PHONE LINE STATIC!

Better yet just find your interface. On an older house it will just be a terminal block with brass nuts wherever the phone line enters the house. On a newer house or one that has had the phone service replaced by the phone co. recently, it will be a grey plastic box outside the house with a modular plug inside. Once you've found it, disconnect all the field wiring in your house leaving only the service wire connected. With the newer style grey plastic box that's done by just pulling the modular connector out of its socket. You'll need a nutdriver or socket to do it on the older style terminal block.

Once you've done that, take a known good working phone, and either plug it in (to the new box) or take a short length of phone wire and a new jack and connect it directly to the terminal block (old style.) If you still have static, then call the phone company and tell them that you've determined that it is definitely their problem and that you expect them to fix it.

If you have Verizon, don't expect results however. I did this dance for about 6 mos. and many service calls at my old place before I just gave up and went all cellular. Those annoying radio/TV adds bragging on their reliability make me mad all over again, they're the most worthless, unreliable utility I've ever dealt with. (I had problems with them at two other places I've lived, as well.)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel
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Do we have a phone expert in this group?

I know, silly question.

I have terrible static in my phone line. I unplugged everything, bought a new wire phone, plugged it in, and heard the same old static.

Assuming it's my problem (phone company tells you that if it's house wiring the meter starts running and running and running), what do I do?

Re-wire the house?

I was thinking about ripping down the lines, blaming the city tree pruners, then calling them out making sure phone company's connection is proper...

Reply to
MRS. CLEAN

quoted text -

Disconnect at box.

Hook up new wire phone, dial one number, and see if you hear noise.

If I heard noise, then I tell them that I ran the test, I know it's you, and now fix it.

If the line is clear coming from pole to house.....

What do I do?

I think I am following so far, but stumped if the noise is in the house. BTW, the wires were stretched on the outside coming into the house when tree trimming, and the noise started thereafter.

I understand that I still must isolate and troubleshoot.

Thanks, Nate, and I am sorry you were screwed by verizon. I'm screwed by Home Cheapo often so I know what it's like.

Reply to
MRS. CLEAN

Many years ago my parents had an on-going problem with interference and static on their phone line. It turned out to be squirrels were gnawing on the lines at the pole and had chewed away insulation. It never was fixed till the phone company finally replaced a major line that supplied the neighborhood.

Reply to
tom

quoted text -

In that case, you'll probably have a homerun from each jack to a terminal strip somewhere. (either where the phone line enters the house or very close to it.) Hook 'em up one at a time and test each one individually. Eventually you'll find the one that's causing the noise. Just leave that one disconnected until you can rectify the issue.

From that, I'm going to guess that your problem is probably outside the house. Stretched wires could mean compromised insulation and water getting in etc. and that could cause static especially if they are wrapped around a support cable.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Talking about the phone company taking responsibility for a bad line reminded me of the 5 or 6 year period back in the 80's when we had a problem at our house. We lived in the country, and while the township crews "ditched" our road one summer, the phone company dug up a buried phone line...and left it un-buried in the grass alongside the road. (They probably intended to come back and bury it after the project was done)

Anyway - that un-buried phone line sat in the tall grass...for a year or so, until the township came along and mowed the grass along the road. (Those of you who have lived in the country are familar with this process: ...A large John Deere or Farmall tractor pulls a brush trimmer along the road to trim the overgrowth back). Without the driver knowing, the blade cut up this line for a mile or so. Afterwards - every time it would rain, the phone line would become so full of static that it was not usable.

I could see the damaged line...with shreds of wire hanging from it....but - every time I called the phone company to explain the problem and to explain what was causing it ---- they thought I was nuts...and told me "We don't leave phone lines like that just unburied alongside the road". They ditched (pardon the pun) the situation for

5 years....with continual rejections of their responsibility.

Finally - it was time for the phone company to upgrade the wiring in our area. They ran a new phone line...BURIED IT this time around...and lo and behold --- the phone sounded like new again.

Reply to
Stanko

As others recommend, plug your phone into where it comes into the house and if there is static it is the phone company's fault. Verizon's customer service is awful and their standard response is to tell you what it will cost if problem is in the house. My last problem like this, they said they were coming to house, never came and line cleared up. Static most likely came from source miles away.

Reply to
Frank

you tolerated that for 5 years?

I would of taken some photos and visited them or the media.

you are way too tolerant:(

Reply to
hallerb

In some areas, if you call the phone company, they will install a NID (Network Interface Device) for you at no charge. They did for me and I think it was when Verizon ran the phone compnay.

You can also call their repair service and ask them to check the line WITHOUT coming out. There is no charge for that either, although I don't know how many problems they can find or fix.

I would ask them about this, if you can reach a human, but it seems to me the best time to this is when I only had one good phone connected, and if possible connected at the NID. Then when they find a problem it will certainly be their problem.

