BT Versatility Phone System

[LeMarchand]

One of my schools has a small exchange box with a couple of BT Versatility V8 phones attached (along with an assortment of "normal" machines.

 

They wanted an answerphone, and bought a £35 job, but the only lines that ring have the V8s attached (and the phones can't be moved). The problem is that once they are plugged into the answerphone, they don't work; I suspect that it's a power issue.

 

So my questions are:

 

Does anyone know the voltage/polarity requirements of the V8 phone (there's a power socket underneath), or does anyone know if there is such a thing as a default programming code for the phones (so I could activate the ring on an extension)?

 

Really want to avoid the £100 minimum for a BT engineer...

[john]

Hi, sorry for not picking this up sooner,its been a chaotic week! I am a BT Versatility person, I've fitted 4 of them now and have happy people behind them and have done various programming for people.

 

In answer to your question you can't put an answer-phone on a V8 extension as its a Digital Extension, the system senses what's plugged into the port so you would need an analogue port for that. Have you any spares that you could wire to and add that to a ring group perhaps? You do need to watch that it pickups up the answerphone on that port though as some items such as plug-in bells don't work correct on the normal plug and you need to cut them up and re-wire them to pick them up correctly.

 

IMHO, you would be far better buying the Voicemail module from someone, they are very cheap on eBay as they just slot in and work the are really that simple.

 

The power socket is not used on a V8 as its for the V16 (same chassis but has 16 hot keys) as that connects to the mains as you can add a 32 button extension module to it and it give it power and illuination if I remember correctly (never had any need for V16 or the expansion units)

[LeMarchand]

Thanks for the advice, and sorry that I've only just noticed it .

 

I'm thinking that the system wasn't set up properly then, as I plugged the answerphone into the socket and it works fine. As stated above, the phone won't work if plugged into the answerphone, though. It'll do for now as that desk is only used 2 days/week, I'll take a look on eBay at home, though.

 

Glad I didn't plug a variable power supply into the V8!

 

By "spares" do you mean spare sockets? If so, there are (with normal phones in them), but they don't ring - hence the programming code question. The finance officer is supposed to have asked BT about this, but I have my doubts...

[john]

If you take out the V8 / Digital Phone and put an analogue device in that's fine, they are auto-sensing ports on the system, I thought you were trying to use one of those splitters / double adaptors like you use at home. If you plug another analogue phone in with the answer phone that will work and you can use the systems features using # codes at it rather than menus.

 

Spare meaning spare extensions / sockets. By default they come with 8 extensions out of the box (Extn 20 to 28) but you can add them in sets of 8 more.

 

Other phones that don't ring won't be in a ring or hunt group for incoming lines, these are all easily programmed from Extension 20 or from the computer access to it, they are really easy to program and you can do it all easily and I am sure you can re-tune it for your needs without problems.

[LeMarchand]

That makes sense, thank you.

 

I found the reprogramming guide, but just don't know the code. I may hassle BT for it, but it's probably easier just to use one of the analogue phones and move the V8 to another extension as this would leave the answerphone in the office, which is the best site.

 

Thanks for your help/advice!

[midnet]

how do enter programming mode on a V8? i push 'program' but nothing happens?

[john]

You need to be on the correctly assigned extension and enter the valid pin on that extension

[midnet]

only wired one phone up so far and thats to ext 1 - what code do i need to put in? thanks

[john]

Code depends what its been set to the manual and programming software will tell you all you need to know.

[midnet]

can these be programmed without a pc - i dont have any software. code has not been set as they are brand new (well refurbished)

[john]

Basic programming yes but you do need the software and cable really to do full setup and confirm what pin they have had set on them.