Mobile Phone Rant

[Griffin NoName]

I always have my phone on divert to voicemail if I don't answer it.

A few months ago it started doing it after about 5 seconds which is not time enough for me to even pick up the phone.

In idle moments I've been searching for the setting to change it ring for longer before diverting to voicemail.

It drives me nuts and then I forget for a bit and then it drives me nuts again.

Desperation today and still couldn't find anyway to change the setting...... so I resorted to Googling the problem.

Doh!!   You have to ask your service provider to change it.

That's really really stupid.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Hm. Go figure, eh?

[Griffin NoName]

..........yes........and what's even more stupid, my service provider has changed it to 30 seconds and I've reset the phone by forcing it off the network so it had to get re-registered........ and it still only rings for about 2 seconds.

<sigh: modern technology: >

[Pachyderm]

For a list of the ways technology has failed to improve the human existance, please press 3...

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I have a code that works with my provider (T-Mobile) but it only works up to a point. They obviously don't want the network usage while the phone is ringing. 

[pieces o nine]

Mine randomly sends calls to voicemail *without* allowing any rings at all. I know what you're thinking: she can get around this by checking vm on a regular basis. Ha! That seems logical, but...

Phone will not reveal unto me the presence of any voice messages *until* a call rings through that I do not pick up and the caller opts to leave a vm.

I really *liked* my old phone! 

[Griffin NoName]

It's clear it's not *the phone*. It's the networks. It's very naughty. It's a degredation of service. We should rebel.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

..........yes........and what's even more stupid, my service provider has changed it to 30 seconds and I've reset the phone by forcing it off the network so it had to get re-registered........ and it still only rings for about 2 seconds.

<sigh: modern technology: >

It may be your phone's profile-- that is the "style" you've set for the default rings.  You could try switching to a different profile in your phone.

Another "fix" is to remove the battery without turning the phone off first-- this does a different "reset" than a simple power-off-on does.

It may also be that the rep who said he/she set it to 30 sec did not, in fact, do so-- the system may have rejected his/her attempts at setting that-- I saw that behavior by the system all the time.  It sometimes took 2, 3 or even 5 tries before the longer ring-time would "take".

Obviously, I'm advocating a 2nd call to your provider (I know, I know-- it's a pain) to confirm the length-of-ring.

(and yes, I used to work as a CS for Cingular.  2 years on the 'phones.... )

[Griffin NoName]

Thanks B.  I'll try all that.  Yes, I did change ring style to soft from loud so that's the first thing to check.... (I have tried different rings but not setting the "style" back.... it would fit with timing of when this all started.....doh!)

I'll keep you posted !!!!!!


edit - incidentally the current service provider setting was 15 secs (ie not the 2-3 secs it actually rings so even if he didn't change it, that's a bit odd. the reset I did was to go off network no service, and then back re-registering... but if it's like IT taking out the battery makes perfect sense LOL!!!)

[Griffin NoName]

Blast.....  ring style set back as it was.... tune set back as it was... everything set back as it was.... and battery out/no service reset done.... and still  3 second ringing only. And I know it is set to at least 15 seconds - well according to the guy last night.

More telpehone queing for help.

The facts thread needs someone to post the average number of hours spent in a lifetime queing for telephone support for modern equipement (all types).

.........and the average cost of phoning ones own mobile, to see if it wroks, per lifetime.


EDIT
=======================

Handy codes here:::  http://www.mobileshop.org/usertech/gsmcodes.htm

And if not clear enough how to do that:::  discussion here::  http://www.wirelessforums.org/uk-telecom-mobile/vodafone-answerphone-timeout-8393.html


But, I've sent the codes and so far no joy, even though it supposedly works. 

I am still only getting 5 sec rings tho I sent code for 20 second ringing.

<sigh>

[pieces o nine]

If only Douglas had been a bit more prescient and snarky, Griffin, he would have left the poor old telephone sanitation engineers alone and marooned the telephone misprogrammers instead!


BTW: I know *my* ringing issues are phone-related because it's the same carrier service as before, just a replacement unit.

[Griffin NoName]

If only Douglas had been a bit more prescient and snarky, Griffin, he would have left the poor old telephone sanitation engineers alone and marooned the telephone misprogrammers instead!


BTW: I know *my* ringing issues are phone-related because it's the same carrier service as before, just a replacement unit.

Indeed!!

But on the small print... never assume anything....  could be the same time you received the replacement unit the service provider did the deed....  nothing is merely coincidental in Griffin-Land

I've just cancelled everything (busy, no answer, out of reach - they are all different) by sending codes - successfully - then reset everything by sending new codes including the desired magic 20 rings request including coming off the service and reregistering at every stage... and it still rings........... for 11 seconds !! an improvement on 5 I suppose but still not enough to get to the room nextdoor when I'm busy in the other room.

I think the service providers have got wise to all the advice on teh intraweb to send codes.....

They don't want their networks clogged while we dash from room to room or fumble in our massive handbags......... it's just a PLOT.

[Griffin NoName]

 

SUCCESS    


Apparently........they changed me to a new voicemail.  Those codes I gave the link are now out of date. I have no idea who this applies to as they are generic codes not provider specific.

It was probably the change to new voicemail that b****d it up in the first place.

By the way, the new voicemail means service provider can no longer change the ring length.

You HAVE to use the new codes.

Just punch in the code and press send (as if making a call).

===============================================================

Anyway, the new codes have an 11 in them; same as old codes but with this extra 11. Very stupid.

Code to change number of rings for the new voicemail is:

**61*V*11*N#

Substitute your voicemail number for V
Substitue number of seconds you want it to ring (in multiple of 5's) for N

Hence my code is:

**61*121*11*30#  where 121 is voicemail and 30 is 30 seconds ringing before divert to voicemail.  (max is provider specific)

IT WORKS !!!

Now I get the whole of the tune I put in as well, which sounds lovely too.

============================================================

There are probably people stressing about this all over the Global World...........  INSANITY

[pieces o nine]

Yay! Youth and technology cannot overcome age and tenacity!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Cool beans!

I may have to check with my provider (now is AT&T.... again) and see if they have any codes, or do they still require a hit-or-miss call to a person who may or may not  be successful...

The codes make so much more sense.

Of course, Grandpa won't be able to use'em (his VCR is still blinking 12:00) but the default length ought to work for him anyway-- he's retired, and doesn't have anything better to do than answer the phone anyway...