topic Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone? in Digital Home Phone

How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

jim-hughes — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:03:49 GMT

HELP - How do you permanently turn off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

I don't want this service.

I cannot get to the phone in time (even on the longest ring....which seems to be about 8-rings) due to mobility issues.

I cannot imagine that there is not a way to turn off the answerphone - but I cant find a way or any information on the internet including this community.

The handset I have was supplied by BT and is the Essential Digital Home Phone (100% wireless).... would a different handset make any difference?

If you also have issues with an answerphone that you cant turn off, please post a comment.

Thanks

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:35:48 GMT

@jim-hughes To save you some time, there is NO phone you can change to, and you cannot turn of the EE version of voicemail on the DV system. Now there are many and confusing post's that you can do it, and you cannot do it, and some have posted from the horse's mouth that i have spoken to EE CS and they told me that IT CANNOT BE DONE.

If so then you can only dial 150 from your phone, get to Tech services and see if some kind EE Tech can switch it of for you.

Max is 10 rings before the EE voice system will pick up and record the message, but will try my best to get an answer for you!!!

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

jim-hughes — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:36:05 GMT

thanks for the quick and direct reply @JimM11 .

I am surprised that there is NO phone to change to, and its not possible to turn off the EE version of voicemail on the DV system.

I appreciate knowing that tips and suggestions on the internet are wrong and it's simply not possible to turn off the answer phone.. I wonder if it is possible on the BT version of Digital Voice.

The solution of some EE Tech wizz being able to fix this/ turn it off behind the scenes seems to be the only way forward (and/or EE realising that not everyone wants an answer phone and them changing their system).

Perhaps anyone else who wants to turn off their Digital Voice answer phone can comment, and we can build sufficient interest in this topic for EE to pay attention and resolve it.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:48:42 GMT

@jim-hughes There are 2 problems, you can go out buy a phone with a base and built in answering machine, lower its rings and let it grab the phone call and start to record, BUT if you are on a call because the new DV system allows 2 calls, then you can be left a voicemail and you would not even have a clue that it was there, the phones are somehow not indicating message sitting, tone change when you pick up to listen before dialling, so few problems out there. You can if you wish to waste money and go out and buy a replacement phone, but it may be quite futile. There may be some specific technical reason behind the DV system, and trying to find answer for you. And yes with BT you could call and they would turn it off, same as you could with Virgin Media similar service, but EE as far as i can see, the answer is NO, so as soon as i hear back from the Tech will let you know. Feel free to look through the other post's, your in the right area.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

jim-hughes — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:16:20 GMT

Thanks for looking into this.

As I am not very mobile, I cannot get to the telephone before the answer phone kicks in - even with the longest delay.

Its very frustrating that even EE techs cannot turn off the answer phone service.

I try to have the phone near me when I am expecting a call, but its not always possible.

If EE cant fix this problem, then I'll have to try and get a phone in every room and by my bed, so that I am closer to one when it rings. Thats all I can think of.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 18:45:36 GMT

@jim-hughes As soon as i can get a definitive answer i will post it up to you, your phone is fine, designed to work on the DV system, just possibly few gremlins at present, can one assume that you are new to EE and now thrown to the lions with the DV system in place, or you just did not worry before about this voicemail issue?

Edit: below is the BT link if you wish to read it. trying to find EE info but not so forthcoming at present...

All about Voicemail | BT Help

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:34:48 GMT

@jim-hughes The reply so far, is that the question i posed regarding {turning of voicemail for customer calling and wishing to do so}, but what else will {{happen or is it even possible}}, then the answer back is it has been asked of the specialist DV team and as soon as they reply then the EE contact will message me back. Just so you know, keeping you posted so far.🤞

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:51:44 GMT

@jim-hughes Finally a reply from EE, so copied below, but not much detail unfortunately so not sure if it would help. Let me know if i can help further.

Hi mate, apologies for the delay. I've been told no it's not possible to turn off voicemail at the moment you can only have it removed. I've heard this is potentially going to change, but no time scale yet unfortunately.

And this was the question i asked.

DV on EE system

Jordan, as you seem to be the front for the DV was wondering if you could let me know. If it is possible for a customer to have only the ability to call EE CS and have the VOICEMAIL option turned off if they require it as a request for there DV landline. The forum is back and forth yes/no so it is completely up in the air at present. Regards Jim.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

dodgypodgy — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:21 GMT

The 1571 service is chargeable so EE has an incentive to prevent customers from terminating it. How many elderly customers will suffer injuries from falling while rushing to answer calls is a moot point. A 15 second time limit to respond to answer phone calls is ridiculously short.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:21:03 GMT

@dodgypodgy The 1571 is chargeable but only if you decide to do the return call feature that it offers, so just do not do that, hanging up from voicemail once you have listened to the message, and call then through normal means. Time can be increased but estimated at about 30 seconds for the 10 ring max, still not a great time for people with mobility issues to get to the phone.

It does appear that EE are now playing hardball with the complete REMOVAL of the service, but they are reviewing the Vulnerable Person's status, and would hope that they do include this in the interest of aged and infirm with mobility issues, this may aide in getting the REMOVAL off the service. If i hear off the status changing with regards to any update for DISABLING the feature off voicemail i will be sure to let you know, but as it currently stand's pegged for review but no TIMESCALE for IF/WHEN this may happen.....

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

apesofhove — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:25:02 GMT

Wow, this is appalling, it never fails to amaze me that the more advanced and flexible digital systems become the more intransigent the permission for a "human" to make the change becomes.

I've foolishly just renewed my elderly (91 & 92) parents phone contract which switched to FTTP / digital phone.

I'll now have to reduce the rings on the DECT phones so that their answerphone kicks in before the EE Voicemail, but hadn't thought about the issues that a second call will go to voicemail if the line is busy. They haven't a hope in hell of realising that they have a message lurking in VM if that happens.

Assuming the answerphone generally kicks in first I'll have to also leave a personal greeting saying "don't leave a message" to cover that rare eventuality.

. . . and this is progress . . .

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:05:13 GMT

@apesofhove Unless you can get the ear off someone at EE to completely disable the Voicemail system then it is as it is, they do appear to being NOT prepared to mess with it now as postings on the Forum are posted...

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

apesofhove — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 15:58:44 GMT

Hmmm, maybe I should invoke the 14 day cooling off, go back to the previous setup ie get them to replace the fibre with the copper they took down "as a way to disable the voicemail". . . maybe not, life's too short 😞

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

Vass57 — Sat, 31 May 2025 16:04:46 GMT

We too wish to disable the digital answerphone as there is no indicator a voicemail has been left and we have a perfectly good answerphone which let's us know instantly it's got a message for us. We simply don't need it.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Sat, 31 May 2025 16:17:05 GMT

@Vass57 Currently there is no way to do so, and EE will not accommodate the request.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

Vass57 — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:06:03 GMT

Thank you for confirming this is still the case

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

EricC851 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:19:20 GMT

We have the problem exactly as you describe. For a while I was able to change the ring tone timings so that the home answer phone got there first, but now this has changed. We only get four rings and there is no way we can get to the phone in time. 1571 settings option 2 offers the options for short medium or long, but doesn’t change from 4 rings only. I will be cancelling digital voice as a result, but have to wait until contract ends. We will revert to mobile only and not EE! After 56 years of landlines and working as a BT engineer for 32 of them, it is unbelievable that EE have screwed this up.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 17:24:46 GMT

@EricC851 Maybe you should get the EE development team to have the old talk with the BT boy's to get the EE system up to scratch, sure that would be appreciated by ALL THE EE DV patrons....

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

Sonz — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:40:28 GMT

Hi there,

This is an extremely annoying feature, especial if you have mobility issues and cannot get to the phone in time.

I have now left a message saying don't leave any messages as the feature is not used.

Very sly of EE, not giving their customers the choice.

Re: How to Permanently Turn Off or disable EE Digital Voice Answer Phone?

JimM11 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:43:07 GMT

@Sonz Yes but you will have to check it from time to time as automatic when you are on a call....