Problem with BT landline; caller hears it ringing but nothing this end (no dial tone)

whitewing

My BT landline is used for broadband and telephone. As you can see broadband is fine.

The phone line itself isn't working somehow. If you try to dial the number, it doesn't sound quite normal, but it does ring and ring and ring in the caller's ear.

But the phone itself doesn't ring.

It's not the actual phone. We tried another phone and that doesn't work. We also took the original phone to my parents, and it works fine there.

I tried filling in an online form with BT. That flashed up a message that it was a common fault that they were investigating. But when I went in to 'track changes' it said there was no fault?

(Apart from get a new provider)

I tried ringing 0800 800 150 to report a fault. That told me to stay on the line while it tested my line. After a minute or so, it told me that it was unable to test the line, please try later, goodbye and cut me off!

What do I do now?

Poppy9

I have had this issue since I moved into my house. BT have fixed it several times. It is a fault at the exchange but they won't admit it because with me it was intermittant.

Here is the email address of the CEX of BT. [EMAIL="ben.verwaayen@bt.com"]ben.verwaayen@bt.com[/EMAIL] I found him helpful in getting my problem resolved.

benjus

Have you tried using a different microfilter? Some microfilters can have this effect.

Browntoa

ben left Bt about a month ago , he's no longer chairman so I expect that email address is no use

Poppy9

Browntoa wrote: »

ben left Bt about a month ago , he's no longer chairman so I expect that email address is no use

Thanks. Just found this:

Ian Livingston, who is currently chief executive of BT Retail, is to succeed Ben Verwaayen as chief executive of BT Group on June 1st 2008. Ben will step down as CEO on 31 May 2008, and will leave the board on June 30.

So I would try [EMAIL="Ian.Livingston@bt.com"]Ian.Livingston@bt.com[/EMAIL]

whitewing

Thank you, all. I thought I'd better give them another go on the 150 number. They've tested the line, and there is a 'possible fault' . I requested a rinback as they're busy ....ooohhh they have just phoned me back. Have diverted my calls and will send an engineer tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm just off to unscrew the box and test it. I know what a microfilter is now, benjus!

Poppy9

whitewing wrote: »

Thank you, all. I thought I'd better give them another go on the 150 number. They've tested the line, and there is a 'possible fault' . I requested a rinback as they're busy ....ooohhh they have just phoned me back. Have diverted my calls and will send an engineer tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm just off to unscrew the box and test it. I know what a microfilter is now, benjus!

Just to warn you, in case BT didn't, if they find the fault is with your equipment they will charge you over £100 for the engineer's visit.

whitewing

Poppy9 wrote: »

Just to warn you, in case BT didn't, if they find the fault is with your equipment they will charge you over £100 for the engineer's visit.

They warned me about five times (there was £99 for something else too if it were our equipment). I tried to ask how I would know if it were my equipment, ie my phone works at my parents' house. She could not cope with doing anything other than reading out the paragraphs in her script. She didn't answer questions.

We unscrewed the box, like we were told to do and plugged our phone - not the microfilter cable - directly into the test socket, and it still doesn't work.

I am still wary of an engineer coming out because it's like an expensive lottery - he may fix the fault for free or he may charge you a fortune.

Is there anything else I can check?

espresso

whitewing wrote: »

We unscrewed the box, like we were told to do and plugged our phone - not the microfilter cable - directly into the test socket, and it still doesn't work.

If a working handset does not work in the BT master test socket, it is a fault with the BT line, as any wiring that you are responsible for is disconnected.

Is there anything else I can check?

No.

..............

whitewing

Thanks espresso. I love this site; such quick answers.

timestar

Had a similiar problem to yours and also with BT. They kept insisting there was nothing wrong. I just kept phoning from another line every day until they finally admitted the problem was actually at the exchange. Took about 3 days for them to get an engineer to the exchange to sort it out. Not surprisingly prior to admitting this, they really wanted to send an engineer out to my home - at my expense of course. Keep bugging BT and keep insisting to be put through to someone higher up. On one call I just kept repeating "please put me through to your supervisor" and eventually they did!