a mobile. The EBUL is a back up battery that allows the customer to call 999 in an emergency when there are service issues. It is only for 999 and does not let customers call other numbers unfortunately. 

If you wish to keep your phone model you can try a ringing capacitor that goslow has kindly advised to see if this works to resolve the ringing issue. 

Please do let us know if you would like us to arrange for an EBUL to be fitted in the home to allow the 999 services to be contacted in case of an emergency during a service outage. We'll be able to arrange this for you via the community forums if needed. 

[goslow]

---

@Carley_S wrote:

Hi @MissGrace 

<snip>

We can offer EBUL's for any vulnerable customers that relies on the landline service to contact for emergency reasons as they do not have access to a mobile. The EBUL is a back up battery that allows the customer to call 999 in an emergency when there are service issues. It is only for 999 and does not let customers call other numbers unfortunately. 

<snip>

---

Is that still the case, 999 only?

I have read quite a few topics on here with customers mentioning an 'upgrade' program for the new EBUL v3 phone including SIM replacement which then allowed them to make normal calls with charges being levied in line with whatever the customer's landline package is.

As per

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Sloppy-text-from-VM/td-p/5027692/page/6

from the 'solution' onwards.

[MissGrace]

Thank you for your advice, I am a little concerned why VM do not offer this ringing capacitor or have one at hand to check when the new adapter is installed if it could help if there is no ringing sound, as it is VM who wanted to change my line to fibre I did not ask for it.  I am sure there are many people who have old telephones.. The engineer did not know about it.  So does it go into the old wall socket or the hub?  I have been looking for my receipt from when I bought my phone but know it is around 10 years ago, but maybe it was manufactured earlier than this.  I will get a friend's phone to see if it rings if it does then it means it is my phone and will have to buy the capacitor to try.  VM know I am a priority user so now that my line will die if there is a power cut they should automatically offer me a back up phone, but looks like I will have to chase.  Not that I have much room to put one where the router and my telephone is located. Perhaps it is time to get a more reliable mobile, basic model as I am on limited income. I feel like my blood pressure is through the roof with today's stress of the changeover.  I will let you know how I get on.  Thanks again I am glad I posted, although I feel I should not have had to if Virgin were more clued up as you are.

[goslow]

The adapter with the ringing capacitor would replace the adapter that VM provided you with.

However, if you get the VM emergency backup phone, that will make a ringing sound for an incoming call so you would know the phone was ringing and could answer on your retro phone without needing to buy the adapter.

If you are planning to update your mobile you could also look at a low cost monthly SIM from the likes of giffgaff or Smarty which start at around £6 per month for unlimited calls and texts. A cheap old-style candy-bar mobile phone (calls and texts only) could be in the low tens of pounds. If you balance the monthly cost against the limitations of weekend-only calls from your VM landline you may find the mobile offers better value for money if it is feasible within your budget.

One of the VM forum team should reply back here and help you with the emergency backup line.

[Sabrina_B]

Hi @MissGrace 👋.

Thanks for your reply. Apologies that you feel this way regarding the home phone switchover. We do provide what is required to keep customers connected, but various aids to assist customers are not always a requirement and we do not supply them due the desire for them. 

As you said you are a priority user and require and emergency backup phone we can provide one of those for you and have an engineer install it where ever you choose for it to be. With the current phone line that you have, if it requires power then the plug remains in the wall and the phone line itself  shall be plugged into the socket in the back of the Hub with the adapter.

If you wish to make the arrangements for the engineer to come and sort an emergency backup line as well as ensuring that your switchover is working perfectly we can privately message you so that we can discuss a day and time. Please look out for the envelope on the top right of your web browser or if you are using a mobile device it will be located under your profile icon.

Thanks.

Sabrina