My BT3520 handset has no ringtone

Could be the connections on the bottom of the phone need cleaning. Use a pencil eraser to clean the connections in the cradle and on the bottom of the phone.

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/47874/~/bt3520


BT3520 Help BT com Help

Press and use the mute button

Check to see if ringer is set to hi. make sure ringer is turned on. Check to see if the base and the phone are syncronized.

Check cable conections from phone box on wall to base unit, make sure that the conectors are fully inserted. If possible plug a different phone into box to make sure that line is working. Hope this helps

The set could have been on shelf for a long period and so it is possible that the battery has developed back emf which makes it difficult to charge to the full level.
Also sometimes the set fails to lock on due to the same reason and also if the threshold of voltage does not come up.
Discharge the battery after it has charged a bit and charge again.Allow the battery to be put for charging for over 24 hours. If there is no registering then you must try and see if the warranty on the new phone is applicable as the base and handset could be out of sync..

• Did you fully charge your phone? - Make sure you fully charge for 16-24 hours .
  
  
• Is the battery old? - Replace the battery.
  
  
• Is the electrical outlet switch turned on? - If you are using AC (electrical) power, make sure that the unit is connected to a non-switched electrical outlet.
  
  
• Are the connecting wires tight - Unplug the AC power converter from the unit and plug it back in.
  
  
• Do you have Caller ID service with your telephone company - In order to receive Caller ID records, you must subscribe to the standard name and number Caller ID service available through your local telephone company. If the Caller ID works for normal calls but not on Call waiting calls, then you must contact your phone company to get the combined CID/CW service.
  
  
• Caller ID shows up after second ring - Be sure to wait until the second ring before answering. Caller ID signals comes through after the first ring, if caller pick ups phone too soon Caller ID signal will not be transmitted to the handset.
  
  
• Confirm that caller ID is still working on that particular line by checking another phone on the same line - If Caller ID is not coming through contact your phone company provider.
  
  

If this does not fix your problem, contact your authorized Service Center.*

Does the Phone Power Up?
1. When you pick up your GE cordless phone and press a button, the phone should beep as a confirmation that a button has been pressed. If the telephone handset does not beep, or if it does not respond to any buttons, the battery may be in need of a recharge. Verify that the cordless phone base unit is plugged in to an electrical source, then place the handset into the charging cradle. If no lights illuminate on the phone, or if charging fails to correct the issue, clean the metal charging contacts on the cordless handset and place the phone back on the charger. If it still fails to respond or to charge, the unit may need to be serviced or replaced.
Does the Battery Hold a Charge?
2. If the cordless phone charges up and appears to be ready for use but dies after only short periods of use, the internal rechargeable batteries may need to be replaced. Replacement batteries are widely available at electronics and discount retail stores. Note your phone's exact model number, as this number will be necessary when purchasing a replacement battery.
Listen for a Dial Tone
3. If the GE cordless phone powers on, and beeps when you press keys, but no dial tone is heard, one of three problems is the likely culprit. The phone's batteries may have an insufficient charge to fully power the phone, a condition that can be corrected by simply placing the phone back in the charger. If the batteries are charged, but no dial tone is heard, it is also possible that another telephone in your home or office is "off hook" or in use; verify that all telephones, fax machines and modems are securely on the hook. If there is still no dial tone, your telephone service may have been disconnected or require service by your local telephone company.
Listen for Static
4. On some GE cordless phone models, particularly older models, static may be heard if the radio signal between the handset and base unit experiences interference. Common sources of interference include unshielded electronics, appliances, and radio transmitters, as well as high-tension power lines. If your phone offers an option to change channels, try several different channels to see if the static is eliminated. If static continues to exist, or if static can be heard on wired phones sharing the same line, your telephone line may require service.
Verify Your Handset is Registered
5. Some models of GE cordless phones may display a message on the display screen that the handset needs to be registered. If this message appears, move the handset close to the base unit and press the "Prog/Mute" button near the bottom of the handset. Next, press the "Pager" button on the base unit (your handset may instruct you to perform this step). Finally, press the "Prog/Mute" button on the handset one more time to complete the registration process. Your GE cordless phone should now work correctly.The GE Cordless Phone brand is designed to deliver the conveniences of cordless home service with quality sound and features. There are many models of the GE Cordless Phone. The most current models, including the DECT 6.0, have standard features such as call waiting, caller ID, visual ring indicator, phone number memory and digital answering systems .
   
