Crackling sound on my phone line

Skyline

Skyline

Emmet Brickowski
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Dave
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This is doing my head in.
Every time I call BT it's the same. Can't find a fault their end. But, 2 weeks ago they said there was a fault. Called me back after 4 days and said the fault was fixed. All was ok for a few days then it started again. Called BT back, there's no fault.
I'd say for the last year this crackling sound comes and goes.
They can send someone around but if it's a fault in the house the charge is £130.
I have no idea about the wires or equipment on land lines so they could come in and make something up. Ka-ching, ka-ching, £130 please mate.

Has anyone else had this problem with them?
 
Does your phone line come overhead to your house? I had the same issue years ago which turned out to be the cable from the pole that was many years (of swinging in the wind and getting wet) old and once they replaced that the problem was sorted.
 
Steep said:
Does your phone line come overhead to your house? I had the same issue years ago which turned out to be the cable from the pole that was many years (of swinging in the wind and getting wet) old and once they replaced that the problem was sorted.
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All underground
 
Have a look in the wall plug thingy where your phone plugs into, had similar and turned out to be crusty stuff on the connections,a quick wipe off and it was all sorted.
 
mex said:
Have a look in the wall plug thingy where your phone plugs into, had similar and turned out to be crusty stuff on the connections,a quick wipe off and it was all sorted.
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Thanks. Will do.
 
I get this regularly,I live in a very exposed area with overhead lines,wind and rain takes it's toll,the online line test the BT have is useless as is the one they use when you phone to report a fault,just to put you off I guess,last time I reported a similar fault it came up clear according to the phone operator although she could clearly hear the buzz and crackle,trouble is the engineers turn up when it's been dry for a couple of days and in a flat calm,no noise,I recorded the sound last time to play to the engineer but his instruments found no problem,took them five months to sort it once and in the meantime the internet router keeps re-booting,most annoying.never been charged yet although I do rent a phone from BT so that all the equipment belongs to them.Good luck getting it sorted.
 
Have you got broadband internet on that same line? It could be the microfilter that needs replacing. Either that or it's GCHQ listening in to your phone calls ;)
 
Skyline said:
All underground
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If cleaning the socket connections doesn't work the next thing would be to keep a diary of when it's bad and relate that to weather, time of day etc. For example if it goes bad shortly after rain there could be water getting into a junction somewhere. If it's worse in the evening maybe someone nearby has some equipment that's causing interference.
 
I had this several years ago. It took a few months of continuous phone calls before they finally conceded there was a fault at their end; water in a junction box or something.
 
Just got in. Thanks for all the help and info. I will try these in the morning (y)
 
Out of interest, is BT the cheapest to fix problems should in be in my home (which I don't think it is) or can I go elsewhere, wherever that might be, I have no idea :)
 
The video linked earlier is good to avoid costs. You want to plug in a phone at the master socket in the test socket. If the crackling then still exist you can be pretty certain it is not caused by your property. Although I noticed in one house that some idiot wired the alarm system directly off the master socket instead of the extension wiring which was the cause of a lot of trouble.

A normal sparkle or actually a handy man should be able to check it out. If you were next door I'd do it for you as it is really easy. But I appreciate only easy when you know it.
 
If you're still getting the crackling at the master socket then demand an engineer. They will try and fob you off with threats of call out fees but they won't and can't if you have isolated your wiring.

Every time i've had a problem I just tell them to send an engineer. It's always turned out to be their fault and I've never been charged.

A few years ago a storm blew over a tree on the road which took down their overhead lines. BT call centre still made me do line tests and threatened call out charges if it turned out to be my wiring.
 
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Very hard to find the cause of a noisy line, usually moisture in a connection, in your case an underground joint or the lead in to you premises.

There is a procedure for a persistent fault that checks every connection, from an engineers point of view the condition needs to be present for it to be found

Keep reporting it, hopefully it will worsen and the line will break down then it can be fixed
 
BT are ridiculous in these type of things, I had a crackly line twice in a couple of years which was water in the line from the pole which comes through trees.
They most certainly do try to fob you off and they seem to insist it'll be within the house which will cost that £130 odd, not impressed with them at all.
 
I think I'm going insane. Every time I call them they read the script, do the test, your line is clean. It's not. The crackling sound is coming down the test socket.
I've put in a complaint so I get to talk to someone else.
The guy from script land was telling me this time it's a fault in my property. When I said you are talking to me through the test line he shut up and didn't know what to say. I told him I want it in writing or an email that he is say my line is perfect from the exchange to my house. He wouldn't do that.
I wasn't getting anywhere with him so I put in a complaint. When they call I shall ask to speak to their boss. I will keep going until I speak to someone that knows what they are doing and not just reading off a computer screen.
And once my yearly contract runs out in September they can do one. I'll try elsewhere.
 
Skyline said:
I think I'm going insane. Every time I call them they read the script, do the test, your line is clean. It's not. The crackling sound is coming down the test socket.
I've put in a complaint so I get to talk to someone else.
The guy from script land was telling me this time it's a fault in my property. When I said you are talking to me through the test line he shut up and didn't know what to say. I told him I want it in writing or an email that he is say my line is perfect from the exchange to my house. He wouldn't do that.
I wasn't getting anywhere with him so I put in a complaint. When they call I shall ask to speak to their boss. I will keep going until I speak to someone that knows what they are doing and not just reading off a computer screen.
And once my yearly contract runs out in September they can do one. I'll try elsewhere.
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I'd be tempted to say your cancelling your contract and moving to another supplier because of bad service.
There's no need to wait and they will probably do something about it. Generally, those who deal with customers leaving have more options to keep you.
 
