My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.


--

On 04/08/2011 17:40, The Other Mike wrote:
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.



dose not work for some reason....
i need to be able to call even when the phone is off the hook

"The Other Mike" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.

That only happens on "System X" exchanges AFAIK

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 04/08/2011 17:47, Fidel wrote:
On 04/08/2011 17:40, The Other Mike wrote:
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the
hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.



dose not work for some reason....
i need to be able to call even when the phone is off the hook

The only way I can think of is a cheap PAYG mobile, perhaps left
somewhere inaccessible but not inaudible, perhaps left on a charger
(depending on how often you visit).

Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

A timing circuit started when the cradle is lifted that then resets the
cradle switch to on-hook after, say, 30 mins.

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

On 04/08/2011 19:12, Scott M wrote:
Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can
make which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

A timing circuit started when the cradle is lifted that then resets the
cradle switch to on-hook after, say, 30 mins.

I have the number of one of my Mum's neighbours.

"Fidel" wrote in message
...
My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the
hook!!!!!

BT used to be able to send a nasty noise to the other person's phone.
Dunno if they can still do it.

On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.

How? Is it poor design of cradle/handset that allows the handset to
be placed on it and look correct but not actually operating the
switch? If so change the phone... Same applies to a a one piece phone
that has to be put a particular way up to operate the hook switch.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.

How? Is it poor design of cradle/handset that allows the handset to
be placed on it and look correct but not actually operating the
switch? If so change the phone... Same applies to a a one piece phone
that has to be put a particular way up to operate the hook switch.


I was going to say, get her an old GPO style phone:

http://www.antiquegpophones.co.uk/shop.html

(I'm thinking 70's style halfway down, 70 quid, not necessarily the
expensive serious antiques).

It was nigh on impossible to not replace the handset correctly on one of
those unless you got the cable trapped (never remember that being a
problem).

Heavy handset and positive cradle = problem solved

--
Tim Watts

Tim Watts wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:

On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
How? Is it poor design of cradle/handset that allows the handset to
be placed on it and look correct but not actually operating the
switch? If so change the phone... Same applies to a a one piece phone
that has to be put a particular way up to operate the hook switch.


I was going to say, get her an old GPO style phone:

http://www.antiquegpophones.co.uk/shop.html

(I'm thinking 70's style halfway down, 70 quid, not necessarily the
expensive serious antiques).

It was nigh on impossible to not replace the handset correctly on one of
those unless you got the cable trapped (never remember that being a
problem).

Heavy handset and positive cradle = problem solved

another option is a PABX and several phones.

If one is off hook, the rest wont be..unless she deliberately takes them
off.

Fidel :
My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

You just can't take a hint, can you?

Love, Mum

On Thu, 4 Aug 2011 17:49:44 +0100, "Graham." wrote:


"The Other Mike" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.

That only happens on "System X" exchanges AFAIK

No; it certainly worked on Strowger ones too.

--
Frank Erskine

On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:23:26 +0100, Frank Erskine
wrote:

On Thu, 4 Aug 2011 17:49:44 +0100, "Graham." wrote:


"The Other Mike" wrote in message ...

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.

That only happens on "System X" exchanges AFAIK

No; it certainly worked on Strowger ones too.

But maybe not System Y?


--

On 04/08/2011 17:31, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

Nope - at least not on that line.



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 8/4/2011 5:47 PM, Huge wrote:
On 2011-08-04, wrote:

The only way I can think of is a cheap PAYG mobile, perhaps left
somewhere inaccessible but not inaudible, perhaps left on a charger
(depending on how often you visit).

Don't use Vodafone for this. After a couple of months of no calls
made from the "emergency" phone, they cancel your SIMM and steal your
money.


I had an old Orange SIM, which my daughter had used when at university -
it went unused for a couple of years and had been cancelled. But when I
called Orange, they were happy to transfer the remaining credit (about
15GBP)to one of my other SIMs.
A couple of months ago, I checked another Orange SIM, which had been
unused for about a year - it was still functioning.

