Centrex Faults
Although the service provider regularly maintains the PSTN network, it is impossible to keep every loop, fault free. Faults occur due to various reasons such as weather, electrical noise, cable damage due to digging, cable corrosion or simply because the customer premise equipment (CPE) is playing up (i.e. faulty phone, fax, adsl filter, modem, double adaptors, extension leads, monitored or medical alarm, etc). Remember, electricity flows through the copper wires that connects your phone to the switch at the CO. If this cable is damaged, various fault symptoms will be experienced depending on the damage. A cracked or cut insulation will let moisture in and increase resistance leading to static and crackling noise. A damaged pair of wires touching another damaged pair of wires can lead to static and cross line. A damaged wire touching the ground could lead to static or no service as the electricity from the wire escapes into the ground rather than reach your phone. Before you report a fault to your service provider you do need to check and confirm that your CPE is not at fault or you may be charged a call out fee by your service provider if the fault is proved out of their network. It is also a good idea to find out incomming and outgoing sysptoms before calling your provider. You should also be aware of what you have connected to the PSTN line.
Common symptoms:
No Dial Tone: When you lift the reciever, the handset is dead and you do not hear a dial tone.
Tip: This could be because of a faulty phone or a break in the loop. If you were to try calling your landline using a mobile or the neighbours phone, you would hear a ringback i.e it would sound like it is ringing but not physically at your address. Faulty CPE or a fault on the network could also keep the line busy giving callers an engaged tone, and no dial tone at your address.
What to do: Look to see for obvious damage to the telephone cable of jackpoints. Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Wait 30 seconds and plug one standard analogue phone into one of the jackpoints and listen for a dial tone. If you do not hear a dial tone, try another jackpoint. If that fails, try another phone in the same jackpoints. If you still do not get a dial tone, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.
Static or crackling noise on the line: When you are having a conversation on your phone, you hear static or crackling noise.
Tip: This could be due to a loose connection, damaged cable, faulty jackpoint, or faulty CPE.
What to do: Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Wait 30 seconds and plug one standard analogue phone into one of the jackpoints and do a test call to see if noise is still heard on the line. If you still hear noise on the line try another jackpoint. If that fails, try another phone in the same jackpoints. If you still hear static or crackling, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.
I cannot recieve calls but can call out OK: Incomming calls seem to ring once or half a ring and drop yet you can dial out and have a clear normal conversation.
Tip: This could be due to a loose connection, damaged cable, faulty jackpoint, or faulty CPE.
What to do: Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Use your mobile phone or the neighbours phone to call your landline without anything plugged into the jackpoints. If you hear a normal ringback after unplugging all your devices, one of your CPE is playing up and you need to plug in one device at a time to identify the faulty CPE. However, after unplugging all your devices, if you call your landline and still hear the calls drop, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.
Common symptoms:
No Dial Tone: When you lift the reciever, the handset is dead and you do not hear a dial tone.
Tip: This could be because of a faulty phone or a break in the loop. If you were to try calling your landline using a mobile or the neighbours phone, you would hear a ringback i.e it would sound like it is ringing but not physically at your address. Faulty CPE or a fault on the network could also keep the line busy giving callers an engaged tone, and no dial tone at your address.
What to do: Look to see for obvious damage to the telephone cable of jackpoints. Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Wait 30 seconds and plug one standard analogue phone into one of the jackpoints and listen for a dial tone. If you do not hear a dial tone, try another jackpoint. If that fails, try another phone in the same jackpoints. If you still do not get a dial tone, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.
Static or crackling noise on the line: When you are having a conversation on your phone, you hear static or crackling noise.
Tip: This could be due to a loose connection, damaged cable, faulty jackpoint, or faulty CPE.
What to do: Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Wait 30 seconds and plug one standard analogue phone into one of the jackpoints and do a test call to see if noise is still heard on the line. If you still hear noise on the line try another jackpoint. If that fails, try another phone in the same jackpoints. If you still hear static or crackling, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.
I cannot recieve calls but can call out OK: Incomming calls seem to ring once or half a ring and drop yet you can dial out and have a clear normal conversation.
Tip: This could be due to a loose connection, damaged cable, faulty jackpoint, or faulty CPE.
What to do: Unplug all your devices connected to the landline from the jackpoints including your adsl filter and broadband modem. Use your mobile phone or the neighbours phone to call your landline without anything plugged into the jackpoints. If you hear a normal ringback after unplugging all your devices, one of your CPE is playing up and you need to plug in one device at a time to identify the faulty CPE. However, after unplugging all your devices, if you call your landline and still hear the calls drop, call your provider and inform them. They will arrange to test the line.