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I have a two-line V-tech DS6151. Line 1 is a land-line from

 

Customer Question

I have a two-line V-tech DS6151. Line 1 is a land-line from Verizon and works fine. Line 2 is a Cablevision Optimum Voice line. Line 2 is able to receive calls, but we cannot call out on this line. We get an error message every time we try to dial a number with an area code, though dialing 800 numbers mysteriously works. Any idea what could be happening? Wired phones work fine when plugged into Line 2, but our VTech cordless just will not call out.  The Error message we get is "OV20" but the cable company says it is not their problem.

 



Already Tried:
Resetting phone system, resetting cable modem, switching phones and lines to see if it is the line or the phone. It appears to be the VTech phone that is not letting us dial out on our Optimum Voice line.

Submitted: 303 days and 5 hours ago.
Category: Phone Systems
Value: $30
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  romr2009 replied 303 days and 1 hours ago.

Hello Victoria and thanks for choosing the JustAnswer.com Phone Systems subcategory of the Electronics category.

  • Do you get an error message with just the 7-digit number?
  • How about 1 + area code + 7-digit number?

-----

  • Install a DSL filter on line 2.
  • The V-tech DS6151 is measuring the different phone line voltages from the 2 phone providers and registering an error.

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103593&CAWELAID=107590419

romr200941066.8471742245

Customer replied 303 days ago.

In our area, we need to dial a 1 plus area code before any 7-digit number if we're calling a land line. Just dialing a 7-digit number doesn't work and I have not programmed a "home" area code on my phone.
Yes, I get an error message regardless of whether I dial just the area code or a "1" before it.
Here is another strange thing: When I dial my cell phone number with area code (with or without 1 before it), the call goes through just fine. Same for 800 numbers. But when I try my husband's cell phone number (same area code), it doens't go through. I'm wondering why some calls go through without the DSL filter, yet others don't.

Also, this phone replaced a Panasonic model where both lines worked perfectly fine. It's only been since we got the VTech that we are having this problem.

I'm going to pick up a DSL filter tonight if they have it at the store and see if that works. I will reply back either way.

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 303 days ago.


Reset the controllers as follows:

 

  • Remove the rechargeable batteries from each of the cordless handset(s).
  • Unplug the main base power cord from the wall outlet. (Not to be confused with the remote charging base)
  • Unplug the other end of the power cord from the main base.
  • (If the main base also has a main backup battery, remove the battery.)
  • ----- Wait 20 minutes. -----
  • (The timing is very important --- 15 minutes is too short and 30 minutes may be too long. If you miss the time window, plug the unit back in for 5 minutes and start over.
  • Re-connect the power cord to the main base.
  • Re-install the rechargeable battery in one of the cordless handsets.
  • Place the cordless handset in the main base.
  • Re-connect the main base power cord to the wall outlet.

 

Customer replied 302 days and 22 hours ago.

OK. I got a DSL filter and it does absolutely nothing. Same problem. That is not the answer. I am going to try this procedure you have listed above in a little while, after we're done with work for the day.

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 302 days and 22 hours ago.

OK

Customer replied 302 days and 20 hours ago.

Hello. I just tried all the steps you gave me above and it still does not work. Something is going on with this VTech phone that is not allowing me to make outgoing calls with my Optimum Voice line. I plugged it directly into the cable modem and it does the same thing. I get a recorded voice that says to check the number and the error code "OV20." Then I tried plugging a phone with a cord into the cable modem and it makes calls just fine. Is there something that can be done to this cordless phone so it can work with an Optimum Voice line? As I have said before, it accepts incoming calls with no problem and makes outgoing calls to 800 numbers with no problem. It's just when I have to dial an area code (with or without 1) that the cordless phone does not work properly. Wired phones make these calls with no problem, plugged into the same jack. My problem is still not solved. Any other ideas?

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 302 days and 19 hours ago.

  • Are you using the combination line1/line2 jack on the base or are you using the separate line 2 jack?
  • Is the problem the same if you dial using the base keypad instead of the cordless handset?

 

http://www.vtechphones.com/documents/product_Product/301/UserManual/1416/ds6151_manual_i2.pdf

romr200941067.0893300579

Customer replied 302 days and 18 hours ago.

I am using two separate wires, one that goes from the Verizon land line into the the L1+2 and one that goes from the Cablevision/OV line into the L2 on the back of the phone base. The jack on the wall is a duplex jack that looks sort of like this http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/connectivity/phone-data/?sku=TP253N

It really doesn't matter which jack I plug which wire into. The Verizon line always works and the Cablevision doesn't, regardless of which L1 or L2 its plugged into. If I have the Cablevision line plugged into L1, then it's L1 that doesn't work. If it's plugged into L2, then L2 doesn't work.

The problem is exactly the same with the base keypad. I just tested it again plugged directly into my cable modem. Something in the phone is preventing me from being able to dial these numbers. An old Western Electric phone with a wire, when plugged into Cablevision's line works fine. Does VTech have any known incompatibilities with Cablevision?

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 302 days and 18 hours ago.

  • The problem seems to be with the dialing circuitry in the vtech.
  • Try toggling the dial mode to/from tone to pulse and back.
  • The tone generator may not be strong/long enough so try holding down each number for a split second to see if Cablevision can recognize it.

Customer replied 302 days and 18 hours ago.

We seem to be making progress, at least a little bit. As you suggested, I set the dial mode to "pulse" and it works with the Cablevision line! But when I switch back to tone, it stops working. I also tried dialing with "tone" by pushing the buttons down firmly and holding them, but that doesn't work either. Now we can at least call out with the phone, but since a lot of the day is spent dealing with automated telephone systems, we really need the "tone" function to work with the Cable line as it does on Verizon (tone works fine) and with wired phones (tone works fine). Could there be another setting either on the phone or at Cablevision that I need to figure out? The tone works perfectly fine when hooked up to the Verizon line. It's just with this Cable line that it doesn't.

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 302 days and 17 hours ago.


  • Try the pulse to dial, press the # XXXXX to see if it changes to tone.
  • When you hang up, it should change back to pulse.

-----

 

  • You might want to return this phone because the tone generator seems to out of spec and this is just a single unit defect --- or Cablevision's tone detector is just too picky.

 

 

 

Expert TypeEngineer
Category: Phone Systems
Pos. Feedback: 79.1 %
Accepts: 187
Answered: 6/7/2012

Experience: 32 years practical systems experience: computer/phone, automotive, appliance, & electrical control

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Customer replied 302 days and 17 hours ago.

I was just on the phone with Cablevision and they are going to send me a new Cable Modem to see if that fixes the problem. It seems that this modem is somehow not recognizing the "3" tone in numbers I dial-- even though Verizon's system has no problem recognizing the same "3"s on their line. You have helped me isolate the problem and speak coherently with Cablevision to the point where I finally got a tech who tried to help. It appears to be a problem of incompatibility of my phone and Cablevision's tone detector rather than something I can fix. Thank you very much for trying to help. Regards, Victoria

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Expert:  romr2009 replied 302 days and 7 hours ago.

Congratulations!

 
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