No dial tone - BT say it's our internal wiring but ...

Beckipeg

even when we plug a corded phone directly into our BT socket the phone still doesn't work. The same phone works perfectly ok in next door's BT socket.
Curiously, our internet connection through the BT line still works.

Call out charges for BT engineer to come out is around £70 plus £70 per hour to fix - and they can't come 'til the end of next week although they'll not charge if they find the fault is theirs although they say the fault is ours.

Puzzled. Any ideas?

BexTech

Things you need to try is unscrew the faceplate off the NT5E master socket, then plug a known working phone into the test socket, if you get a dial tone then it would be a problem with an extension or wiring to the extension.

If you don't get a dial tone you could check that the incoming A & B wires are connected to the master socket, one or the other may have come loose.

If you don't have a NT5E master socket then you will have to remove the extension wiring from the master socket and test.

If you still get no dial tone and the A & B wires are connected OK, then it would appear there is a fault on the BT network or at the exchange.

bbb_uk

Beckipeg wrote:

even when we plug a corded phone directly into our BT socket the phone still doesn't work. The same phone works perfectly ok in next door's BT socket.
Curiously, our internet connection through the BT line still works.

It does seem to point to faulty wiring inside the house which is your responsibility simply because your internet connection still works through the BT line. ADSL broadband uses your actual telephone line coming in but on a seperate frequency than that of your voice calls hence reason why you can still make/receive calls whilst browing the internet.

BT are only responsible for the wiring upto and including the main/first master BT socket inside the house. Any and all other wiring and extensions after this main/first BT master socket is the responsibility of yourself.

You have tried the phone and it works fine which then only points to wiring so try the following:-

1. Locate your main/first master BT socket (normally a bigger box and it may have BT logo on it - although some extensions may also have the bigger type boxes).

2. Unscrew the outer cover and you should then hopefully find another socket on the inside of the BT master socket where you can insert a known good telephone (ideally not cordless).

Now if the known good telephone works at this point then it is beyond a doubt that it is an internal wiring fault which would be your responsiblity.

If, on the other hand, the known good telephone still doesn't work and you're certain it's the definitely the main/master BT socket then it may be a fault that BT are responsible for. If this is the case then check that the two incoming wires are connected to the master socket as they could have come loose.

If there are more than one bigger type master socket then you can try all the bigger type master sockets but if you could possibly trace the BT wire coming in your house to the master socket then it would save trying all the bigger type master sockets.

Call out charges for BT engineer to come out is around £70 plus £70 per hour to fix - and they can't come 'til the end of next week although they'll not charge if they find the fault is theirs although they say the fault is ours.

This is about standard for BT.

bbb_uk

Sorry BexTech about similar double post. It took me that long to write it that you had beat me to it. LOL.

BexTech

bbb_uk wrote:

Sorry BexTech about similar double post. It took me that long to write it that you had beat me to it. LOL.

I thought someone might have beaten me to it, as I took awhile typing up due to halfway through having to deal with something else.

Usually the way though on forums, to get a few posts within minutes.

DonnyDave

The NTE5 socket looks like the following:


Remove the two front screws and it will reveal another socket underneath, like this:


Plug a working telephone into this socket. Try all the phones you have in this socket and if all don't work, then it's definately not your wiring and is a BT fault.

If some/all work, then your BT line is fine and it is your wiring/equipment.

If it is an intermittent fault, then it may not be as straightforward as that.

Do you get dialtone sometimes? Does the phone ring when someone rings you and can you talk to the caller? If you put the phone down after an incoming call where you could talk to the other party, do you find that you have dialtone after putting the phone down on the caller?

Beckipeg

Thanks for replies ... have been busy with screwdriver

but we have an old oval GPO socket as our main telephone line - this has been converted to a jack socket with a box connected to it which doesn't have a test socket inside it.

We've taken off all the covers to check the wiring - 2 wires connected are in slot 2 a blue wire with white stripes, in slot 5 a white wire with blue stripes. Both seem secure.

Confused that our broadband still seems to be working (most of the time) but no sound on our telephone even when plugged directly into the main socket with no other equipment attached. A neighbour friend works for BT and has checked our line again for us - it still shows that all BT lines to our number are fine and that the fault is ours.

Reluctant to pay £70 call out plus £70 per hour charges next week if it could be solved another way. Does it have to be BT that checks the wires at such a premium rate? Admittedly it would cost us nothing if they found the fault is theirs. We've recently moved our broadband computer, but the wiring has stayed the same with all the connections as before and no possibility of tugging any wires as they're all fixed to the wall.

Still puzzled, but grateful to MSE.

Browntoa

have you tried different splitters ?

unplug all splitters apart form one that is plugged into the broadband and plug phone in there, if it works then plug the other splitters back in one at a time and see if phone stops working

Beckipeg

Thanks Browntoa,
But even when the phone is plugged into the main socket without splitters it still doesn't work.

Browntoa

thats my expertise gone....and I work for them

BexTech

Have you tried disconnecting all the extension sockets from the master?