All the suppliers use Openreach to maintain the line between the exchange and your premises. Admittedly another supplier may take your complaint more seriously, unfortunately in most cases a noisy line does not show an abnormal line test result.
 
tijuana taxi said:
All the suppliers use Openreach to maintain the line between the exchange and your premises. Admittedly another supplier may take your complaint more seriously, unfortunately in most cases a noisy line does not show an abnormal line test result.
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We moved to Virgin and as part of the install everything was checked
 
tijuana taxi said:
Very hard to find the cause of a noisy line, usually moisture in a connection, in your case an underground joint or the lead in to you premises.

There is a procedure for a persistent fault that checks every connection, from an engineers point of view the condition needs to be present for it to be found

Keep reporting it, hopefully it will worsen and the line will break down then it can be fixed
Click to expand...
The test meters they use don't seem to be much cop,there's an openreach engineer that lives only a mile and a half from me but it's rarely him they send up,he uses one of the old meters in a wooden case that he was supposed to hand in,he says they are better and strangely enough he 's the only bloke that seems to be able to find the faults I get,here's hoping for next time.
 
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Skyline said:
I think I'm going insane. Every time I call them they read the script, do the test, your line is clean. It's not. The crackling sound is coming down the test socket.
I've put in a complaint so I get to talk to someone else.
The guy from script land was telling me this time it's a fault in my property. When I said you are talking to me through the test line he shut up and didn't know what to say. I told him I want it in writing or an email that he is say my line is perfect from the exchange to my house. He wouldn't do that.
I wasn't getting anywhere with him so I put in a complaint. When they call I shall ask to speak to their boss. I will keep going until I speak to someone that knows what they are doing and not just reading off a computer screen.
And once my yearly contract runs out in September they can do one. I'll try elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Just demand an engineer to come out. If you are convinced that the test socket is crackling and can't see anything else connected you'd be pretty save from not being liable for the costs.
 
One more thought; you have used a different telephone for that test socket haven't you?
 
im a BT Openreach engineer.any help i can do let me know
 
I'm sure the problem is outside. The junction box is less than a hundreds yards away from me, the exchange, a mile and a half. Since I moved in here 10 years ago there has been some sort of problem at least once a year.
I know I'm not the only one that has problems. They come out, snip the red wire, tape up the blue one and all is right for a while. Then the problems start again.
 
where are you based?.
do you have copper broadband?
 
robmac said:
where are you based?.
do you have copper broadband?
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Near Gravesend, Kent. Copper broadband? No idea. All I know is I pay for the fastest internet (that isn't fast because the line :), and my phone makes a crackling sound but those based abroad in the call centers always tell me there's not a problem. Even though they can hear it. (and they can hear it when the line is plugged into the test socket.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Virgin uses different line plant to the other telecom suppliers
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They tested the BT telephone wire from my junction box to the Bt box in the street about 10 metres away.
Replaced the first box and added a new one in a more accessible place.
Broadband is a separate cable from their own supply.
 
Skyline said:
I think I'm going insane. Every time I call them they read the script, do the test, your line is clean. It's not. The crackling sound is coming down the test socket.
I've put in a complaint so I get to talk to someone else.
The guy from script land was telling me this time it's a fault in my property. When I said you are talking to me through the test line he shut up and didn't know what to say. I told him I want it in writing or an email that he is say my line is perfect from the exchange to my house. He wouldn't do that.
I wasn't getting anywhere with him so I put in a complaint. When they call I shall ask to speak to their boss. I will keep going until I speak to someone that knows what they are doing and not just reading off a computer screen.
And once my yearly contract runs out in September they can do one. I'll try elsewhere.
Click to expand...

robmac said:
im a BT Openreach engineer.any help i can do let me know
Click to expand...

I think there used to the magic phrase "I need this to be escalated to a Tier 1 manager...." this especially in the case of offshore call centres meant they were obliged to give the problem back to the UK support centre.

Perhaps as posted earlier an email to the CEO of BT could kick up some stink to get your case the escalation it needs!
 
Skyline said:
Near Gravesend, Kent. Copper broadband? No idea. All I know is I pay for the fastest internet (that isn't fast because the line :), and my phone makes a crackling sound but those based abroad in the call centers always tell me there's not a problem. Even though they can hear it. (and they can hear it when the line is plugged into the test socket.
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How is the Broadband, stable or dropping & reconnecting frequently.....................if the BB is in fact stable and fine then as suggested above try another phone (and filter?)
 
Box Brownie said:
I think there used to the magic phrase "I need this to be escalated to a Tier 1 manager...." this especially in the case of offshore call centres meant they were obliged to give the problem back to the UK support centre.

Perhaps as posted earlier an email to the CEO of BT could kick up some stink to get your case the escalation it needs!
Click to expand...

I've emailed CEO of BT in the pass (got it off Google, but I never got a reply.
 
Box Brownie said:
How is the Broadband, stable or dropping & reconnecting frequently.....................if the BB is in fact stable and fine then as suggested above try another phone (and filter?)
Click to expand...

Drops out, comes back on, goes slow, goes normal. You name it, it does it.
 
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