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Cannot make calls from BT line?

Beckyy
Beckyy Posts: 2,830 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
edited 3 October 2013 at 12:47PM in Phones & TV
04/10/2013 - This is still a problem so I've brought up the thread again instead of starting a new one.


This problem was never rectified and we've just lived with it for most of the year assuming that it may have been our home phone, however I bought a new one today and expecting it to work was surprised when I had exactly the same problem.

I cannot make any calls out from any socket except the test socket. I get 'number cannot be recognised' or just a tone when trying to call out. Incoming calls are faint and fuzzy. When I do make calls from our test socket, with an adsl filter, our broadband cuts out. I have tried unplugging the router and trying the other sockets but it made no difference. I have done a line check on the BT website today and it's coming back with no faults.

Please note that calls from the master socket which covers the test socket do not work either.

This has been going on since the date of the original post (below) and I really need to address it now as my mobile bills have rocketed and I'm paying for line rental which I'm getting next to no use of.

Does is sound like something BT would charge for if I got them involved? Or a problem that we can rectify ourselves? It just seems so bizarre that it started the day after paying for Line Rental Saver. :(

When I take the cover over the test socket off there are three wires connected to the front of the master cover, and three wires which come in but are not attached to anything - should they be? Here is a (sideways) pic:
1385217_10200780883864660_1527000341_n.jpg

Original post:

I went to make a phone call tonight and recieved an error message. I tried again and got a 'number cannot be recognised' message, and got it again when trying to call my mobile. Now I just hear it dialling then get nothing then 'number cannot be recognised'. I can recieve incoming calls fine. I've logged in to BT online and done a line check, which came back as no problems.

We pay by DD (next bill due 'after 4th Jan') and paid for Line Rental Saver yesterday (money has come out for it). We had a BT engineer out a month or two ago for line troubles (cutting out, broadland insanely slow), he changed a couple of filters that were outdated and it has been fine since. Broadband is working fine, apart from disconnecting during line checks.

Does it sound more like our actual phone may have a problem, rather than the phoneline?
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Comments

  • Buzby
    Buzby Posts: 8,275 Forumite
    First thing is to plug a different phone in to your master socket to see if it works as it should!
  • Beckyy
    Beckyy Posts: 2,830 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Thanks Buzby, the only problem is we haven't got a spare phone. Will have to buy one to try out if there's no difference tomorrow.
  • Macca83_2
    Macca83_2 Posts: 1,215 Forumite
    edited 3 January 2013 at 8:32PM
    The master socket is found in the main socket beneath a plastic plate with two screws. Thats your direct access into the phone line eliminating all extension cabling etc. Try two phones in this socket, this will ensure that the fault does not lie with your equipment. If you still can't use your phone contact bt.
    Oh also try disconnecting absolutely everything from your phone line for 15 minutes and then try the phone on its own. Sometimes a build up of static from faulty filters can cause problems

    just read your reply. Try the steps above with just one phone for now. See if that makes any difference. Or if you've got a nice neighbour or relative borrow one
  • Beckyy
    Beckyy Posts: 2,830 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I've just tried it in the master socket and was able to ring my mobile, however it made out broadband cut out (wasn't using an adsl filter). I unplugged the phone straight away and broadband came back after about 5mins. I've just tried it in our kitchen socket with an adsl filter (phone is usually upstairs) and again I just get it dialling then nothing. There was also a lot of interferance.
  • Macca83_2
    Macca83_2 Posts: 1,215 Forumite
    Can you call out from your upstairs socket? Do you have phones on all of your sockets? Do you use filters on all sockets that have equipment connected?
  • Beckyy
    Beckyy Posts: 2,830 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    There is a socket upstairs, one in kitchen and master socket in living room. Can only call out from master socket, upstairs/kitchen gets nothing then 'number cannot be recognised'. We only have one phone and use that and our router upstairs with an adsl filter. Nothing else is plugged into the others.
  • Macca83_2
    Macca83_2 Posts: 1,215 Forumite
    Ok, id try unplugging everything and leaving it for at least 15 minutes before plugging it all back in. If that fails then it sounds like you have a problem with the extension. BT's responsibility only extends to the master socket in the living room. Any problems with your extension would more than likely incur a call out charge if you were to get an engineer out.
  • meg72
    meg72 Posts: 5,164 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped!
    Just a thought but have you checked with the accounts dept. I had this problem and BT had restricted my account I could receive incoming but could not make outgoing as they (wrongly) said that I owed a bill.
    Slimming World at target
  • Buzby
    Buzby Posts: 8,275 Forumite
    As you made a successful call, your services are not restricted. A call out will be chargeable in this case, so it might be better to try a different phone in each of the sockets you use WITH the filter in place.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Clearly a problem with the extension socket or wiring, if you can call out using the master. Fix it yourself or get an independent telcom engineer/electrican in to do so. Involving BT will cost you a minimum £130 call out charge.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
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