1-5-7-1

1-5-7-1 is the name of a family of calling features in the United Kingdom, for residential and business telephone lines and for mobile telephones, that are provided by BT Group and several other telephone service providers. The family is named after the telephone number 1571, the special service number that is used to access it.

Land lines

The 1571 feature was pioneered by BT Group. But, as of 2006, several other telephone service providers in the United Kingdom also provide 1571 answering services, including One.Tel [cite web|format=PDF|title=OneGuide|publisher=One.Tel|url=http://www.onetel.co.uk/media/pdf/welcome.pdf|pages=8|chapter=Voicemail|date=2005-10-31] , Platinum Telecom [cite web|url=http://www.platinumtelecom.com/questions-and-answers.html|title=Questions and answers|publisher=Platinum Telecom] , Kingston Communications, and Manx Telecom [cite web|title=Access Codes and Short Codes (convention B11)|url=http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/search/Phones/oftel_cl_s10_code_15.html] . Most such providers rely on a local loop that is owned by BT Group. However, it is also available from providers that have their own local loops, such as Virgin Media. [cite web|format=PDF|url=http://www.ntl.com/home/telephone/pdf/TelcoTariff.pdf|title=Other telephone features|work=Telephone price guide|publisher=NTL|pages=3|date=2006-10-20]

In 2001, BT Group launched its Answer 1571 service as a free service, available at no extra cost to its existing telephone line customers. In 2007, a charge of £1 a month was introduced for customers who do not make two chargeable calls during the month (this might apply, for instance, to people who have Carrier preselect with another telephone company) [cite web|format=HTML|url=http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Call_Charges_boo/2-1101_d0e3320.htm|title=Section 2:Call Charges & Exchange Line Services Part 21:BT Messaging Services Subpart 3:BT Answer 1571|work=BT Price List|publisher=BT|date=2008-01-11] . The Answer 1571 service, a cut-down version of BT Group's Call Minder service, allows a calling party to leave messages when the called party is engaged or does not answer within a fixed number of rings. The system allows for the storage of up to 10 such messages, each of which can be up to 2 minutes long, for up to 20 days. To indicate to called parties that they have waiting messages, the exchange sends an interrupted dialling tone to them when they take their telephone off-hook. The called party can retrieve the messages by dialling the number 1571. [cite news|title=BT to offer free voicemail from Monday|author=Tim Richardson|date=2001-06-29|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/29/bt_to_offer_free_voicemail/|work=The Register] cite web|url=http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/discussion/bts-free-answer-1571-service/1032187/|title=Nothing in life is free|author=sit2020|date=2006-07-15|work=dooyoo.co.uk]

One advantage of Answer 1571 over an answering machine is that an answering machine cannot record messages when the called party is currently engaged on another call. This was seen to be a considerable advantage over an answering machine to those who had dial-up access to Internet, because dial-up connections can often involve long periods when the line is engaged.

Two disadvantages of Answer 1571 are that it can cause problems for computer telephone line modems, which are unable to recognize the interrupted dialling tone as a dialling tone and which will thus refuse to make outgoing calls, reporting being unable to detect a dialling tone; and that it costs the calling party the minimum connection charge to discover that the called party is engaged, even if they do not wish to leave a message, whereas obtaining the engaged tone incurs no connection charge. The Gosport & Fareham branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, as well as several others, recommends as a tip for saving money when making telephone calls to "count six rings and hang up before the expensive voice starts charging you". [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/askbruce/articles/download/dialtone_1.shtml|title=What does the error "No dial tone detected" mean?|work=BBC Webwise: Ask Bruce|pulisher=BBC] [cite web|url=http://www.gosportandfarehammssociety.org.uk/tips.htm|title=Tips and Advice|publisher=Gosport & Fareham branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society|date=2006-03-24]

On top of the free Answer 1571 service, BT Group provides additional services at an extra charge, such as the 1571 Text Alerts service, which sends a text message to a designated mobile telephone number whenever a calling party leaves a new message, and 1571 Online, which allows customers to retrieve their stored messages via the World Wide Web. [cite web|url=https://www.bt.com/callingfeatures/changesto1571messaging.html|work=BT Calling Features|title=BT 1571 Text Alerts|publisher=BT Group] [cite web|title=Free Features|work=BT At Home|url=http://www2.bt.com/static/i/btretail/consumer/home/home_phone/free_features.html|publisher=BT Group|chapter=1571 Added Features]

A problem with the 1571 Text Alerts system that BT's website fails to point out at this date (7/6/07) is that if you have retained your mobile phone number and transferred it from another provider to either Virgin or T-mobile, the alert system will not work. In other words, you "may" have messages on your landline, but you will "not" be texted to inform you of the fact. This makes the system virtually useless for such users.

Mobile telephones

To its mobile telephone business customers BT Group provides a 1571 Voicemail service, which is similar to the service provided to landlines. Calling parties can leave messages when the mobile telephone is switched off, when it is in an area of reduced coverage, when it is on another call, or when the call is not answered within a fixed number of rings. [cite web|title=How do I use Voicemail 1571?|work=BT Business Shop|url=http://www.btbusinessshop.com/page/using_voicemail1571|publisher=BT Group]

References

Further reading

* cite web
work = BT products and services
title = BT 1571
url=http://www.1571.bt.com/
accessdate = 2006-12-19