topic Re: Digital voice turn off 1571 in Broadband & Landline

Digital voice turn off 1571

Robrob2024 — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:19:36 GMT

Recently switched from BT digital voice to EE. I cannot determine how to turn off 1571, which was turned off on BT.

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Neil-O — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:40:57 GMT

Hi @Robrob2024 You can manage all of your Digital Home Phone settings using the EE app. You'll find it under 'Plans and subscriptions.

Thanks

Neil

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Angiemf — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 13:54:17 GMT

This does not work. How can i speak to someone to turn the digital voicemail off on my elderly vulnerable mother’s landline ?

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

John-C — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:46:04 GMT

Hi @Angiemf, sorry you can't do this on the app for your Mother. Please call us on 0330 123 1105 and one of our guides will help you with this request.

Cheers

John

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Trevor547 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 18:44:19 GMT

My understanding, after extensive conversations with EE Helpline, is that Answer 1571 is an integral part of the digital voice calls package and can't be switched off. But this method worked for me:-

Dial 1571 and select Option 2 from the first menu. Then, step through the menus to get to "Personalise your 1571" and change the setting for "Number of rings" before 1571 clicks in. Set it to "Long", which is 10 rings. Then set your own answer machine to "9 rings". That still gives you plenty of time to get to the phone to answer it but, if you don't, then your own answer machine clicks in before 1571.

Hope this helps.

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

JimM11 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 19:40:46 GMT

@Trevor547 If possible as you are in testing mode, call someone on your landline, then have third person call your landline number, as you are already on a call, do they get engaged tone, or does call waiting indicate so, and eventually the EE Landline voicemail service picks up and asks them to leave a message. Not sure what works for single or multiple phones etc...

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Elephant52 — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:35:50 GMT

We had the same problem so we've set 1571 to 'Long' and made sure our own answer machine kicks in after 7 rings. It now seems to be working again. Thanks Trevor.

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Dabmonger — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:12:50 GMT

Hi @Trevor547 and @Elephant52.

That's a neat enough idea having your own answering machine kicking in before EE's voicemail activates ...

... but would it not be better just to call or message EE to get voicemail switched off?

Do you get any advantages, other than avoiding contacting EE?

It's a shame that voicemail cannot be switched off using either the EE app and/or 1571.

One thing I've noticed that I'm apparently missing since switching off voicemail, is the ability to switch off calls. There are times that I would like the phones not to ring, and not have to set this up using individual handsets each time.

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Mdouglasrunfold — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 19:23:26 GMT

..the only issue with this approach is that someone calling while your line is busy will still end up at the 1571 service. EE are a shambles and have given no thought to users that already have a home answering machine.

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

JimM11 — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 19:41:29 GMT

@Mdouglasrunfold Features that work / don't work etc when changes get made, not everyone is going to be pleased with every option, and when also it does not get explained to the full extent of what is possible to be done! Standard package applied with all it's caveats!

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

MrBungleBear — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:34:40 GMT

Yeah - while trying to help my 91-year-old mum who has a phobia of technology - that seems to be correct. BT could control that, but EE don't seem to be able to. You can set it to long, but it's still turned on. So, if you're on the phone already, you get , the beeping for caller waiting (which terrifies her) then they get put through to voicemail. Or, on an ordinary call, if they assume it takes her quite a while to get to the phone, they will eventually be sent to voicemail. She won't have her own answerphone either, as that would be too much for her too.

The intermittent tone when picking up the phone worries her. The bigger button phone I her room has a flashing LED on the 1571 button, which annoys and worries her. People think they have left a message for her, which she is unable to comprehend how to pick up, and wonder why she hasn't called them back, etc. And even if I put her on the phone and dial 1571 for her to listen to the messages, she doesn't listen well for the options at the end, so doesn't deal with the message and it's still there - phone LED still flashes!

We just need EE to figure out how to turn that damn thing OFF if that is what is required. If BT could do it, why can't EE???

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

JimM11 — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:03:37 GMT

@MrBungleBear Because EE have dug the heals in and said, it's NOT getting turned off although a few persistent EE customers have manged to get it done! You need to reach out to one of the EE customer support team to see if they will do anything for you!!!!

Re: Digital voice turn off 1571

Dabmonger — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:36:46 GMT

@MrBungleBear Go into the help section of the EE app and start a chat. Tell them that you need it switched off.

Whilst on a chat, the EE guide contacted the technical team or whatever in other to get this done for me.

Took a few minutes, but it got done.

Maybe I got lucky, I don't know, but just be persistent, and ask them to get their technical team (or whatever it's called) to switch it off.

The good news is that it can be done.

Good luck.