If you do not know, this is usually on your mobile under 'contacts, groups' - the group of contacts can then be assigned a ringtone.

- the phone's default ringer can then be selected as 'none', and it will only ring with the 'group ringtone' when it sees that number in your contacts!!

I have seen some phones that (AFAIK from the manual) can change the melody you have selected for a contact number - but this means being able to set 'volume=zero' for known numbers, and will not work for 'unknown' numbers like withheld, etc....

PLEASE note the title, I do NOT want a VOIP/Skype phone, just a normal landline one!!

There is a lot of confusion in your post, but I think I have sorted most of it.

You are looking for a landline phone which will only ring when someone calls who is already in your contacts. Is that correct?

You want to do this by setting a ringtone for each group of contacts and set the ringtone for other incoming calls to silence?

The thing I am having difficulty with is your asking for a SIM for a landline. i can't decipher that.

you have not noticed a lot of new landline phones now have both SMS capability, and SIM readers???

there are about 40 listed here...

here is one I will be trying soon - BT Synergy 4500 does both, so it will display the name of the caller, not just the number, and you won't need to type all these in yourself!!

- and argos do it, so I can return if not satisfied!

the ring can be customised 'per number' and that includes 'volume = zero' in the manual, so I will see if it will work the way I want it to....

The manuals for BT phones can be found at www.shop.bt.com , if lucky!!

this may seem expensive, but compared to monthly bills for ARC, and other payments, irritations, is worth it.... no more dashing out of the shower when awaiting an important call (to find a salesman), or other interuptions...

ah, editing is not possible after a few hours..... it was meant to be ACR ...

- Just thought I would add, that I have stopped my ACR to lower my bill, as most companies seem to use these 0800, 0160, and other 'out of use' numbers... and found I hardly ever get 'withheld', etc...

A friend of mine works in an office, where a new system was installed, to transmit his office extension number (before this, the number was just the switchboard) - then they took this out due to cutbacks.... now no number is transmitted, giving 'withheld'.. and no-one has aclue how to fix it back to 'switchboard! !!

Of course, if you add 141, the number is too long for the switchboard...

I'm aware that one can buy phones with a reader which will take contact details from a SIM phonebook. That wasn't in your original post though, you wanted a SIM capable phone which is something different altogether. I'm still having difficulty deciphering what your question is about. You just make a series of disconnected statements. Anyway, as you seem to have found a handset, I hope it works satisfactorily.

well unlike some I assume people do not need things spelt out for them!
http://www.answers.com/capable?nafid=3

- I suppose you will attack those shops that say 'HD capable' then?? - they will not do all the things that HD involves either....

and if you have not clicked the argos link to find more details, it is your own fault....

It seem no-one here even uses 'group profiles' , that will do FAR more than the above phone...