topic Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine in Broadband & Landline

problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

reghorlock — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:51:31 GMT

Hello,

I've been having problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine. I've just switched over to EE and Digital voice.

Basically, I've asked them to increase the number of rings on the EE 1571 voicemail to 10, and I've set my BT4600 answer machine to 8 rings. Sometimes it works and takes a message, then other times it cuts in and just hangs up the call.

Does anyone know why this would happen?

Thanks for your time

Reg

[Mod edit: add title]

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:49:06 GMT

@reghorlock When you say "it cuts in and just hangs up" are you referring to the answer machine or 1571. The cutting in could be because it is a spam call hanging up so no message is left.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

JimM11 — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:09:49 GMT

@Conrad1961 Check that the system is getting the full 10 rings by switching off the answering machine, you may just find that 8 is close to answering the call every time as well.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:39:21 GMT

@JimM11 Yeah I was thinking about telling @reghorlock to reduce the 4600 to 7 rings like I have on my phone just in case 1571 was too close especially with DV.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

reghorlock — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:05:31 GMT

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I mean the answer machine cuts in and hangs up.

I tested 5 times. Basically, 3 out of 5, the answer machine picked up and took the message correctly. However, 2 out of 5, the answer machine cut in but just hung up the call (without taking a message).

I could lower the rings 7 to see if this helps.

Someone also mentioned it might be related to the Call Protect service, and someone also mentioned resetting the BT4600 phone/answerphone?

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:41:07 GMT

Do you what numbers have called when the answer machine cuts in as I usually never answer an unknown caller and let it go to my BT Graphite where no message is left because it is a spam call. My phone requests a message is left but the caller immediately disconnects which means nothing is logged as a message only as a missed call.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

reghorlock — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:59:36 GMT

I've just been testing using my own mobile number.

Are you suggesting that it might be related to some sort of built-in spam call function either on the line (EE) or on the BT4600 phone itself? e.g., if the same number calls too many times, it hangs up and doesn't allow them to leave a message on the bt4600 answer phone.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

JimM11 — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:30:59 GMT

@reghorlock Will be on the EE side off the digital voice, the systems all use calling spam filters etc...

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:41:40 GMT

EE's Call Protect (1572) doesn't block calls unless you ask it to block certain calls. Otherwise it lets suspected spam calls thro' with the Caller ID showing as "Nuisance ?".

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

reghorlock — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:08:02 GMT

Thanks for your reply. Right ok.

So if it's not any sort of Call Protect or EE line issue, then it must be the BT4600 answerphone itself.

Calls are coming through, but the BT4600 answer phone picks up and hangs up the call.

Someone suggested resetting the base and handset so I'll try that.

Also, someone else suggested removing the filter in the phone socket (which the router is plugged into). However, I was under the impression that you still need a phone line splitter when it's a single wall socket?

Thanks for your help so far!

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:17:07 GMT

Your BT4600 wouldn't be rejecting Unknown Nos. which "Nuisance ?".would be?

@reghorlock wrote:
I was under the impression that you still need a phone line splitter when it's a single wall socket?

Yes, you must have a splitter when you're on FTTC & the phone socket only has a single socket. Else you have nowhere to plug the router.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

reghorlock — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:48:36 GMT

Sorry, are you saying the BT4600 might be allowing someone to ring but stopping them from leaving a message due to some built-in spam function?

Ok so i need the splitter in the phone socket.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:38:07 GMT

No, I mean you may have programmed it so, not of its own accord. It is a call blocker phone.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:55:03 GMT

@reghorlock have you looked at your EE call protect settings on your EE account as these are set up automatically. Withheld and International numbers are allowed but Numbers we’ve identified as unwanted callers and Unknown numbers are sent to your junk voicemail.
This may explain what is happening - something I wasn't aware of as I have only recently migrated to EE. I have turned off the unknown numbers to see what happens.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:17:15 GMT

@Conrad1961 wrote:
Withheld and International numbers are allowed but Numbers we’ve identified as unwanted callers and Unknown numbers are sent to your junk voicemail.

No, they're not unless you program them to do so. It lets suspected spam calls thro' with the Caller ID showing as "Nuisance ?".

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:39:43 GMT

@XRaySpeX So why do you have the option to deselect or select those features in the call protect settings?

I accept that suspected spam calls are let through as being nuisance but if the call is "identified as unwanted callers" then that should go to junk voicemail as per the setting shouldn't it?
You can block the suspected spam calls yourself because EE hasn't identified them as being unwanted yet.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:50:13 GMT

@Conrad1961 : I think you are referring to features on the specialised BT/EE Digital Home Phone handset, not on any ol' phone like the BT4600.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:00:30 GMT

@XRaySpeX I have an old BT Graphite 2500 plugged into an adapter and a FW500 plugged into my BT DV Smart Hub and the features appear under the call protect settings in my EE account under the digital home phone plan. I have no idea if they are active but if they aren't why are they showing in the first place.

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

XRaySpeX — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:37:46 GMT

@Conrad1961 : Yes, sorry, I was thinking about 1572 Call Protect which I have, not any Call Protect set thro' an EE a/c, which I don't have. 1572 Call Protect does not block anything w/out you setting it up, e.g. Last No., Withheld nos., International nos. ..

Does your Call Protect block any nos. at all by default w/out you making it do so?

Re: problems with my BT 4600 phone/answer machine

Conrad1961 — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:02:19 GMT

@XRaySpeX I think it might because occasionally the FW500 rings on its own but then stops but nothing appears on call protect or on the main phone answer machine. When I google the number which only appears on the FW500 they are always silent spam calls. When this first happened I thought the main phone was playing up but dialling from my mobile everything was normal where FW500 starts to ring before the main phone kicks in.
If the FW500 wasn't plugged in I would never had known the calls existed.