Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Having trouble placing or receiving calls or using your voicemail system on Ooma Telo VoIP Phones? Post your questions here.
andyinatl
Posts:20
Joined:Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:54 am
Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by andyinatl » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:52 am

I have been an Ooma (Basic) customer for several years. This is my second unit, but it's not new.

Starting yesterday (guessing), inbound calls to our phone will ring once and then nothing (I see no caller ID). When I pick up the phone, even though it's not dialing, I get nothing but dial tone. Outbound calls work as they normally do. No change in service, voice quality, etc.

Persons calling our phone (when it rings once) also hear the phone ring once on their end, then they get static and nothing else. They aren't sent to voicemail, or anywhere else. Just static.

I've searched this forum and Google, and found similar issues but none that match these exact symptoms.

For the record, I have reset all my equipment (modem, router, telo) and the symptom has not changed in the slightest. Additionally, the Telo is illuminated 'blue', indicating it is (or should be) operating normally.

I'm beginning to question if I will need to buy another unit (again). I am hoping not, so any ideas are appreciated.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by murphy » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:36 am

Check the power supply. Producing ring voltage is the highest demand on the power supply.
If you have an old phone with real bells disconnect it to see if that makes it work.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

andyinatl
Posts:20
Joined:Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:54 am

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by andyinatl » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:47 am

I'm not sure how one would "Check the power supply." The power supply to the Telo unit? My phone? How would I check either?

The phone is not old, as in having mechanical ringer. It's a Panasonic DECT 6.0 Plus (kx-tg4741) cordless phone. It's the only phone I've used since becoming an Ooma customer (March 2015?).

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by murphy » Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:23 am

The Telo power supply. See if any of your friends have a voltmeter and know how to use it.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

andyinatl
Posts:20
Joined:Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:54 am

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by andyinatl » Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:42 am

None of my friends who come to mind have that skillset (to my knowledge). But let's say I did know someone, they checked the power supply, and it's working properly. What then?

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by murphy » Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:29 pm

Diagnostics don't work that way.
I gave you something to test.
Until there is a result for that test it doesn't go any further.
Do you have another power supply that is 5 volts and supplies 2 amps or more and uses the same plug with the center pin positive. All of that information is on the power supply although you will probably need a magnifying glass to read it.
If you have another power supply, substitute it and see if the problem is still there.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

andyinatl
Posts:20
Joined:Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:54 am

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by andyinatl » Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:51 pm

I know how troubleshooting works, thank you. I appreciate your assistance, but please don't be condescending.

I can't "test the power supply" and I don't "have another power supply that is 5 volts and supplies 2 amps or more and uses the same plug with the center pin positive". If the power supply is the only possible reason for this issue, then say so. But if there are other possibilities, I appreciate your generous time to provide me those options.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by murphy » Thu Apr 15, 2021 3:24 pm

The only other options involve opening the case and observing and testing components. That requires test equipment and knowledge of what and how to test. I can't do that over the internet. Is there any chance that the unit is still in warranty?

Do you have an Ooma handset? If you do, disconnect everything from the Telo phone jack and test using the handset.
Do you have a Linx? If you do, connect the cordless base to the Linx and test.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

andyinatl
Posts:20
Joined:Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:54 am

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by andyinatl » Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:41 am

Do I have an Ooma handset? No.
Do I have a Linx? Yes.

I moved my Linx and connected it directly to the cordless phone base. Linx LED indicator was blue. Checked for dial-tone (yes).

I tried various scenarios to document their outcome, but then the outcome changed at least once for seemingly no reason.

1. Dialed my cordless phone from my cell phone, and symptoms were the same *except* the cordless phone didn't ring (still rang once on the dialing side). The Linx LED indicator changed to an amber color until I hung-up cell phone, then changed back to blue.

Addendum: This still holds true - NOW - but at one point I dialed the cordless and, not only did it ring, it also went to voicemail when I didn't answer (unlike now). I tested this a couple of times and, after thinking it was a 'system' issue that had cleared itself, I re-connected my cordless to the Telo and tried - back to same issue... even after moving back to the Linx.

2. Dialed my cell phone from the cordless phone, and answered the cell phone. Clear connection, no static, no indication of a problem. Hung-up from my cell phone. Linx LED indicator remained amber. Checked dial-tone on the cordless... it still had a dial-tone. Hung-up and looked at the Linx - same amber LED. Checked dial-tone on the cordless again... this time, busy signal.

Unplugged, plugged in Linx. Waited for blue LED indicator.

3. Dialed cell phone from cordless and, after cell phone began ringing, hung-up cordless. Cell phone kept ringing. Answered the cell phone and heard same empty static sound. Hung-up cell; Linx LED remained amber color.

Unplugged, plugged in Linx. Waited for blue LED indicator.

4. Dialed cell phone from cordless and had the call go through to voicemail. Left a few words of voicemail and hung-up. Waited ~10 secs, then selected 'Talk' on the cordless and said a few more words and hung-up. Did this 2-3 times. Eventually voicemail received on cell phone. Playing back, I heard my words throughout the message and the empty, staticky sound in between. Eventually my vm timed-out (3 mins). Linx LED remained amber color.

Not sure if this info is enough for your troubleshooting needs.

murphy
Posts:7554
Joined:Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Location:Pennsylvania

Re: Phone rings once, then static for caller (no voicemail); Outbound is ok

Post by murphy » Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:00 pm

Amber means the Linx is off hook. One of the things that has always annoyed me about the Telo is that it will not terminate the connection if the remote party hangs up first. It will go back to dial tone and sit there until the dial tone times out. I always have to hang up my cordless phone if the remote party terminates the call.

Have you done any internet testing? I had a situation where my outbound audio was almost unintelligible. After a lot of testing I found that my cable modem was discarding up to 17% of my outbound packets. A new cable modem fixed that problem.

Run this test.

http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/speed_test/ppspeed.html

It will download a helper program to your computer so it has something to talk to. The final result will be colored circles.
All of them should be green. I haven't run it in a long time and Flash is now gone so it should default to html5.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

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