On Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:31:28 +0000, laurence_taylor2001 wrote:

> --- In 56solo@yahoogroups.com, Oliver Roberts <oliver@...> wrote:
>>
>> . . . Apparently, TalkTalk's Caller ID system is supposed to be
>> identical to BT's, but there are some minor differences (not just the
>> problem that I'm having).
>>
>> It's a strange problem because it works about 50% of the time on average
>> with the Solo, and 90% of the time on a BT Freestyle handset. Probably
>> everybody here knows the tell-tale "click...click" that the Solo makes
>> directly before the phone starts to ring, and before it starts to
>> announce the phone number. With my BT line, this was always a fixed
>> "click...click", but with TT sometimes it doesn't click at all and as a
>> result picks up no Caller ID at all (yet, the BT Freestyle does still
>> display the Caller ID most of the time when this happens). . . .
>
> A guess is that Solos click on BT lines because of either the line
> reversal that heads the calling line identification presentation (CLIP)
> signal or some other big change in line voltage. Often my Solo clicks
> when I take my handset off hook; sometimes it clicks without any call
> coming, perhaps when a neighbour takes their phone off hook. The CLIP data
> stream after the line reversal should not cause the clicks.

Yes, I get the clicks too when taking the handset off hook, most of the time.
Happened when I was with BT and still now I'm with TT. Regarding clicks
without any call coming, it only seems to happen here if there are storms in
the area or late at night (12am or so) which I had assumed was BT tests.

> IIRC BT uses line reversals as part of the signalling to switch lines
> from idle to loop states at the start of a call. This is part of the
> prompt to our kit (e.g., Solos) to receive CLIP data. The CLIP data
> arrive before the rings. Our kit must have programmed delays to pass the
CLIP
> data to our software between the first and second rings, when most comms
> software expects. Call Waiting signals seem very similar, but there is no
> line reversal or switching out of loop state.
>
> Maybe TalkTalk does without line reversals along its local loop unbundled
> lines to signal an imminent CLIP, instead working rather like Call
> Waiting: hence lack of clicks. TalkTalk may even send the CLIP between
> the first and second rings, as happens over most of the world, even if
> the CLIP otherwise follows BT protocols. This may make TalkTalk Caller ID
unreliable
> with a Solo, while other kit may be more tolerant, perhaps if it can also
> receive Call Waiting signals.

Maybe. It seems inconsistent. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn't.
Likewise, with the BT Freestyle handsets, sometimes there display the Caller
ID immediately, sometimes it doesn't show up until after 2-3 rings, or more
rarely it doesn't show up at all. It could just be a timing issue or
something. Then again, TT aren't exactly unknown for having Caller ID issues
if their forums are anything to go by - earlier this year exchanges were
given Caller ID updates.

--
Oliver Roberts - http://www.futaura.co.uk/ - ICQ: 34640231