Phone line problems - but modem still working

kmmr

Hi,

My phone has stopped working, and I just wondered in anyone here could help me diagnose the problem.

I have the modem and the phone on one socket, and there is an ADSL filter on the line. The modem is working ok (albeit a bit flaky) but the phone is simply giving me a sort of white noise. White noise with crackles.

I have disconnected everything and moved the phone to the master socket, but am still just getting a crackly noise.

I also tried changing the telephone wire from the socket to the phone, and the noise is the same, so it's not the cable. When I remove the cable the phone doesn't make the noise.

Any advice? It is conceivable that the phone is broken (its quite old) but could it be a problem on the line? What can BT do about this, and will they charge a fortune! We don't really use the phone much, although it is nice to have it as an option.

Thanks in advance.

Kath

dogfish12

Dear Kath, do you have the modern bt socket with the detachable bottom plate into which you can plug your phone into the test socket thus isolating any extensions (if you have any).

Any evidence of moisture of any sort in or around the master socket?

Bt openreach will charge for any internal fault (as they see it) Up until and including the master socket is bt's responsibility and externally it is theirs. I can tell you that if they report that the fault is your responsibilty the bill will be well over £100 probably nearer £150

Can the phone ring and receive calls?

kmmr

No I don't have the master socket with the test bit.

We did have the wiring changed recently, but the master socket (or what I presume is the master socket, as it is the first point of entry) doesn't have the BT master socket on it. There wasn't one when we did the work, but the old plain white one has now been replaced by a new socket - but it's just a normal single socket.

I have unscrewed it to check, but there is no test socket on the back.

Hmm... moisture. I don't think so. It looks normal, and doesn't feel damp.

kmmr

Phone won't receive calls. It just goes straight to voicemail.

kmmr

A few other bits of information:

I just tried calling the number to see if it rang. It didn't, but the internet connection suddenly went very flaky. It has restored now. I have the phone temporarily plugged in without the ADSL filter. So... I am thinking it tried to call, got close enough to interrupt the internet, but couldn't get to the actual phone. Does that make it slightly more likely that it is a phone problem?

Owain_Moneysaver

Microfilter's faulty.

Buy new microfilter.

Plug phone into microfilter.

Plug microfilter into line.

kmmr

Thanks for the idea Owain, but no joy! Still nothing but a quiet crackle...

kmmr

If I just buy a new master socket for the phone from Ebay, can I put it in? Are there special rules around doing this - ie only electrician or BT people?

dogfish12

Hello Kath, I'm not a telephone engineer but they are on here so hopefully they'll come on. I believe that you can ask for a line test from bt. They say that they can then tell whether the fault is external or not. The fault could be outside your house to the exchange.

From what I can see of it-

Firstly try a different phone into the master which as you have said is generally the first socket inside the house.

The problem is that if there is any problem with your extensions even a good phone will still show the noise. A loose connection, nick in the wire , in an extension can throw the entire set up. You've written that you've had new wiring fitted. It strikes me this fault seems to suggest an outseide fault because after a rewire any fault you would imagine would be immediately apparent.

dogfish12

To Kath, no, you do not need to be an electrician to wire a phone socket. The voltage is very small. However, you can get a small knock should the phone ring when handling. According to BT to remove the master socket is a criminal offence for which you can be fined or have service removed. I have never heard or read of any such prosecution.

kmmr

dogfish12 wrote: »

According to BT to remove the master socket is a criminal offence for which you can be fined or have service removed. I have never heard or read of any such prosecution.

I had heard that, and that is what is worrying me about calling them out. We did a massive renovation job, and the entire house was gutted. The builder put in the new wiring, including re-wiring up the phone, so there isn't a proper master switch set up.

Can anyone else other than BT come and have a look? I just don't want to bring it to their attention and have my service removed!

Edit: I am with SkyTalk. They did do a test but can't tell where the problem is. Said they can send someone out, but clearly at a cost, and it's probably a BT person they send I suspect.