Mrs Fidel wrote:

Fidel :
My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

You just can't take a hint, can you?

Love, Mum

claps

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

"Frank Erskine" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 4 Aug 2011 17:49:44 +0100, "Graham." wrote:


"The Other Mike" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.

That only happens on "System X" exchanges AFAIK

No; it certainly worked on Strowger ones too.

--
Frank Erskine

I think that involved an oscillator, a pair of croc clips and an engineer to connect it to the frame.

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 5 Aug 2011 07:30:50 GMT, Huge wrote:


Don't use Vodafone for this. After a couple of months of no calls
made from the "emergency" phone, they cancel your SIMM and steal your
money.


I had an old Orange SIM, which my daughter had used when at university -
it went unused for a couple of years and had been cancelled. But when I
called Orange, they were happy to transfer the remaining credit (about
15GBP)to one of my other SIMs.
A couple of months ago, I checked another Orange SIM, which had been
unused for about a year - it was still functioning.

Brownie points for Orange, then. Voda simply wouldn't give me back my money,
even though it was for an emergency phone for my 93 y/o MIL. Phags.

Best for this application is IKEA's "Family Mobile".

http://www.familymobile.co.uk/

All UK calls 8p /min, texts 4p.

Get £10.00 to "recommend a fiend" (Not me !)

Set the family up in a serial fashion and collect all the tenners :-))

Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

Derek G.


--

This Looks like Finito Ruperto.

On Fri, 5 Aug 2011 10:45:37 +0100, "Graham." wrote:


"Frank Erskine" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 4 Aug 2011 17:49:44 +0100, "Graham." wrote:


"The Other Mike" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:31:38 +0100, Fidel wrote:

My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

After a set period of time the loud noise coming from the off hook
phone (sent from the exchange for just this purpose) should make it
obvious that the phone is off the hook ...unless she is deaf.

That only happens on "System X" exchanges AFAIK

No; it certainly worked on Strowger ones too.

--
Frank Erskine

I think that involved an oscillator, a pair of croc clips and an engineer to connect it to the frame.

No - it was automatic, and could additionally be applied by an
operator or a test-desk engineer.

--
Frank Erskine

Fidel wrote:
My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make
which means even if she does this. I can still call here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

As this is the diy newsgroup, how about making a box with a relay in it
which only lets the line stay open for a limited time after it stops
detecting audio, with a seperate ringer?

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 8/5/2011 5:50 AM, Derek G. wrote:
On 5 Aug 2011 07:30:50 GMT, wrote:
Don't use Vodafone for this. After a couple of months of no calls
made from the "emergency" phone, they cancel your SIMM and steal your
money.
I had an old Orange SIM, which my daughter had used when at university -
it went unused for a couple of years and had been cancelled. But when I
called Orange, they were happy to transfer the remaining credit (about
15GBP)to one of my other SIMs.
A couple of months ago, I checked another Orange SIM, which had been
unused for about a year - it was still functioning.
Brownie points for Orange, then. Voda simply wouldn't give me back my money,
even though it was for an emergency phone for my 93 y/o MIL. Phags.

Best for this application is IKEA's "Family Mobile".
http://www.familymobile.co.uk/
All UK calls 8p /min, texts 4p.
Get £10.00 to "recommend a fiend" (Not me !)
Set the family up in a serial fashion and collect all the tenners :-))
Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

Interesting - I wasn't aware of Ikea's mobile offering.

"John Williamson" wrote in message ...
Fidel wrote:
My Mother keeps leaving the phone off the hook.
Is the a phone, module for an existing phone or modification i can make which means even if she does this. I can still call
here.

oh and no smart answers about telling her to put the phone on the hook!!!!!

As this is the diy newsgroup, how about making a box with a relay in it which only lets the line stay open for a limited time
after it stops detecting audio, with a seperate ringer?

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Yes, the box would have to go before the internal wiring so the relay could
switch out anything in an off-hook condition. It could operate after seeing a line voltage of less than (say) 30v for
more than (say) 90 min.
The unit would contain a hands-free telephone with auto-answer.

