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BT Broadband VOIP Problem

OK so someone from "TMC" section of BT called me today, whoever that is. Said they could see something wasn't right (no sh't sherlock) and they've done something.

He also said (despite me being told to do this) that I should not have a corded phone plugged in to the back of my router at the same time as having Digital Voice?

Anwway, whatever it is he's done, now if I call my house phone from both my EE mobile AND my o2 mobile it goes straight to BT Voicemail (before it would ring ok from my EE phone, but from o2 9/10 times it would fail).

What he now can't work out is why it's going to voicemail....

I've also had my mum test call me from her landline and she gets the same.
 
Unplugging my cordless phone makes no difference to my VOIP fault. Just means I don’t get calls from landlines and some mobiles. When FTTP was provided in Sept 20 the Openreach engineer added a new master socket connected to the ONT. He suggested the Fibre Optic Cable incorporated the copper wire strands (called a hybrid cable I’m told). A subsequent visit from a non-BT specialist (appointed by BT) said that wasn’t necessary and that I could plug the cordless phone straight into the router or to the ONT which has a phone socket as well.

I’m confused and it seems BT are even more confused. No doubt you will have a claim for compensation when the fault is eventually fixed......
 
Hi,

The advice not to use the Tele port on the Smart Hub is across most BT communication and may probably be for the following:
1. They do not want to get embroiled in the Support of legacy home wiring
2. Additional sales of new DECT based phones
3. Building customer dependency and hence retention
Their argument will be the added Digital Voice features and security.

See https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice--will-my-existing-phone-and-fax-machine-still-work . The ATA (tele port) in the Smart Hub is fine technically and can be used in parallel although it may have issues with extended internal wiring.

As for calls going to Voicemail. Try the myBT app Manage Digital Voice section or 1571. I think there is a Do Not Disturb option.
 
So we’re fixed!

The TMC (Technical Management Centre) guy said basically the request to port my number (from SKY) had for some reason failed in some way (wasn’t activated) and then ‘timed out’ as “Sky hadn’t responded in time” and messed up some ‘config’. He said that’s why numbers “within the ‘BT CN’ networks (EE / BT) could get through but anyone outside of that couldn’t”.

He tried to explain how calls are routed and why sometimes my o2 mobile would connect and other times it wouldn’t.

Seems for some strange reason once he’d done that though every time someone tried my number my BT voicemail kicked in...

Turns out it had defaulted to on - with 0 rings.

After a master reset of my router and BT answerphone set to 10, I can now receive calls.

We tried from my EE and o2 mobiles and got my mother in law to call from her home Virgin number and my mum to call from her home Sky number and everyone can call me!!

I have a call booked in again at 4pm with the guy that took this on yesterday and I’ll be looking for some sort of compensation for this utter shambles. What’s more frustrating is the seemingly lack of understanding of those I’ve dealt with at BT so far. I get there’s specialists in every field but for this to be broken over a month and the fact I have had to constantly chase them
For updates.

What should I be expecting compensation wise? I am not greedy just annoyed. Perhaps my annoyance should be directed at Sky??
 
Good news that davidmbell has a fix. My man in BT has gone to ground for the moment. Bearing in mind my problem started in September - the meter is running. Compensation is difficult. Maybe a credit for the line rental for the period the phone was not working as specified. Probably not a significant amount in monetary terms. Perhaps if they throw in a months free broadband...
 
I guess the thing is I'm on a Black Friday deal as is, where the first two months were free as it was (is).... ha ha :)
 
You weren’t able to enjoy the service during that period so it should start again (as a minimum)...
 
The TMC (Technical Management Centre) guy said basically the request to port my number (from SKY) had for some reason failed in some way (wasn’t activated) and then ‘timed out’ as “Sky hadn’t responded in time” and messed up some ‘config’.
Told you so ;)

I don't know what it is with these strange configuration errors but it's probably a good time for them to put in some sort of operator check that everything is configured correctly before just assuming that it has.
 
Meatball - your analysis appears to be correct! Thanks.
BT have contacted me. Apparently they need to give us a temporary number and then undertake a re-port back to our old number. Takes two weeks I’m told - though I don't know why. That option is impractical for us since we rely on NHS calls from time to time. Changing our number for up to two weeks isn’t an option. 24/48 hours maybe. To cap it all BT then advised that we never get our old number back!! Thanks BT.

BT have offered to agree my request to cancel my BT contract and take my business elsewhere. I will probably take up a new contract with another ISP and drop the landline altogether, and just use Mobiles on wifi calling - as no mobile signal here.

In the meantime a complaint is on its way to Ofcom and BT regarding this mess.

Thanks for your input - much appreciated.
 
Very disappointing. They appear to be trying to use existing processes to fix a break in those processes. I cannot believe that if the relevant experts discussed in each department they they couldn't resolve it particularly as every element is within BT's control.

If you go to someone like Sky you could include the number port (worth a try?). Sky are similar now where you plug existing phones into their hub (however they do not have the DECT base for wireless handsets).

Alternatively you could go for a number port to a VoIP provider and place that on divert (just like redirected post). You will need to initiate this before a change of ISP and sequence the new ISP accordingly.

If you are intending to depend on mobiles for emergency calls (particularly via WIFI Calling) please note that this will require the broadband and WIFI to be fully powered and working.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Meatball. Although we have no mobile signal here at the moment plans have been passed to put a new Mobile mast on the mountain opposite. I gather that mobile phone operators may well choose to use the new mast. In the meantime there is an existing emergency services mast which I’m told will transmit 999 calls.

We don’t really need a landline anymore. We hardly ever use it given that mobiles are cheaper. Plus the likes of Facetime/Zoom etc make the technology look rather old.

I’ll be sorry to move from BT I have been with them for around 40 years but their service standards have dropped alarmingly. Changing our phone number twice in two weeks isn’t an attractive option.

Thanks again
 
Hi all
Have just read this thread with interest. We have just changed to a yea link system - from BT to BT and are having a terrible time trying to get them to understand that people cannot phone us!!!
I’ll try all the things suggested here (another few hours on the phone tomorrow!) and see where is gets us!! A week now with hardly any incoming calls - only ee or O2 customers can phone us!!
Madness - no one at BT seems to have the first clue! They keep testing the line and saying it’s all fine - but whenever anyone calls they hear “this number is not recognized”
 
Write to Bt Head Office London - recorded delivery. Set out the problem. ask them their plans for rectifying the issue. Ask them to confirm that your number has ported correctly, if you have migrated to BT Cloud Voice. Claim compensation.

Trying to deal with BT via the phone is very very time consuming not to say very frustrating

Good luck.
 
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