Call Waiting caller on hold is disconnected after only a few minutes

I found this topic where the user stated the same problem .  In the post where the user actually time it, it stayed on hold for a little over 3 minutes before disconnecting.  I did a search but find noting on a time limit on hold, but my bet is there is, funny three people would state the same thing.  Here's some things to try.  One three minutes is a long time to listen to a silent hold, I wouldn't, so what you could do if you're keeping someone on hold for an extended period is go back to them every couple minutes to let them know you haven't forgotten about them, that might make the timer, if there is one, start over, plus it's common courtesy in my opinion to let the person holding know you haven't forgotten about them or give them the option for you to call them back.

You  could look in you phone features under your Myatt account to see if there is a timer and if so if there's a way to adjust it.  Lastly you could call tech support to see if there is a time limit for hold, but odds are they probably wouldn't know.  My bet is there's a default timer, but I think your best and the most courteous option is what I state above. 

Thank you for taking the time, I agree with you about being courteous and checking back with them every couple of minutes, unfortunately the nature of my job keeps me on the phone for long periods of time and it will be kind of annoying for me and my clients to be put on hold every two minutes. Every time I put someone on hold they know up front it might take up to 6-8 minute waiting time more or less. Plus who likes to feel pressure of knowing you have to finish a conversation at a certain time.

I know nothing about regular land lines or voip.  

however I recently switch to U-verse they install internet, TV service and phone land line. and before I switch to U-verse everything was working fine, I was able to keep someone on hold for as long as I needed to.

I have spend more than 2-3 hours with different  technicians over the phone as well as a technician who came to my house and knows nothing about this issue. every time I ask someone if there is a timer or a time limit they say NO. I even bought new home phone touch tone telephone it didn't work. unplug phone and plug it directly in to the modem nope didn't work.  turn on and off call waiting did NOT help.

they send in a new modem, but it didn't work the service light was just blinking and turning red. they will come over to my house tomorrow and install an other modem because the one they send didn't even work. so they will bring one tomorrow Sunday March 31, 2019. and they will test it to see if it works and also if the modem is the root of the issue I am having.

I doubt it will be the modem.  My money is an option in their soft switch, but how to get them to check this is another thing. 

Can you explain what do you mean by soft switch?  the tech was just here for 4 hours not fix. change the modem no fix.  they put a ticket up for someone else to check whats happening here.     

Keep everything in one topic.  Multiple topics on the same issue will just confuse things. 

The soft switch is where all programming is done and all the rules are set for features.  It's the heart of the IP network. 

Spoom2, the post you read about timing "call on hold disconnecting" was probably mine (about a year ago) because I did time it several times.  Like Humberto_1012 I called tech support numerous times without resolution.  One tech even called me from another line and I put the first call from them on hold and timed it.  Of course the first call never disconnected.  I did not go so far as having a tech out or getting the modem replaced because I also think it is a software setting.  I was also told it must be my phone.  I have tried it with 3 different phones (cordless and non-cordless) with the same results every time.

I too have a job where I work from home frequently.  Usually if I put someone on hold it's a co-worker.  I made it a point to ask and every time the co-worker told me that they got disconnected.

I don't like it either when I'm kept on hold for a long time so I try to not keep someone on hold for very long but really, who thinks 3 minutes is too long?  Either way, AT&T could just tell us there is a time limit instead of denying it!  Truthfully, 5-10 minutes would seem more reasonable.  It would be great if there was an option in "home phone settings" (but there isn't) to be able to set it within a defined range of minutes, say 3 to 10 minutes (similar to how we can with the number of rings for voicemail).  Another idea is to "signal us" that the call on hold is reaching the time limit but even that should be at least at the one minute mark.

I had a regular landline for 40+ years (all with the various AT&T/Bell companies over those years) and had call waiting for probably 20 of those years but never had an issue until U-Verse phone.

Sorry Humberto_2012, but what's happening here is that AT&T has no idea!  Even they don't know how their products work (or don't work)!

@Alice_Redhat   You are absolutely right.!!   Every point you made is accurate ..!!!

I had this phone number with regular landline for more than 20 years not a single issue. but I recently move to a new home and switch to U-verse now this is happening. this is really frustrating how come even AT&T don't know their know products.

@spoom2  Thank you very much for taking the time I will really appreciate if you can get to the bottom of this, as I am pretty sure there's gotta be more people with this issue. If you need more information about this let me know. I call call customer service tech support again ask them to check an specific  setting or something.

but @Alice_Redhat  pointed very clearly,the problem is exactly as she is describing it. there's gotta be a way to push that 3 minute timer to at least 8 minutes then that will be OK. not acceptable but at least OK.

Spoom2, hopefully you can get to the right person.  I can be very persistent.  When I call a company's service department and don't get what I think is a satisfactory answer I will usually call back to see what another person says.  Needless to say, I have gotten several different answers from AT&T reps which is very frustrating especially when I can prove that there is a time limit for a call on hold!

Humberto_2012, I dealt with this for several months trying to get to the bottom of it.  I'm not one to easily give up but I finally just decided to live with it.  I definitely agree, we can't be the only ones out there that have noticed this.  Side note: the 3 way calling stinks too.  It's not as easy to use as it was with the landline.  I have hung up on people and had to repeat the process.