At one min intervals if the handsfree was not in use the box would briefly
close its relay contacts, if line voltage detected was above 30v it would return to its dormant condition.


--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"S Viemeister" wrote in message ...
On 8/5/2011 5:50 AM, Derek G. wrote:
On 5 Aug 2011 07:30:50 GMT, wrote:
Don't use Vodafone for this. After a couple of months of no calls
made from the "emergency" phone, they cancel your SIMM and steal your
money.
I had an old Orange SIM, which my daughter had used when at university -
it went unused for a couple of years and had been cancelled. But when I
called Orange, they were happy to transfer the remaining credit (about
15GBP)to one of my other SIMs.
A couple of months ago, I checked another Orange SIM, which had been
unused for about a year - it was still functioning.
Brownie points for Orange, then. Voda simply wouldn't give me back my money,
even though it was for an emergency phone for my 93 y/o MIL. Phags.

Best for this application is IKEA's "Family Mobile".
http://www.familymobile.co.uk/
All UK calls 8p /min, texts 4p.
Get £10.00 to "recommend a fiend" (Not me !)
Set the family up in a serial fashion and collect all the tenners :-))
Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

Interesting - I wasn't aware of Ikea's mobile offering.

It runs on T- Mobile according to the website, for that reason alone
I would probably use GiffGaff instead (O2).

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Graham." saying
something like:

I think that involved an oscillator, a pair of croc clips and an engineer to connect it to the frame.

The frame in Gitmo?

On 05/08/2011 10:50, Derek G. wrote:
Best for this application is IKEA's "Family Mobile".

http://www.familymobile.co.uk/

All UK calls 8p /min, texts 4p.

Get £10.00 to "recommend a fiend" (Not me !)

Set the family up in a serial fashion and collect all the tenners :-))

Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

That's what I use, especially for daytime calls to geographic numbers
and mobiles because it comes out cheaper than the BT landline. But you
do have to make at least one call every 3 months otherwise they suspend
the account, but they do email you in advance to remind you to make a
call and you can re-activate a suspended account within the following 3
months.

--
Mike Clarke

On Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:27:39 +0100, Mike Clarke
wrote:


Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

That's what I use, especially for daytime calls to geographic numbers
and mobiles because it comes out cheaper than the BT landline. But you
do have to make at least one call every 3 months otherwise they suspend
the account,

Don't quote me on this but AFAIAA they dont actually do it.

I've just tried 3 handsets unused for 1 year++ including one not in
service in a GPS beacon, and 2 more not yet in service 'till their
contracts expire. All three can make calls.

Early on I did get the 3 months emails but I don't even get them now.

It could be I'm of more use to IKEA as a customer with a live account
so they can email me occasionally with offers

but they do email you in advance to remind you to make a
call and you can re-activate a suspended account within the following 3
months.

Kid-ology ???

Derek G.

--

This Looks like Finito Ruperto.

On 05/08/2011 20:40, Derek G. wrote:
On Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:27:39 +0100, Mike Clarke
wrote:


Credits (& Sims) last indefinitely. (Allegedly)

That's what I use, especially for daytime calls to geographic numbers
and mobiles because it comes out cheaper than the BT landline. But you
do have to make at least one call every 3 months otherwise they suspend
the account,

Don't quote me on this but AFAIAA they dont actually do it.

I've just tried 3 handsets unused for 1 year++ including one not in
service in a GPS beacon, and 2 more not yet in service 'till their
contracts expire. All three can make calls.

Early on I did get the 3 months emails but I don't even get them now.

Interesting. I opened an account about a year ago when they had a free
SIM offer. I didn't use it for a while because I was waiting until I'd
used up all the PAYG credits on my existing Virgin account and in due
course I got my 3 month email which prompted me to make a call to keep
it alive. I was assuming that they would have suspended the account if I
didn't use it but I can well believe that they don't really bother.

But the T&C's do enable them to do this so it might be a bit risky to
depend on it.

--
Mike Clarke