topic Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset in Digital Home Phone

HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Headblock — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:35:42 GMT

I recently switched from BT to EE for broadband and TV and the new EE router and extenders seem to work fine, while the TV service remains much as it was with BT. However, I had BT home phones already which are the HD models and connect wirelessly to the router, requiring you to use the WPS button to connect each handset. I have two handsets and they were working fine until the last week or two. I found out today that family had been trying to call me for several days but couldn't get through. It turns out that the handsets aren't ringing out, but will do if I press the handset volume up or down button, whilst receiving a call. In addition, both handsets report that the ringtone setting aren't available, preventing me from setting default ringtones and volumes. I've reset both handsets and the base unit and then reconnected the lot using the WPS button on the router and there's been no change.

So far I'm very unimpressed with EE, but this really needs to be sorted as my elderly mother will only use the landline to contact me.

All help gratefully received.

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 21:03:26 GMT

@Headblock The ringtones do not work and have never worked as reported on the Forum so that takes care of that issue, has never been reported about none ringing though, have you tried dialling the number from your mobile to see what shows up on the advanced phone display?

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Peter_W — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:15:14 GMT

Good morning @Headblock.

Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Community!

If you rely on this service for keeping in touch with your mother, then I can totally appreciate how worrying it must be if things aren't working as expected.

If you head to http://192.168.1.254/, then select your landline number, does it confirm that your digital home phone service is active?
Peter

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Headblock — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:36:21 GMT

Hi Jim, You did well to find that out. I found only one thread on the subject and no solution was identified, the trail just stopped in Jan 25, with the OP still seeking an answer.

As to your suggestions...I tried dialling the home phone from my mobile and the home phone was indeed 'ringing', it just wasn't making a sound, so had I not been looking at it, I'd never have known. As the phone numbers that didn't ring, as far as I could tell, out were those belonging to friends and family (a subsequent call from EE rang out fine ????), I suspected call-barring or something, but the phone reset didn't make any difference, neither did cancelling all divert and barring functions. I even removed all stored numbers from the handsets and this made no difference. As mentioned above, I was called by an EE tech yesterday, Matthew, and he was mega-helpful I have to say. His solution in the end, was for him to call my landline and for me to then press and hold, then press repeatedly the Vol+ button on the handset till it hit maximum and to not answer the call. Thereafter the ringing out sounds were functional again, though the ringtones remained inaccessible. And before anyone suggests it, the ringer hadn't been turned off i.e. set to zero.

So, all was fixed, except that the ringtone adjust functions remained unavailable, so Matthew spoke to his manager and in light of some other mishaps on EE's part, arranged for me to receive new EE handsets which arrived this morning and are currently working exactly as advertised with full functionality.

I'm more impressed with EE this morning, as yesterday I managed to get almost all of my issues resolved in the course of two phone calls. The one remaining issue is their previous failed attempts to merge my year-old mobile contract with my two-month old Broadband and TV contract, but I'm assured (for the fourth time) that this will definitely happen in the next 6 or 7 days.

Thanks for taking the time to assist Jim, I appreciate it.

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Headblock — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:39:46 GMT

Hi Peter,

Yes the router web-page reported both handsets connected and the 'Find Handset' function rings either handset for two minutes - out loud!

As mentioned in my response to Jim, all now seems to be working fine with two new EE handsets, so I'll call Mum this afternoon and hopefully she too will be less stressed.

Thanks for lending me some of your time.

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 12:45:10 GMT

@Headblock It just sometimes takes a little more time for the moves off systems to all gel together. Do get your mum to call you back just incase there is an inter dialling issue between ISP's as that can also happen.

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Headblock — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:12:20 GMT

JIm, I called her just now and got her to call me back, after I'd heard all of the 'woes from the village', as you do. 🙂

All seems to be right now, just waiting for the new handsets to fully charge up.

Have a good one!

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:41:12 GMT

Hi Headblock.

I recently updated from the EE smart hub to EE smart hub pro wifi 7+ Wifi 7 pro extender.

I have a similar issue with my 2 home phone plus handsets. When there is an incoming call both handsets have stopped ringing.

I have been through all the settings on the hub via IP and the EE app and all seems to not have changed.

The 2 home phone plus are connected to the hub via wifi. I can make them ring on find my handset without any problems but the phones have stopped ringing on incoming calls. I have factory reset the handset then reprogrammed them but no change.

From your post, what button did the EE tech guy tell you to hold then press the Vol+. I have tried pressing the Vol+ button and the handset rings but when I stop pressing vol+ the handset stops ringing and the call that i make is still ringing.

Regards Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Lesley_W — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:31:51 GMT

Hi @Philipos

Thanks for coming to our community.

Has this issue just started since changing hubs?

Lesley

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:44:52 GMT

@Philipos Heads up for you the wireless wifi off the EE Router is NOTHING to do with the home phones, they connect on the dect control side of the EE Router at a different Frequency, not ringing can be Router or Phone, so best have EE CS take a look or do the text PHONE to 66033 to have it tested on the EE Side!

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:13:04 GMT

Hi Lesley.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it has but only since I had to restart the hub as whenever there is a power cut or the hub or WiFi pro extender get accidentally powered do I have to reconnect the extender as the connection is lost.

This morning I was having another check of the call barring etc in the home phone and no changes.

What I have found this morning was if I delete a number in the home phone, say my mobile number, and then call the digital landline home phone it rings and displays the mobile number. Then I save the number in the home phone and then if I call again it rings.

So I have deleted all the contacts in the home phone except my mobile number and will put them back in when I get an incoming call.

Then I remembered that there is a page on the EE app that can restrict incoming calls from, what EE call unwanted numbers and unknown numbers. This I can't change even though I remove the ticks and the app shows "saved" the ticks are back when I go back in touch check.

I now think I have resolved this issue but time will tell.

Regarding the power cut issues that means Reprogramming the wifi pro extender I will keep exploring.

Initially when we had WiFi 7 pro I had a problem keeping the WiFi 7 pro extender connected and getting it to stay connected I spent 2 hours with an EE tech guy going through various ways to get the wifi pro devices stable.

They wouldn't connect via the app process.

You could connect them via the ethernet cable but when you disconnected the ethernet cable they would loose connection so I went through the same process again but left the ethernet cable connected for 24Hrs then unplugging the cable they would loose the connection again.

The the same via was.

The last thing I did to get them stable (touch wood) was reset both the hub pro and the extender pro then try the wps way again but the devices almost on the range of the hub and sofar stable. But I am hoping we dont get a power cut.

Luckily I have time to play around with this to get it sorted.

If I get any further problems its go back for hopefully something more stable.

One more note, EE sent me another extender pro in case its a range issue here. I've tried the above with both extender hubs one at a time and both fall off when powered down or power cut and don't reconnect.

Sorry for the waffle.

Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:15:01 GMT

Hi JiM11.

You may have seen my other reply .

This morning I tried an old way of making your old analogue phone to ring BT ring back.

I Land line is now digital and the home phone rang when I requested call back so I tried from my mobile and it didn't

The other post will explain what I have now done to get it to ring.

I may be calling EE CS later.

Thank you.

Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:20:35 GMT

@Philipos EE will sell you two UPS back up systems to keep your Router and the smart wireless devices connected to ride out any power drops or brownouts, you may wish to consider those!

Battery Back Up Plus (Digital Voice) White | EE

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:59:09 GMT

@Philipos All the old way off doing ringback etc may or may JUST NOT work on a newer Digital supplied phone line!

All services are different, so EE may have a problem when your mobile calls in, does the display show you the caller ID at the time when NOT ringing etc! EE should be able to sort it all out for you, they control the whole gambit off your phone system!

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:09:03 GMT

Hi JiM11.

The OLD BT Ring back works ok.

The display shows my correct details if already in the home phone, but if it is not in the home phone it correctly displays the number that is calling.

I am going to give CS a call soon to see what they have to say and offer.

Thanks again for your help.

Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

JimM11 — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:26:47 GMT

@Philipos Are you sure that the do not disturb feature is not turned on with the handset! ie silent no ring! Or the ringer is off feature, all in the EE/BT Manual for the phone page 17!

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:02:48 GMT

Hi JiM11.

The ringer is set at 4 on both devices.

We have just now had an incoming call and the phone rang so I have saved that number in the home phone like the others I have now done that way. Its now just wait for the others to call.

Thank you so much for your help.

Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

manjon — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:51:30 GMT

I have the same problem, EE don't seem to have a clue, they have sent me a new router which did not help, I have been in contact with them four times over the last week but got nowhere, they keep telling me the phone is working, but how do I know if anyone is calling if the phone does not ring, today they left awful music playing for about 20 minutes then just disconnected the call, absolutely awful service.

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

Philipos — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:10:51 GMT

Hi Manjon.

Are you home phones connected to your hub by the wifi option?

I now have the Wifi7 Plus system as the wifi7 Pro system was totally unreliable here even after visits from EE home tech experts and it failing within hours of them leaving .

But I have found that the home phones dont ring on an incoming call that has the same number stored.

I know its tempting fate but since in rolled back to the plus system things are stable and the hub range is good.

Hope this helps

Philipos

Re: HD Home Phone doesn't ring and ringtones aren't available on handset

manjon — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:26:05 GMT

I am not sure which system I have, as far as I know it is the latest and most expensive, it did work with this system then both phones stopped ringing at the same time, I am just waiting for a call from EE but I don't think they have a clue, they sent me a new router that didn't make any difference, this morning they kept me on the phone for twenty minutes with awful music then just disconnected, I need a landline mostly for hospital calls.