Problem with telephone line

[ianess]

I have cable tv, broadband internet connection, and am still able to log on and send/receive e-mails OK but my phone won`t work at all.  What could be the problem?

[stoo_pid]

Assuming everything else works OK (TV, interactive - the red button on your remote - email & internet) then the problem will either be with your phone, the socket (including any extensions) or the phone service.

Try to narrow the problem down:

1. First, what is the problem? Is it that you can't phone out (i.e. getting No Dial Tone)? Or people call you but are either getting Permanently Engaged Tone or it just rings at their end but not yours? Or a combination of the two.
2. Is your phone connected to the socket or is it the sort you can walk around the house with?  If its the latter and if you have a phone that needs to be plugged in to work, try that phone instead.  If you only have a roaming phone try new batteries.
3. Do you have any other phones plugged in the house?  If so unplug them all & try 1 phone at a time.  If it works try that phone in each of the other sockets.  If it works in all sockets do the same with each phone until you find the offender.
4. If none of that works (or you don't have any other phones to try) you'll need to call your phone provider.  Don't forget to tell them what troubleshooting you've done. Also don't forget that if you call a freephone number from your mobile (to report the fault) you'll be charged for it by the minute - which could be a problem if you end up on hold for a long time.

Good luck!

 

[stoo_pid]

Sorry ianess, in step 3 I should also have said that if the problem turns out to be one of the extension sockets & it was installed by the phone company, then of course you'll still need to phone them to get it fixed.

 

[ianess]

Thanks for the replies  stoo_pid.

Would you believe that when they installed broadband they took the cheap way out and used the original phone cable which was snaked all over my and adjoining gardens?  Then one of my neighbours chopped what he`d been told was a redundant cable!

These little things are sent to try us!!!!

[stoo_pid]

no worries mate!  hope they repair it better than they installed it...