I kept on getting that when trying to vote for Holly last night. I hope it means that she is through rather than there not being enough phone lines to take the votes.
Anyone Else Get A Permanent Engaged Tone Trying To Vote Last Night?
I voted for Chelsee last night and my sister voted for Jason. We both had an extremely hard time getting through.
I did. I tend to vote during the X Factor's first ad break and usually get through straightaway. Last night I tried straight after Strictly ended, and I imagine that's when everyone else tried, hence the jam. It's nothing to do with particular contestants as the calls go to a central switchboard.
It means the all the phone lines were overloaded - it doesn't mean any individual contestant suffers - that's not how the eystem works.
Originally Posted by Pasta:
“It means the all the phone lines were overloaded - it doesn't mean any individual contestant suffers - that's not how the eystem works.”
“It means the all the phone lines were overloaded - it doesn't mean any individual contestant suffers - that's not how the eystem works.”
so how is it no one contestant 'suffers'?
I know that when it gets to the 3rd '2' it sounds engaged, meaning we are unable to put in the last two digits but someone must manage to get throuhg it to make it sound engaged and if that happens to be the contestant you are not wanting to vote for then my contestant 'suffers' a lost vote
or what
- now I am reallllly confused
I think they need to have kept the phone lines going for longer. Looks like they are happy to go with whoever has the most after 30 minutes rather than a more reflective vote.
Originally Posted by Hello.:
“A lot of people complained about the lines being engaged for Harry on Twitter too.”
“A lot of people complained about the lines being engaged for Harry on Twitter too.”
I voted for Harry twice last night at 8.15, and I got through straight away each time.
It was weird. I could not get through on BT, but my OH got through on his mobile. So I tried my mobile, got through and still could not get through on BT.
Originally Posted by *stargazer*:
“It was weird. I could not get through on BT, but my OH got through on his mobile. So I tried my mobile, got through and still could not get through on BT.”
“It was weird. I could not get through on BT, but my OH got through on his mobile. So I tried my mobile, got through and still could not get through on BT.”
I've often found that when trying to vote in all sorts of reality shows. Now I don't even bother trying to use the landline.
Originally Posted by Muggsy:
“I've often found that when trying to vote in all sorts of reality shows. Now I don't even bother trying to use the landline.”
“I've often found that when trying to vote in all sorts of reality shows. Now I don't even bother trying to use the landline.”
I only ever tried to vote once years ago in a 'Stars in their Eyes' final. I couldn't get through at all. When the results were in, the contestant I had voted for got about forty thousand votes and the winner well over a quarter of a million. It convinced me then that phone voting was effectively rigged because they allocated telephone network resources in the proportion that they expected the voting to go. Better than expected support for the less popular contestants couldn't register because callers didn't get through.
However, whilst not supporting anyone in Strictly, I did think that the best three got through.
Much depends on the capacity of your local exchange, hence landline being engaged but mobile OK - I've had this problem on XFactor Final night last year and this year on a rural exchange.
Full info on how voting in TV shows works, from the BBC Strictly website's "About" section:
I have been trying to vote, but keep getting the engaged tone.
Because the phonelines are very active throughout the UK when the vote window opens, some callers may experience the engaged tone - especially those in rural/remote areas. We recommend that you call back within a couple of minutes when the traffic through your local exchange would have subsided. Engaged tones are controlled at local telephone exchange and something that the BBC cannot control.
I called but received a dead tone.
If after dialling the first four numbers of the premium rate number you heard a dead tone - then this means that you are premium rate barred and you should check with your network operator about lifting the ban if you wish to vote in Strictly Come Dancing.
I tried voting, but couldn't get through. Why?
Given the high volume of viewers and callers that some TV voting shows generate, it is possible for a very large number of people to pick up the phone simultaneously when the onscreen announcement is made. Sometimes this can cause some callers to get an engaged tone for short periods of time immediately after an onscreen announcement; however, any congestion tends to clear quite quickly.
Can one couple's number be constantly engaged and another couple's free?
Like all the big shows, Strictly Come Dancing uses a voting system where at least the first eight digits of the phone numbers are the same for all contestants, with only the last few digits of the phone number changing depending on who you want to vote for.
As the telephone network only uses the first eight digits in a telephone number to route calls to the voting system, it is impossible for calls for different couples to be treated differently.
Once calls reach the voting system they are answered in turn, on a first-come, first-served basis. Each answering point is instructed to accept votes for all couples; there are no dedicated answering points for individual couples.
This means that your chance of getting through to vote will never depend on the celebrity or couple you wish to vote for.
I have been trying to vote, but keep getting the engaged tone.
Because the phonelines are very active throughout the UK when the vote window opens, some callers may experience the engaged tone - especially those in rural/remote areas. We recommend that you call back within a couple of minutes when the traffic through your local exchange would have subsided. Engaged tones are controlled at local telephone exchange and something that the BBC cannot control.
I called but received a dead tone.
If after dialling the first four numbers of the premium rate number you heard a dead tone - then this means that you are premium rate barred and you should check with your network operator about lifting the ban if you wish to vote in Strictly Come Dancing.
I tried voting, but couldn't get through. Why?
Given the high volume of viewers and callers that some TV voting shows generate, it is possible for a very large number of people to pick up the phone simultaneously when the onscreen announcement is made. Sometimes this can cause some callers to get an engaged tone for short periods of time immediately after an onscreen announcement; however, any congestion tends to clear quite quickly.
Can one couple's number be constantly engaged and another couple's free?
Like all the big shows, Strictly Come Dancing uses a voting system where at least the first eight digits of the phone numbers are the same for all contestants, with only the last few digits of the phone number changing depending on who you want to vote for.
As the telephone network only uses the first eight digits in a telephone number to route calls to the voting system, it is impossible for calls for different couples to be treated differently.
Once calls reach the voting system they are answered in turn, on a first-come, first-served basis. Each answering point is instructed to accept votes for all couples; there are no dedicated answering points for individual couples.
This means that your chance of getting through to vote will never depend on the celebrity or couple you wish to vote for.
