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Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

FIXED
Mikee222
Newbie
Posts: 3
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎31-08-2021

Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

I have recently asked Plusnet to disable voicemail on my mobile account.

This has resulted in the wrong tones being sent out to callers when I am called.

If I am called when I am talking on my mobile or "busy", someone calling from a landline is told "number not recognised"

If I am unavailable, e.g. mobile turned off or out of coverage the same message is given to callers when called from a landline.

If my number is called when I am busy from an EE mobile the call just disconnects with no warning message given.

 

This is not the normal way of operation of most mobile phone providers.

"Busy tone" should normally be be given out as a beep beep beep beep ---- etc.

If turned off or out of coverage the caller should hear "currently not available, please try later"

If a phone number is not recognised the tone given out should be a continuous beeeeeeeeeeep e.g. unobtainable tone.

I realise that plusnet do not actually generate these tones themselves it is the callers telecome supplier "local exchange" that generates these tones according to the digital signal codes returned by Plusnet. This must mean that Plusnet are not using the standard recognised signalling between itself and other telecoms suppliers.

 

So why do Plusnet not follow the normal telephony conventions.

 

4 REPLIES 4
flanzm
Pro
Posts: 251
Thanks: 107
Fixes: 15
Registered: ‎20-04-2016

Re: Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

I suspect this is due of the way Plusnet have 'disabled' your voicemail - essentially I think it's still diverting when busy or turned off either to the voicemail platform, which is not setup for voicemail or another number which is invalid.

If you read through this thread https://community.plus.net/t5/Mobile/Voicemail-quot-OFF-quot/td-p/1403636 I think this is a similiar issue to what you are experiencing.

Mikee222
Newbie
Posts: 3
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎31-08-2021

Re: Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

Thanks for your reply but my complaint is a bit more fundamental than the issues with voice mail.

It is all to do with the fact Plusnet are not working to industry standard signalling and protocols. Whether that is by mismanagement of the programming and setting up of the system either deliberate or accidental it can and must be rectified. There are standards that PTO providers have to adhere to.

I wonder if Ofcom have any issues with the way Plusnet operate..

flanzm
Pro
Posts: 251
Thanks: 107
Fixes: 15
Registered: ‎20-04-2016

Re: Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

Your complaint is directly linked to the way voicemail is implemented on PlusNet.  As I understand it the busy/unavailable diverts from your phone can't actually be cancelled (check on your handset settings, and you will see what I mean); all that is done is the Voicemail platform is disabled for you to stop having voicemails being left.  This is why you aren't getting the industry standard signalling you expect - your phone is still being diverted to a 'dead' voicemail system (hence the call is being 'answered' from an external callers perspective).

I do agree this is not good, and is not standard behaviour, but as the thread I linked to shows this problem has existed for many years, and was a problem when I was a Life Mobile customer (before PlusNet took over) and its due to limitations in what PlusNet as an MVNO can change.  I am afraid it's similiar to the well known issues with short codes support, and if you don't like it you may need to switch to another provider.

 

 

Mikee222
Newbie
Posts: 3
Thanks: 1
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎31-08-2021

Re: Plusnet not giving correct tones when your mobile is engaged or unavailable

Fix

Pac code requested, must leave this Micky mouse provider. I cant have a provider who tells my callers my number is not recognised when I am busy, that is just simply stupid.