BT Versatility: system programming

[BethM]

The BT Versatility phone system is no longer supported by BT Business. Support ended on 30 September 2025, and we won't update this page if anything changes with the product. 

If you're looking for a replacement system, check out our full range of cloud-based phone systems. 

We've brought our BT Versatility system programming help together in one post. It covers accessing system programming, moving the programming extension, swapping extension ports, naming extensions, setting the date and time, and external diverts and transfers. 

Enter system programming

You can only access system programming from the programming extension. By default that's extension 20, and the PIN is 1111. You can change both in programming. 

To access system programming: 

1.      From the programming extension, press the Program key. 
2.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see System programming. 
3.      Select System programming. 
4.      Enter the system programming password. 

Not sure which extension is the programming extension? Try to access programming from each extension in turn – you'll need a Featurephone plugged into each one to test it. Only the programming extension will ask for the system password. Every other extension will show 'Programming refused'. 

Change the programming extension

You can only programme the system from one Featurephone – the one plugged into the programming extension. Before you move it, make sure a Featurephone works in the new position. 

To move it: 

From the programming extension, press the Program key. 

2.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see System programming. 
3.      Select System programming. 
4.      Enter the system programming password and select System. 
5.      Select Programming position. 
6.      Select the extension you want to use. 

Carry on programming from the new extension. 

How to swap extension ports

Port swapping moves an extension's number and all its features to another extension – for example, moving extension 20 to the port for extension 23. Nothing changes physically; it's software only. 

It's also handy if an extension stops working. Swap its programming to a different extension, and its calls will ring there instead. 

To swap two extensions: 

1.      From the programming extension, press the Program key. 
2.      Select System programming. 
3.      Enter the system programming password and select Extensions. 
4.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see Port swapping. 
5.      Select Port swapping. 
6.      Select the first extension from the list. 
7.      Select the second extension from the list. 
8.      Press the Hands-free key to finish. 

If one of the two is the programming extension, the swap happens the moment you select the second extension. The programming feature moves with it - so to carry on programming, go to the other extension. 

Name your extensions 

You can give each extension a name. When someone gets an internal call, they'll see the caller's name on the display instead of the extension number. You’ll find names displayed in the menus too. 

To name an extension: 

1.      From the programming extension, press the Program key. 
2.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see System programming. 
3.      Select System programming. 
4.      Enter the system programming password and select Extensions. 
5.      Select Name programming. 
6.      Select the extension you want to name and type the name — up to ten characters, including spaces. 
7.      Select Confirm. You'll go back to the extension menu, so you can name the next one. 
8.      Press the Hands-free key to finish. 

Set the date and time

To set the date and time: 

1.      From the programming extension, press the Program key. 
2.      Press the Scroll Down key and select System programming. 
3.      Enter the system programming password and select System. 
4.      Select Time and date. 
5.      Enter the time in 24-hour format. The display will ask for a date. If you only want to set the time, select Confirm and you'll go back to the idle menu. 
6.      Enter the date in dd/mm/yy format. You'll go back to the idle menu. 
7.      Press the Hands-free key to finish. 

Good to know: 

•        After a power failure, you'll need to set the time and date again. 
•        A new time only takes effect once any external calls in progress have ended. 
•        If your network provider supplies caller display on PSTN lines, the first incoming call after 2am updates the system time automatically. 

Change an external divert

To change the number an extension's calls divert to - internal or external - cancel the old divert first, then set up the new one. 

Cancel the divert from the phone that has it set. For a divert all calls, select Cancel divert on the Featurephone display. Then: 

1.      On the Featurephone, scroll down and select Divert. 
2.      Select Divert all calls, then enter 9 followed by the number you want calls to go to. For example, 900317123456. 
3.      Select Confirm. 

External transfer has disappeared from the display

If there's no external transfer option on your display, your extension probably doesn't have permission to transfer calls externally. All extensions start off restricted, but you can change this: 

1.      From the programming extension, press the Program key. 
2.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see System programming. 
3.      Select System programming. 
4.      Enter the system programming password and select Extensions. 
5.      Press the Scroll Down key until you see External diversion. 
6.      Select External diversion. 
7.      Select No trunk to trunk calls. 
8.      Select the extensions you don't want to allow external diverts or trunk to trunk calls. 

To allow diverts instead: 

•        Select All calls to let an extension divert internal and external calls. 
•        Select External calls only to limit it to external calls. 

For full details, see pages 22 and 86 of the Owner's Manual.