Difficulty setting up Caller ID

Andy_P · 31-10-2012, 22:28

HI, maybe a long shot, but I wonder if anyone has any clues to help with my problem.

Yesterday, I subscribed to Caller ID, and the guy at customer services said it might take up to 24 hours to get enabled.

Today it still seemed to be not working, so I called CS again and spoke to a very helpful Scottish lady who reckoned it WAS turned on and should be working.

My phone is actually an NTL-branded one, the NTL D4900. Quite old now, but it *is* on the list of phones that are compatible with NTL's caller ID system according to this topic from back in 2004.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...le-phones.html

According to what I've read in the manual, it should show the callers name on the handset display if the person calling is in the phone's own phone book, and if not, it should show the number.

But all I get on the display is the same word "Ext" that I've always had, meaning an external call.

I don't think I need to change any settings on the phone itself, it looks like it should just happen.... Unfortunately the manual is pretty badly written (there's a "baby sit" mode as well, but that doesn't get any mention in the instructions at all).

Does anyone have any ideas or clues?

Many thanks for listening!

dave_dph · 03-11-2012, 09:01

Do you have the base unit plugged into the main VM socket, rather than an extension socket?

tomtank62 · 03-11-2012, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_P

HI, maybe a long shot, but I wonder if anyone has any clues to help with my problem.

Yesterday, I subscribed to Caller ID, and the guy at customer services said it might take up to 24 hours to get enabled.

Today it still seemed to be not working, so I called CS again and spoke to a very helpful Scottish lady who reckoned it WAS turned on and should be working.

My phone is actually an NTL-branded one, the NTL D4900. Quite old now, but it *is* on the list of phones that are compatible with NTL's caller ID system according to this topic from back in 2004.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...le-phones.html

According to what I've read in the manual, it should show the callers name on the handset display if the person calling is in the phone's own phone book, and if not, it should show the number.

But all I get on the display is the same word "Ext" that I've always had, meaning an external call.

I don't think I need to change any settings on the phone itself, it looks like it should just happen.... Unfortunately the manual is pretty badly written (there's a "baby sit" mode as well, but that doesn't get any mention in the instructions at all).

Does anyone have any ideas or clues?

Many thanks for listening!

Not positive, but I seem to recall I had to include the std code in the numbers in the phone book, don't know if you have tried that.

progers · 04-11-2012, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomtank62

Not positive, but I seem to recall I had to include the std code in the numbers in the phone book, don't know if you have tried that.

You definitely need the full STD code in the phone's phone book

DrXerox · 05-11-2012, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by progers

You definitely need the full STD code in the phone's phone book

You should still get the number displayed if it is not in your phonebook so something is still wrong.

Just as a matter of interest where are you?

I've had caller display for years, but it was an absolute nightmare to get it to work. Incompatible equipment and all that. (network side, not phones)
Network guys ended up modifying a power supply in the local cabinet to get mine to work.

Hopefully things should have changed by now................ but you never know

philwhite100 · 05-11-2012, 18:12

We had caller ID fail after a power cut (i think) but thought it was the phone that was damaged as a result but it started working again sometime later but has benn on and off ever since but is working at the moment.

Andy_P · 07-11-2012, 00:15

Hi, and thanks for all the replies, I'll try to go through them in turn.

1. Yes, the base unit is plugged into the master socket. Not sure if its a specific VM one though... it's quite an old installation (from back in the Videotron days!)

2. As DrXerox says, I should still get the number displayed even if I don't have anything in the phone book.

3. I'm in West London, postcode W7

4. As I'd not heard anything over the weekend, I gave them another call today, and got put straight onto a proper technician.
He tried several optional settings, ringing me back each time, but we had no improvement, so he suggested that it might well need some modification in the street cabinet (DrXerox right again!).

Getting a service visit on Thursday. I'll let you know how we get on.

Andy_P · 08-11-2012, 09:14

No joy so far.....

Got an automated call yesterday to ask me to confirm that I still needed the technician visit - nice touch.

Call from technician at 7:45 today to say he was on his way - nice touch.

But first alarm bells ring when he doesn't seem to have been told what the problem is and when I explain te tells me he probably won't be able to fix it.

I asked if he had a DECT phone on the van to check it wasn't my system causing the problems and he said no. So he can't even test the basic line system without any of my equipment or wiring plugged in!
He also mentioned that his test phone doesn't have Caller ID on it. - not so clever....

He spent 10 minutes on the phone back to base, and they seemed to go through exactly the same tests and experiments that I'd done with the 2nd-line tech on the phone yesterday.

Interesting that he didn't think it was necessary to check any local wiring or unplug any extensions at all.

Then he went to the street cabinet to try swapping to a different "e-side" port, but came back saying there were no spares to move to.

I mentioned the "power supply in the street cabinet" post from DrXerox and he pooh-poohed that idea but said it was probably software in the cabinet that needed upgrading and the Networks engineers would have to do that.

He thought they might be in the area today (or sometime soon)....

Andy_P · 08-11-2012, 13:49

Success!

I'll admit I was surprised, but within two hours I got a call from a Network Engineer and I could see his number!

He said they had had to update the software in the main "exchange cabinet"

Well done Virgin. I don't think they could have handled that much better.

(I asked him if his cabinet still had a lock on it...

)

ntluser · 12-04-2014, 15:06

Hi,
Does anyone know what the current situation is re: caller id these days please?

Not sure if my area (M33 2HN) is connected for this.

I vaguely recall there used to be a postcode checker online somewhere but can't seem to find it.

Info on charges online seems to vary. What's the cost these days please ?

Any info would be greatly appreciated please. TIA.

weenie · 12-04-2014, 16:12

A quick call to customer services "FREE" on 150 from your Virgin landline, and a customer services operative will set Caller Display up for you, if you can get it they will tell you the price for this service if you want it. That is what I did. They told me it could take up to 24 hours but VM had it up and running within 5 hours for me. Hope this helps.

ntluser · 12-04-2014, 17:18

Cheers, weenie, thanks for that.