12-10-2026 01:39 PM
I'm trying to change the number of rings before the 1571 voicemail kicks in, so it is greater than the number of rings after which my own answerphone kicks in. I have my answerphone set to 8 and I'd like to set voicemail to 10 rings so my answerphone gets there first.
https://ee.co.uk/help/home-phone/manage-use/voicemail
"Change how many times the phone rings"
says to press 3 and then 2, but the 1571 voice menu goes immediately into playing existing messages and doesn't present any menus or respond to DTMF numbers for selecting options.
Are these instructions out of date?
12-10-2026 01:49 PM
Go to the MyBT website. It’s under “Your products” > “Digital Voice” manage > “Voicemail essentials” manage.
12-10-2026 01:52 PM
Yes, that's how it used to be with BT. Now you need to call CS & request the ring period be set to Short (4 rings), Medium (7 rings) or Long (10 rings) to give time for your own answering machine or yourself to pick it up.
12-10-2026 02:05 PM
Oops. Yes, I meant the EE website.
12-10-2026 02:05 PM - edited 12-10-2026 02:17 PM
@Denzel99 : You'll only have “Your products” under MyBT when you do have products with BT, not with EE!
12-10-2026 03:11 PM
@martinu Not sure who is right, but the document says option 2,3 listen 2,3... Attached from the document.
From page 7.
12-10-2026 03:32 PM
Hi @martinu
Those instructions are if there are no messages in your mailbox. If you press * whilst listening to the first message it will take you to the main menu. Then you press opt 3 (Settings) and opt 2 (Ring Time) and select the option you want there.
12-10-2026 03:57 PM
@JimM11 : Yes, that how it was with BT over 2 years ago but not now, My note at the time I had a BT analogue landline read:
When you dial 1571 under Personal Options (2) > Calling Options (3) > Ring Period (2) there is an option to set the ring period to Short (4 rings), Medium (7 rings) or Long (10 rings) to give time for your own answering machine or yourself to pick it up.
Anyway that was BT then; this is EE now!
12-10-2026 04:11 PM
@martinu Looks like you have to do the call to EE CS, document is either wrong or referes to an older type method.
You can change how many times your phone rings before voicemail answers.