Telephone rings

[Dave2002]

For years we have had problems with incoming calls. The phone starts ringing, and then we have to decide whether to go for it, or not. More often than not it's not worth the bother. Trying to get to the phone and maybe even locate it before the call goes to answer phone mode is really rather hard.

I have tried on several occasions to raise this issue with BT, including yesterday.

Now it seems that perhaps our cordless mobile phones (Panasonic) are not compatible with the BT answering service. Does anyone else have this problem, and has anyone found a solution?

[Serial_Apologist]

Not in my case.

One thing's for sure, these days, however, and that's that people either expect you to be right by the phone to pick it up, or be an olympic sprinter - there's no waiting for, say, 20 rings, as seemed usual in olden times, before they hang up. I'm always having to dial 1471 to find out who it was.

[french frank]

I never seem to have the problems you do, Dave2002 . I can always locate the main landline handset as it's always on the bottom stair, in the hall. I have two Panasonic cordless phones upstairs, one in my study and one in my bedroom so it never takes long to get to one or other of the three. I don't use any sort of answering machine or service. If I'm out, people will have to ring again. I don't give out my mobile number to anyone as I probably wouldn't be able to locate that if anyone rang.

[Serial_Apologist]

I don't use any sort of answering machine or service.

Nor do I, having assumed people ringing must have to pay for the call deferred to an answering machine, which just seems mean.

[Dave2002]

I never seem to have the problems you do, Dave2002 . I can always locate the main landline handset as it's always on the bottom stair, in the hall. I have two Panasonic cordless phones upstairs, one in my study and one in my bedroom so it never takes long to get to one or other of the three. I don't use any sort of answering machine or service. If I'm out, people will have to ring again. I don't give out my mobile number to anyone as I probably wouldn't be able to locate that if anyone rang.

That's right - blame me!

1. The most recent houses are big enough that even if I know where the phones are, it's hard to get to them in time.
2. One house had stairs, so that presented another problem - I can no longer dash down stairs like a 10-20 year old. Going up is OK.
3. On occasions I have noticed all the cordless units managed to gather together - which is hardly optimum for quick access.
4. An Other sometimes moves the cordless units into other locations.
5. Sometimes one gets to a cordless unit, and then its battery dies ....

We do have the 1571 service. If we turned that off I suppose we'd get longer rings if people could be bothered, and we might then be able to use our own answering machine (part of the Panasonic system) and set the number of rings before that cut in. I'm not sure that would be any better.

It looks as though some phones are supposed to be compatible with service providers' own answering services, and I was told that sometimes using Middle Button, 2, 1, 1 allows one to change the number of rings - but I don't think this works with the phones we've got.

[french frank]

That's right - blame me! .

Yes, you're clearly doing things wrong!



As I have units upstairs and downstairs, I don't have to negotiate the stairs to get to a phone. My only problem is that in various parts of the estate (mainly the backyard or workshop) I don't always hear the ringing. I can't say it bothers me too much. I have Caller Display and if I think I'll ring back I can see the number.

[Zucchini]

My only problem is that in various parts of the estate (mainly the backyard or workshop) I don't always hear the ringing.

So that means you're still rebuilding and testing that wretched Harley-Davidson of yours?

[french frank]

So that means you're still rebuilding and testing that wretched Harley-Davidson of yours?

Peasant!