6. Before you use your GE Cordless Phone, ensure that you have all the parts. Your cordless phone package should include the phone base, a handset battery pack, a battery compartment cover, the cordless handset, a wall mount bracket, and a telephone line cord and AC power adaptor. Once you have confirmed that you have all of your parts, insert the handset battery pack into the handset and replace the battery compartment cover. Insert your telephone line cord and the AC power adapter into the phone base. The phone base identifies the telephone line as TEL LINE and the adapter as AC. Plug the phone base into the electrical socket. Place the cordless handset into the base. Allow the phone to charge for at least 16 hours before its first use. Failure to fully charge the battery before its first use will result in poor battery performance.
7. Once you have fully charged your phone, you can proceed with setting up your phone's features. If your cordless phone includes an answering system, complete this setup process first. Turn on the answering system by pressing the on/off button. The message indicator light will display. The cordless phones are defaulted to English as the selected language. To change your language preference, press the "Skip" button for two seconds. The language will change to Spanish. Next, you will set up your voice time and day stamp. While the answering system is on, press the "Answer" button on your handset for two seconds. The phone will enter the answerer mode. Press the "8" key. This will take you to the time/day setup menu. Use the number keys to set the hour and minutes. Use the volume up and down arrows to set the AM/PM. Press "#" to save. The cordless handset will also require that you give it a name. Press the "Mute" button for two seconds until the handset reads "ENTER NAME." Enter the name of the handset by using the touchtone keypad. Press the "Mute" button to save. Enter the default area code by pressing "Mute" until the phone displays "AREA CODE." Enter your three-digit area code and press the "Mute" button to save.
8. GE Cordless Phones are designed to be simple and convenient to use. To place or answer a call, press the TALK button. You can pre-dial a number by dialing the number before pressing the TALK button. When you are ready to make the call, press TALK and the phone will dial automatically. To answer a call that is waiting on the other line, press the FLASH button. If you experience call interference or bad reception while on a call, press the CHANNEL button until your line clears
9. 
   

I had the same problem, and it seems that the battery charging circuit in the handset had locked up, constantly charging the battery until it overheated. I was able to reset the circuit in my handset by completely draining the battery. Here is the procedure:

1. Remove the handset from the charging cradle, and leave it on for a few days until the battery runs out, and the handset finally turns off. At his point, the battery will be very low, BUT NOT COMPLETELY DRAINED.

2. Next, you must manually drain the charge remaining in the battery by shorting out the two contacts on it. Shorting won't damage the battery, since it is holding very little charge at this point. An easy way to physically do this is to remove the battery, and place a piece of thin wire across the the two contacts of the HANDSET. I am referring to the contacts inside the handset that connect to the battery, NOT the contacts on the bottom outside that connect the handset to the charging cradle. Next, put the battery back in, sandwiching the wire between the battery's contacts and those inside the handset. This will hold the wire in place. DO NOT PUT THE HANDSET BACK INTO THE CHARGER, WITH THE BATTERY SHORTED OUT.

3. Wait about 30 minutes for the battery to completely die. Remove the jumper wire, and but the handset back into the charger.

4. If the battery was fully discharged , you will get a message on the handset telling you that you should let it will charge for 7 hours. If you do not get this message, then either the battery was not fully discharged, or your problem is different from mine. Try the procedure again in Step 3 for another 30 minutes to discharge the battery some more.

5. If you get the "Wait for 7 hours to charge" message on the handset, then leave it in the charging cradle for the 7 hours requested. After that, it should work fine.

Let me know how you make out.

CAN’T CONNECT
1. Displays when one handset is on a call and the other handset presses PHONE.
2. Displays when base power is off and PHONE is pressed. You’ll
also hear a sad tone.
3. Displays when an out-of-range dial fails to connect.
MAKE SURE THE HANDSETS ARE FULLY CHARGED. MAKE SURE BOTH ARE TURNED OFF, OR NOT IN THE TALK MODE. CHECK THE BATTERY TO MAKE SURE IT IS IN SECURELY IF DROPPED IT COULD HAVE JARRED LOOSE.