Problem With Landline

Cordie

I don't know if any phone engineers visit here or if this is the correct forum but maybe someone can help.

Incoming callers to my landline have intermittently been receiving an engaged signal when ringing me. During this time I have been able to make outgoing calls and my internet has been normal.

Last Thursday the engineer came out and he changed the main socket and until today I thought the problem had been solved, but this morning the problem returned.

I'm hesitant to call the engineer out again because if it is a problem with my indoor wiring I will be charged £100.

enkoda

My first option would be to try another phone in the main socket, see if the fault still persists.

Uxb

Sounds the most likely possibility.
I had a wired phone that was not properly hanging up the line after a call on occasions (microswitch on the phone cradle was sticking - and sometime it stuck and sometimes it did not....)
This gave exactly the same results as the OP is suffering

Cordie

enkoda wrote: »

My first option would be to try another phone in the main socket, see if the fault still persists.

When I first rang my provider we went through all the rigmorole of unplugging different phones and taking the cover off the main socket and plugging a phone directly into that and on that day he was getting an engaged signal all the time. I think what has complicated matters is that on the next day when the engineer called everything was working perfectly.

Uxb wrote: »

Sounds the most likely possibility.
I had a wired phone that was not properly hanging up the line after a call on occasions (microswitch on the phone cradle was sticking - and sometime it stuck and sometimes it did not....)
This gave exactly the same results as the OP is suffering

I did think of that so I timed a few calls and checked the timings in my account but they were correct. I may be wrong but I assume if this was happening the calls would be for far longer.

Thank you both for your replies.

Ainsley1

Star by disconnecting everything (extensions, filters, broadband etc. and phones). Call yourself from another phone (mobile) and see if the fault exists.
If so its in the circuit to or in your home to/or the master socket and if so it's your suppliers responsibility. Call them back again and make sure they know it is an intermittent fault. If it is BT (or some others) they can test the line remotely whilst you call them (from another phone) and that is probably what they were doing originally.
on the other hand:
If it's all OK (and stays that way - just in case it's intermittent) connect master phone first and re-call yourself then with each additional line, filter, broadband equipment till you find what is causing the problem i.e. a process of 'elimination' and then take it from there.

Cordie

Ainsley1 wrote: »

Star by disconnecting everything (extensions, filters, broadband etc. and phones). Call yourself from another phone (mobile) and see if the fault exists.
If so its in the circuit to or in your home to/or the master socket and if so it's your suppliers responsibility. Call them back again and make sure they know it is an intermittent fault. If it is BT (or some others) they can test the line remotely whilst you call them (from another phone) and that is probably what they were doing originally.
on the other hand:
If it's all OK (and stays that way - just in case it's intermittent) connect master phone first and re-call yourself then with each additional line, filter, broadband equipment till you find what is causing the problem i.e. a process of 'elimination' and then take it from there.

Thanks Ainsely1 the line was checked remotely when I first rang and on that day whatever combination we tried it stayed engaged. I've tested my phone this morning and it is working but next time it happens I'll do as you suggest and start with the main phone and work my way up through the house.

Do you know what the obvious signs would be for me to look for if the fault is with my internal wiring and not my providers.

GunJack

leave your phone & router plugged into the test socket (behind the master socket faceplate) and run it like that for a week or so...if the symptoms persist, keep a log of when/how long, and present that to your phone provider, ensuring they understand it is intermittent and what you have been doing to test it.

Enterprise_1701C

Just one thought - have you got a Sky box plugged into your line? We have had several boxes that have caused problems when they have been going wrong.

Other than that, as GunJack says you need to leave it plugged into the test socket for at least the length of time there was between the problems, a week or two would normally do it. If there is nothing in this time and then it happens again after you put it back together then you do not need to use your line supplier to solve the problem, have a look in the phone book or online for a local telecoms engineer, we generally cost a lot less than line suppliers.

Cordie

Thanks GunJack and Enterprise 1701C for your replies thankfully my phone is still working this afternoon. If it does misbehave again I will follow all the instructions posted in this thread also remembering to disconnect the Skybox which I never would have thought of doing.