746 telephone - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

robin coleman · 20th Oct 2011, 6:12 pm

I have recently had a Virgin telephone line put in but my 746 telephone rings in, but does not ring out. Has any one any ideas why? Or maybe I have wired it wrong?

Station X · 20th Oct 2011, 6:19 pm

Are you saying that you get dial tone, but cannot dial out? ie dial tone persists after a digit is dialled?

robin coleman · 20th Oct 2011, 8:11 pm

Yes I get a persistent tone after dialing the first few numbers I get the "Sorry you have dialled incorrectly" message.

russell_w_b · 20th Oct 2011, 8:25 pm

Sounds like your Virgin exchange doesn't support pulse-dialling.

However...

Just confirm this is the case by lifting the receiver and tapping the pulse sequence 1 - 2 - 3 on the handset rest, quite quickly (there are supposed to be ten pulses-per-second if dialling zero, to give you some idea of how fast to tap). You should get the speaking clock if pulse dialling is supported. If you DO get the speaking clock, your Virgin network might accept pulse-dialling, but your dial might be faulty or out-of-spec for the Virgin exchange.

DON'T tap out 1 - 1 - 2, as you may get emergency services!

AndiiT · 20th Oct 2011, 10:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by russell_w_b

Sounds like your Virgin exchange doesn't support pulse-dialling.

Whilst non-support of pulse dialling is a small possibility, it's more likely that Virgin media's equipment is less forgiving of slow dial pulses than that of BT.

Regards
Andrew

russell_w_b · 20th Oct 2011, 10:24 pm

With Andi T's post in mind, d'you think you could obtain a push-button telephone with a pulse-dialling option on it? There's a switch on some models from the 80s and 90s to select between DTMF (tone) and LD (pulse).

Such an instrument ought to have a correct pulse ratio and, if your exchange is LD enabled, should work correctly.

Incidentally, did (does) your 746 dial out on a BT line?

robin coleman · 21st Oct 2011, 8:05 pm

hi should i wire the new one in series with the old one and is th 123 taps 1 tap then two then three taps or 123 sequence .I did have an746 working on the virgin line in my old area but they seem to keep changing everthing thes days like the analogue system
regards
Robin

Hi,

Should I wire the new one in series with the old one? and is the 1-2-3 taps one tap then two then three taps or 1-2-3 sequence? I did have a 746 working on the Virgin line in my old area but they seem to keep changing everything these days, like the analogue system.

Regards,
Robin.

AndiiT · 21st Oct 2011, 8:26 pm

Hi,
If you can tap 123 out on your phone switch hooks you should get through to the speaking clock.
Alternatively your could try 1579 which, in some areas is the Virgin Media Automatic number indicator, this should then read you phone number back to you omitting the leading 0 of the STD code.
If 1579 doesn't work 156 might connect you to Virgins ringback test.

In either case if you are able to achieve call connection by tapping the switch hooks of your telephone this indicates that your service provider does accept pulse dialling and the most likely cause of your original problem is nothing more than a slow dial.

As Virgin services are often from "legacy" acquisitions, such as ex - Nynex or Telewest areas for example, not all of them use the same exchange equipment; Some areas may use System X whilst others use Nortel DMS series switches (a telephone exchange these days is actually a Digital Multiplexing switch, hence the increasing use of the term 'switch' rather than exchange..) and, as mentioned previously, some Virgin switches are very unforgiving of slow dial pulses.

Regards
Andrew

20th Oct 2011, 6:12 pm	#1
robin coleman Hexode Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 354	746 telephone I have recently had a Virgin telephone line put in but my 746 telephone rings in, but does not ring out. Has any one any ideas why? Or maybe I have wired it wrong?

20th Oct 2011, 6:19 pm	#2
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: 746 telephone Are you saying that you get dial tone, but cannot dial out? ie dial tone persists after a digit is dialled? __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

20th Oct 2011, 8:11 pm	#3
robin coleman Hexode Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 354	Re: 746 telephone Yes I get a persistent tone after dialing the first few numbers I get the "Sorry you have dialled incorrectly" message. Last edited by Darren-UK; 20th Oct 2011 at 11:43 pm. Reason: GI.

20th Oct 2011, 8:25 pm	#4
russell_w_b Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: 746 telephone Sounds like your Virgin exchange doesn't support pulse-dialling. However... Just confirm this is the case by lifting the receiver and tapping the pulse sequence 1 - 2 - 3 on the handset rest, quite quickly (there are supposed to be ten pulses-per-second if dialling zero, to give you some idea of how fast to tap). You should get the speaking clock if pulse dialling is supported. If you DO get the speaking clock, your Virgin network might accept pulse-dialling, but your dial might be faulty or out-of-spec for the Virgin exchange. DON'T tap out 1 - 1 - 2, as you may get emergency services! __________________ Regds, Russell W. B. G4YLI.

20th Oct 2011, 10:24 pm	#6
russell_w_b Dekatron Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Penrith, Cumbria, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: 746 telephone With Andi T's post in mind, d'you think you could obtain a push-button telephone with a pulse-dialling option on it? There's a switch on some models from the 80s and 90s to select between DTMF (tone) and LD (pulse). Such an instrument ought to have a correct pulse ratio and, if your exchange is LD enabled, should work correctly. Incidentally, did (does) your 746 dial out on a BT line? __________________ Regds, Russell W. B. G4YLI.

21st Oct 2011, 8:05 pm	#7
robin coleman Hexode Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 354	Re: 746 telephone hi should i wire the new one in series with the old one and is th 123 taps 1 tap then two then three taps or 123 sequence .I did have an746 working on the virgin line in my old area but they seem to keep changing everthing thes days like the analogue system regards Robin Hi, Should I wire the new one in series with the old one? and is the 1-2-3 taps one tap then two then three taps or 1-2-3 sequence? I did have a 746 working on the Virgin line in my old area but they seem to keep changing everything these days, like the analogue system. Regards, Robin.

21st Oct 2011, 8:26 pm	#8
AndiiT Octode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Saltburn-East, Cleveland, UK. Posts: 1,786	Re: 746 telephone Hi, If you can tap 123 out on your phone switch hooks you should get through to the speaking clock. Alternatively your could try 1579 which, in some areas is the Virgin Media Automatic number indicator, this should then read you phone number back to you omitting the leading 0 of the STD code. If 1579 doesn't work 156 might connect you to Virgins ringback test. In either case if you are able to achieve call connection by tapping the switch hooks of your telephone this indicates that your service provider does accept pulse dialling and the most likely cause of your original problem is nothing more than a slow dial. As Virgin services are often from "legacy" acquisitions, such as ex - Nynex or Telewest areas for example, not all of them use the same exchange equipment; Some areas may use System X whilst others use Nortel DMS series switches (a telephone exchange these days is actually a Digital Multiplexing switch, hence the increasing use of the term 'switch' rather than exchange..) and, as mentioned previously, some Virgin switches are very unforgiving of slow dial pulses. Regards Andrew