Retro phone

[Hillfam]

Looking to use a 1975 retro phone with Virginmedia wall socket. When plugged in just get quiet crackling and no dial tone. No dial out or incoming calls. Same through a ADSL micro filter ( someone suggested to try) . Waiting on a new basic plug in corded phone to arrive to see if problem with line. Ran service test and no issue shown. Any other ideas? Thanks 

[DJ_Shadow1966]

Hello

More than likely the reason the phone doesn't work is it has to be tone dialing where a lot of older phone were pulse dialing, has the phone been modified ?

Regards Mike

[goslow]

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@Hillfam wrote:

Looking to use a 1975 retro phone with Virginmedia wall socket. When plugged in just get quiet crackling and no dial tone. No dial out or incoming calls. Same through a ADSL micro filter ( someone suggested to try) . Waiting on a new basic plug in corded phone to arrive to see if problem with line. Ran service test and no issue shown. Any other ideas? Thanks 

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You've posted the same query twice, which is against forum rules, but haven't responded to answers on your original topic

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Retro-phone/td-p/4788636

You'll get a better response sticking to just one topic.

Whether or not your retro phone will work will depend on several things and whether it has been converted from pulse dialling to tone dialling. Pulse dialling might work on some VM connections via a traditional wall socket (if the VM connection supports it for your particular line) but will not work on a connection via the hub, which will require tone dialling. In that case the phone would need to be converted to tone dialling. You'd also need a BT-style plug fitting.

The ADSL microfilter contains a ringing capacitor to generate a signal for the phone's bell to ring but it is probably best to use the filter only for purposes of quick testing and should only be required if connecting to the back of the hub. If a ringing capacitor is required for a hub connection, then you should find an adapter which has a ringing capacitor in it. If you are connecting via a wall socket then the master socket should have the ringing capacitor in it anyway but you would need a 3-wire connection to the phone in the phone's line cord to the socket and phone extension sockets would also need to have a bell wire connected.

[Hillfam]

Apologies but informed this was not for set up forum and I have had land line for over 6 years.  Phone has been converted. May be problem with line but going to try with new phone to exclude the issue. Thanks for the advice 

[goslow]

Do any testing with the new and old phones at the VM master socket for the best chance of identifying any issues (rather than extension sockets). No ADSL filter required from the master as it has its own ringing capacitor.

[Travis_M]

Hi @Hillfam

Thanks for posting!

Let us know how you get on when using the new phone and we can take a look into this from here, I think this should fix the issue.

Regards

[Hillfam]

New phone arrived and no dial tone. Does not ring when called from mobile. Must be problem with wall socket or line. 

[Steven_L]

Thanks for coming back to us @Hillfam.

I have been able to locate your account and have looked into your phone line to try and find the reason for your phone line not having any dial tone.

Upon looking into your account, it appears there is an issue with your line and maybe its connection in the cabinet, we will need to arrange a technician appointment to fix this problem.

Before we can book the visit in for you, we would need for you to confirm a few details via private message, so that I can make the arrangements. I will drop this over in moment.

Regards,

Steven_L

[Hillfam]

Wall socket no longer working so now connected through hub. Retro phone has dis tone and phones out but does not ring on incoming calls. Think I will need to return the retro phone. Thanks 

[goslow]

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@Hillfam wrote:

Wall socket no longer working so now connected through hub. Retro phone has dis tone and phones out but does not ring on incoming calls. Think I will need to return the retro phone. Thanks 

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This is certainly becoming quite a confusing topic! At some point have VM migrated you to a phone connection on the back of the VM hub? You would have been sent a letter from VM about any planned changeover.

Do you now have a working telephone connection via the back of the VM hub?

Does that hub phone connection work fully with your new (modern and recently-purchased) phone?

If the only aspect of the old retro phone which is not working is a failure to make a ringing sound for an incoming call, then this is where you can use your ADSL filter for the purposes of a test exercise.

Leave the VM-supplied adapter (RJ11 to BT socket) in the back of the hub. Then plug in your ADSL adapter, then connect the old retro phone. If you now get a ringing sound for an incoming call then you need to get a replacement adapter (RJ11 to BT socket) which has a ringing capacitor built in. This should allow you to use one adapter only from the back of the hub, get rid of the ADSL filter and still allow the retro phone to ring.

VM should be able to supply you with one with a ringing capacitor or they can be bought online, look for the mention of 'with ringing capacitor' in the product description.