Skip to main content

Troubleshooting my Bell Home phone calling features

I forgot my Call Answer password

If you've forgotten your Call Answer password, you can reset it by calling 6-1-1 from any Bell Home phone.

My Call Answer doesn’t pick up.

If your Call Answer doesn’t pick up, it may not be set to take messages.

To reactivate Call Answer to take messages when you don’t answer, dial *92 (or 1192 on rotary phones).

To reactivate Call Answer to take messages when your line is busy dial *90 or 1190.

You will hear a confirmation beep followed by the dial tone to let you know the change was made.

Ensure you’re subscribing to Call Answer service.

If the problem persists, contact  our calling features team at 1 800 461-2921 for further assistance.

My Call Display only shows the number and not the name

Some phones are equipped to show only the number, while others show the number or the name, one at a time. To toggle back and forth, try using either the arrow key or the * button. Check your phone’s user manual to see which one applies for your phone.

My phone sometimes has different types of rings

You’ll hear different types of phone rings if you subscribe to:

  • Call Waiting
    Where technology permits, you’ll hear different rings for local and long distance calls if you subscribe to Call Waiting for your home phone.

    If you are already talking on the phone, a short beep means there is an incoming local call; a long beep followed by two short beeps signifies a long distance call.

  • Ident-A-Call
    With Ident-A-Call, you can have up to three phone numbers on a single line, each with its own distinctive ring.

The light on my Bell Home phone is flashing but there are no new voicemail messages

If the light on your phone is flashing but there are no new voicemail messages, check your equipment (i.e. unplug the adapter for a few minutes or reset the light using the phone options).

There’s no intermittent dial tone or flashing light when I have Call Answer messages.

Your Call Answer message notification function has been turned off. To reactivate this feature:

  1. Dial *98.
  2. Enter your password.
  3. Press 4,1,3.

Learn more about the Call Answer feature

I can't use *98 to access my Online Voice Mail

Try dialling 1198 instead of *98.

Other ways to access Online Voice Mail:

  • Dial your own phone number and press 9 when you hear your greeting. Enter your password.
  • Call 1 877 BELL-777 (1-877-235-5777) toll-free from anywhere in Canada and follow the prompts.

Call Privacy is sending all my calls straight to Call Answer

Check that the "Do Not Disturb" mode (also referred to as Peace and Quiet Time) is turned off by dialling *11 and following the prompts.
If this feature is on, all calls will go to voicemail for the period of time you set.

Learn more about the Call Privacy feature