OTOH, the static problem may well be in your house. You may find this out when you connect that one could phone and you have no problem with it. If it is in your hosue, post back.

Reply to
mm

You may not even need to hook up a test phone at the network interface. Just call the phone company. They can run an automatic test remotely that will uncover many problems. And they will send someone out to test their line up to your house for free.

Reply to
trader4

Where I am in CA you can call 611. They can put you on hold, run a test on the house, and tell you if the problem is yours or theirs. A couple of weeks ago, that happened. It was their problem, and I didn't have to be home for them to fix it. I wonder if you have that available?

Cheri

Reply to
Cheri

Finding the keyboard operational MRS. CLEAN entered:

Nate gave you great advice on how to isolate the problem. If it is Verizon then it might take a bit of persistance to get it fixed. Ask the neighbors if they have problems, strength in numbers. Your state Public Utilities Commision may be interested in your problem. There are minimum quality standards that phone companies must meet. Bob

--

-- Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times

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Reply to
The Other Funk

FWIW, my friend had a problem, that I tried to fix and failed (or at least ran out of time and energy, since they go to bed early), and he called the phone company, and they ended up doing something in his kitchen, under the wall paper and I guess under the wall-phone plate that is in many kitchens, and they didnt' charge him anything. Somehow they decided it was their fault, even though it was well inside his house. So it does happen, I guess, even though probably not often.

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Reply to
mm

One place I always check are lines on a fax or PC with a modem. They are notorious for collecting dust; causing static.

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

Reply to
Oren

Asses would be jumping in the company; if a 911 call was not able to be made, causing the loss of life. OTOH is might just be lawyers .

-- Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

Reply to
Oren

In my case the phone would work off and on for a day or so, lots of static, and sometimes dead. They determined it was caused by some kind of water damage outside, due to recent rains.

Cheri

Reply to
Cheri

Dang, I meant that "one good phone"!

Reply to
mm

Agreed. A threat to complain to the state's public service commission would have solved the problem.

Reply to
Jim Redelfs

Nope. Not a one.

Particularly if it comes and goes, that is easily the most difficult to find and fix. Automated tests usually "see" right through static and report no trouble.

If the trouble is on only ONE jack/outlet/phone, it's that jack/outlet/phone. If the trouble is on ALL jacks/outlets/phones, it's probably the line before it enters the house.

Many phone companies offer a monthly, inside wire maintenance plan. Minimally, this means the subscriber is not charged for a visit, regardless of where the trouble is. If you do NOT subscribe to this optional service, the phone company SHOULD (but is not required to) tell you when you report your trouble.

In my service area (Qwest/Omaha/Nebraska), if a SNID (Standard Network Interface Device) is NOT present, we do not charge if the trouble is inside and we are supposed to install the SNID at no charge.

Again, in my area, if a SNID IS present, and the trouble IS inside, AND the customer does NOT have inside coverage, we charge an $85 Trouble Isolation Charge to simply TELL them the trouble is inside. If asked inside to continue the repair, in ADDITION to the above-mentioned Trouble Isolation Charge, an hourly rate applies. It's $120/hr.

Conversely, across the river in Iowa, even if a SNID is present, we are not allowed to levy the Trouble Isolation Charge UNLESS we are asked to come inside. These policies and practices vary widely. Ask your telco.

If the trouble is equipment-caused, we will isolate to that equipment and simply hand it over to the customer like a dead toaster. If the trouble is wire and/or jack-related, we will repair or replace it.

Yeah, right. :)

You mentioned that the static trouble began AFTER tree trimming was done. Given that, even sight unseen, I can almost guarantee that the trouble is "drop"-related. The ASW (Aerial Service Wire) was probably somewhat compromised to begin with (squirrel damage, branch abrasion, etc) and the added abuse of pruned branches falling across the wire further damaged the wire, causing the static.

Here's an easy test: Call a friend and, while on the phone, have another person WHACK the drop wire with a broom or rake, causing stress replicating high wind. If the static is noticeably worse, the trouble IS in the ASW.

Order your telco's inside wire maintenance plan, endure the static for a couple more days after that, then call-in the repair. Done. Good luck!

Reply to
Jim Redelfs

Year's ago I paid twice to have a phone line replaced even though it was outside the house. It runs from the box, around the house into my den. The second time it was replaced, within a year of the first replacement, problem was due to installers putting a staple through the wire outside the house. I was pissed but fortunately a business client was picking up the tab and I didn't fight it. This is the gang that is now Verizon.

I also had a royal battle with AT&T. Will not go into details but it took state AG's office to straighten out. I canceled long distance service with them on 2 phones and they begged me to come back for months.

Now they've run their optical cable in front of my house and are begging me to hook up. Since my last problem with a Verizon phone line was only a few months ago, it will be a cold day in hell before I give Verizon any more business.

Frank

Reply to
Frank

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