Need Help with odd Ademco Vista 20P problem

Set *95 to '14'. This will disable the answering machine defeat - which is why the panel is picking up (someone must be calling and hanging-up, then calling back).

Have you tried calling ADT? js

THANK YOU APU - That did it. I set *95 to 14 and it worked. P.S., just curious - any idea why it just recently started to answer incoming calls - possible change in Telco's ring voltage??

Got the fix - thanks to Apu. But I am curious why the board would only recently start trying to answer my incoming calls.

I dunno. Maybe ADT was trying to contact your panel, did you request a download or perhaps forget to pay the bill?

To be honest, I regret posting advice on changing programming on a monitored system. It was only after I hit -send- then re-read your post that I noticed you were still being monitored. You should call ADT monitoring an put the system on *test*, then thoroughly test your alarm to make sure the signals are still coming in.

The fix could end up costing you.

If the panel suddenly started answering the phone at random times (and not simply after someone called and hung up like it is supposed to do) then there is something wrong with it and ADT would likely have replaced it at no charge (assuming the board just went kaflooie all by itself).

If you call them now, having messed around with it they are more than likely going to charge you for it.

Since you have altered the way that they can get in touch with your panel they won't be able to contact it in the normal way and will have to send a tech out and that will be a billable call.

Why on earth didn't you just contact ADT in the first place?

Cuz it's not rocket science.... Right? js

I have been with ADT for 9+ years, but ADT doesn't own the equipment - I do. I did NOT contact ADT because although they perform the monitor service, I own every component of hardware (NOT a leased system.) Experience has taught me that any call to them is met with the same response... "we need to take a look at it, and there is a base tech charge of $100+ just for someone to come over, blah, blah." Three years ago a lightning strike fried the panel, and I called them - paid $200 labor plus $125 for the board. That was before I learned that I could buy a board from a 3rd party and have it programmed for a lot less.

ADT is great for monitoring, but I never made a simple inquiry call to them without either a sales pitch or the sinking feeling that "this is gonna cost me."

bzzzt. wrong. ADT is not great for monitoring. what is your monthly ?

Pardon me if this has already been covered. I wasn't following this thread carefully but it sounds as though the panel is programmed for answering machine over ride. If so, have you tried turning that function off?

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Thanks Robert, but the issue was solved earlier in this thread.

That's good. What was it?

No reputable alarmco will do business with a diddler, and I suspect this person caused this by, well, diddling. js

didn't know that could be done with an alarm system! :0

Only in VERY dark closets.

Read the thread, asshole.

So that's what I heard going on in there!

thank you ;)