Help with phone problem

[Wiz]

Just recently, after the big power outage from last week, I began having phone problems at home. Here's the problem. None of my phones will ring, more than just a half of one ring. I have disconnected my cordless phone, and also the answering machine. All phones do work, and this was checked, since I can call out on all phones. If I take a phone outside, and connect into the phone box attached to the house, the phone will ring normally for incoming calls. This should indicate the phone company is not the problem, but something inside the house is causing the problem. When anyone calls my number they just hear what appears like an open line (no ringing sound or busy signal), then the call disconnects after about 6-8 seconds. If I happen to hear a 1/2 ring and pick up the phone, all is normal and I can talk with the caller. Any ideas what or where the problem might be ?

 

[_RaT_]

I would start by disconnecting every phone. Test each phone at the interconnect outside that you mention you have. If the interconnect has several lines from the home coming into it, disconnect all but one and isolate the bad one (if in fact this is the issue). Common problems are bad phones, moisture, rodents chewing the line causing a short.

 

[Wiz]

RaT,
Thanks for the input. I didn't think any of the individual phones are/were bad, since I've been able to use them inside the house. They just don't ring. I also thought of a short, but then I thought that one or all of the phones wouldn't work. Gives me something to try though.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Miss Glenda (aka Mrs Harv) works in a Verizon care center. She suggests you not only unplug every phone but the cordless and answering machine from their power source--wall socket. She doesn't know why but sometimes this works. She suggests about a two minute disconnect.

Sometimes when the power comes back on there's a surge that damages the sensitive circuits in cordless and fax systems.

She recommends that one keep a cheap old cord type phone for testing purposes. That way when there's a problem they have a phone that they can test each jack with one at a time.

She suggested you unplug all the phones and then plug them back in one at a time after a test. That way if the problem is a phone or accessory you can isolate it and let the system come back up.

Ahhhh, the good old days, before telcos were expected to make a profit on performance, service was a benefit.

 

[Mrwurm]

We had some phone trouble last year. I disconnected all the phones and then went around and tested each jack with a known good phone. I eventually found that an unused jack (we have about 20) had a paper clip stuck in it. Turns out 'nobody' did it. I want to meet this 'nobody' character one of these days. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[ShaleniFarm]

We had a similar problem. Ours turned out to be a wiring problem. I agree with Harv's suggestions; disconnect & unplug all devices.

I have a kludgy setup during some remodeling, no connection to any power outage, fortunately. I ended up rewiring one jack, which seemed to solve the problem. I'll be rerouting my service soon, maybe even switching to cable phone.

Hope you have success,
Neil.

 

[JohnMiller3]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( after the big power outage from last week, I began having phone problems at home. ... None of my phones will ring, more than just a half of one ring )</font>

Sounds like a "damaged" buffer/isolation stage on a device... I'd first disconnect the computer modem and try it... (very popular during storm)... then go down the line disconnecting individual devices by process of elimination until the problem "disappears"... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

(highly unlikely any wiring problems... unless it's "outside" /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif (from storm))

 

[Wiz]

Stay tuned.......Update on Monday.........Wiz

 

[jwstewar]

We have had the exact same type of problem with the exact same symptoms a couple of times. Mine has always been where I've split the phone lines out under the house. I'm now using the silicone type connectors but I still need to rewire the entire house as the wire I'm using is junk (don't buy phone wire from Radio Shack). Everytime we've had the problem this is what it has been.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( She recommends that one keep a cheap old cord type phone for testing purposes )</font>

Good idea. When our phones quit working two weeks ago is when I realized that I'd thrown away the last two old cord types we had 2 months earlier. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif