Phone ring time too short? Missing calls? Here’s the potential fix (guide)
Phone ring time is too short? Missing calls? The good news is you can extend it easily at no cost. CyberShack has tested the ‘hack’, and it appears to work on Android and iPhone, as well as NBN landlines.
The problem was caused when Telco carriers agreed to shorten the call ring time to a measly 15 seconds – way too short for all but the most agile! We understand that it was to reduce non-chargeable ‘downtime’ on mobile networks to increase paid ‘talk time’. And to divert more calls to Message Banks, which are tidy earners for the Telcos.
Now here is the rub – it is nothing to do with phone makers. It is purely the ring time before diversion to a message bank. So these Australian codes will extend ring time on any mobile phone – Android, iPhone or a dumbphone. There are different codes for each mobile network, and if you use an MVNO, then use the code for the network it uses.
Update (15/4/23)
Many readers have responded that the hack did not work. It appears to work on some Samsungs but not on iPhones. We have gone back to the Telcos. Please use the comments facility to let us know the make and model of your smartphone and your MVNO.
Telstra
- Open the phone App
- Dial **61*101** followed by the time in seconds, e.g., maximum 30 seconds, and #. Then press Call. Example **61*101**120# and press call.
A pop-up should appear saying MMI Code Started and then ‘Call Forwarding Registration was successful OK’.
If it is not working for you, then you may have disabled call forwarding.
Optus
- Open the phone App
- Dial **61*321**[maximum 30 seconds], and #. Then press Call. Example **61*321**30# and press call.
Vodafone
- Open the phone App
- Dial **61*121**[maximum 30 seconds], and #. Then press Call. Example **61*121**30# and press call.
To test if you were successful (all Carriers)
- Open the phone App
- Dial *#61#, then press call.
- You will see MMI Code Started and then a message ‘Call forwarding Voice: +61[your message bank number] after XX seconds. OK’.
You can also extend your landline ring time
We have not tested this with all NBN providers, but it should work. If not, contact your provider.
- Pick up the handset and wait for a dial tone
- Dial *99[seconds in 5-second increments]#, then press call and then wait 10 seconds before hanging up.
If these hacks do not work, please use comments to tell us the phone make and model and your Teclo/NBN carrier.
Phone ring time, phone ring time
