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[bilbokitz]

This isn't internet related but I was hoping the engineers that frequent these forums may have some insight on the issue.

Basically we appear not to be able to get through to a certain telephone number using our landline, it normally just goes engaged straight away. We can get through using a mobile. We do not have any issues phoning any other numbers and to their knowledge the number we can't get through to has no other issues with anyone getting through to them.

Is this something that occurs often, and if so what causes it? Its my wife that calls the number in question so I want to do some trouble shooting ie try a different phone so have not raised a call yet. This issue has been occurring for a long time.

[JGO]

 "Its my wife that calls the number in question so I want to do some trouble shooting ie try a different phone so have not raised a call yet. "

If you want BT or whoever to look for a fault it is as well to be 200% sure it isn't at your end - otherwise may be expensive !
Trying a different 'phone plugged in in place of yours and with someone else doing the dialing will eliminate your 'phone or wife transposing two digits etc. ( I beg your wife's pardon but you need to be quite sure !)  Armed with that result you can point the finger.  Good luck.

[sheddyian]

Just a thought - this sounds rather like the feature that TalkTalk just sent me info on - nuisance call blocking.

If someone eg marketing/spam/fraud calls you, you can dial a special code, confirm it, and that number is now blocked from calling you.

Should that number try to call you again, they receive an engaged tone and your phone never rings.

So I wonder if that's been (accidentally?) set to block your number?

I imagine other SPs provide a similar service, just so happens I heard about this from TalkTalk earlier today!

Ian

[bilbokitz]

I was thinking it might be something like this, or something that they have set on their phone without realising. My my wife accused me of blocking it at first!     

"(accidentally?)"  Indeed perhaps I should check with t'other husband!

[Black Sheep]

Alas, nothing engineering would really get involved in here. It's as has been mooted above, or some kind of network trunk issue.
We used to get a few instances of this scenario after performing a 'Number Portability' task ...... ie: the EU has brought their number from one CP to another. Something would have 'locked up' in the software or something All we had to do was ring the 'Port' people and they would perform some trigger or other, and the problem disappeared.
Haven't had one for years though ??

Can't help I'm afraid, Bilbo. 

[kitz]

Another thought, youre not ex-d with number withheld are you?

To follow on from Ians post about call blocking, there is a service you can get from your telco which blocks calls from unidentified phone numbers.  If your phone no is withheld, then the call is automatically filtered out.   

Ive actually come across this before with my own line and if I want to phone them I have to dial 1470 first.

[Blackeagle]

Another thought, youre not ex-d with number withheld are you?

To follow on from Ians post about call blocking, there is a service you can get from your telco which blocks calls from unidentified phone numbers.  If your phone no is withheld, then the call is automatically filtered out.   

Ive actually come across this before with my own line and if I want to phone them I have to dial 1470 first.

Yeah, we have to to phone my sister-in-law as our number is automatically withheld. Our phones can also blacklist 20 numbers, which when they have been blacklisted, our phone never rings.  I don't know however if it gives an engaged tone or just rings at the other end as I've never blacklisted myself but it could be a possibility if they've done it by accident.

[sevenlayermuddle]

I don't think there is any way that a consumer 'blocking' device could cause the BT engaged tone to be heard instead of ring tone.   It could 'spoof' an engaged tone of its own, but the BT ring tone would be heard by the caller first.

My reasoning is that the consumer equipment only becomes aware that an incoming call exists when it detects the ringing signal, by which time the caller will already be hearing 'ring tone'.   Landline networks actually go to some lengths to ensure things happen that way.   The 'backwards path' is swiched into circuit before the called phone even rings, else there may be a tiny switching delay before the calling party hears the called party's voice.

Mobile networks must sacrifice that ideal due to airtime being a precious resource, which is why when calling a mobile, instead of "hello?" you often just here "..low?", or worse just "...?".

[bilbokitz]

Thanks for the suggestions, I have not followed up yet as l is happy to use her mobie for now. Were not ex directory so cant be that. 

The people in question are due to move house soon now so it'll be interesting to see if the issue follows, if so I'll so some more digging and report back.