I switched to digital phone service (with AT&T Broadband, if it matters) several days ago and my answering machine hasn’t worked since then. By “worked” I mean that the machine is still functional, but it doesn’t pick up after 4 rings like it used to. Now it does nothing. What caused this?
Who knows. Hey, with any appliance, tv, vcr, etc, just unplug for a full minute from wall & also the phone line too. Then plug back in, this resets stuff. Youll be surprised what you can get to work with this method.
Warning! Rampant speculation ahead.
When you changed service, did you have to change your telephones as well? Or perhaps are your phones marked as being compatible with digital as well as analog service?
I don’t know for sure, as I don’t have digital service, and I haven’t gotten consistent or convincing answers as to what the actual differences are between digital service and the standard analog service when I’ve asked people who should know.
I do know that in hotels and businesses that have digital phone systems, ordinary telephones will not work, and in some cases can be damaged by connecting them directly to the digital line. An adapter is required to connect an analog device such as a computer modem or a standard telephone to these systems, although in many of the current digital phone systems the ‘adapter’ is built in, so each phone has a jack where you can plug in a standard analog device.
So if your new service is truly digital (and not just digital in the marketing sense that it includes a DSL type service along with ordinary phone service) it may be that your answering machine can no longer tell that the line is ringing, or even in service.
If this is the case, maybe your service provider can get you an adapter that let your answering machine work on the new line.
Or maybe your answering machine just picked that day to die. It happens.
Ugly
No, I still have the same phones. If they are meant to be compatible with digital service, they sure don’t say so anywhere.
I managed to dig up this list of equipment that is not compatible with digital phone service. Lo and behold, my model is right there on the list (Phonemate 8200). So it looks like it is time for a new answering machine.