This topic

No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 10:09:42 GMT

How can the bt engineer get a dial tone on his gizmo when my four handsets, tested individually don't? Two analogues and they still ring in sometimes but don't connect. Incoming calls get an engaged signal. Broadband still working.

This is as rural as it gets, No mobile signa!. The junction box connects to the master socket by a 10 foot external cable on a fieldstone wall in full sun, must be 40 years old. It's come loose from it's clips and waves about a bit. But bt engineer says cables don't degrade.

Engineer asks if I've paid my bill. Yes. And if I've turned DND on. No.

So what now? Do I buy new handsets? Will they work? What I really want is one of those bt engineer's gizmos.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

imjolly — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 11:25:09 GMT

have you tried taking master socket faceplate off and connecting with a filter to the test socket which you can now see and try phone to see if that works

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:53:16 GMT

Thank you. Yes I've done that but not with a filter. It's a 5C MK4 does it need one?

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

imjolly — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 13:33:37 GMT

you will need a filter to connect to test socket

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 13:57:42 GMT

@Deborah123

That master socket is known to give problems, and maybe the cause of the disconnection.

As mentioned https://community.bt.com/t5/Landline/2019-Master-Socket-kit-loose/m-p/1985566#M6775

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 14:08:11 GMT

Thank you. The master socket was supplied and installed by Openreach to replace original when I didn't have a dial tone which I still don't have.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

imjolly — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 14:50:33 GMT

I'm sorry but have you tried connecting to master socket with filter to see if phone works? if not and prefer not to then you need to phone CS 03301234150 and report fault

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:23:08 GMT

Where was the engineer getting a dial tone? Unless it was at your master socket it's of limited value.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:44:05 GMT

This is a very limited setup, there's the junction box, the master socket and the ten feet of cable between the two. With a BT modern in one port and a BT analogue phone in the other. Nothing else. So he must have been using the master socket? But he wasn't using a phone he was using some sort of BT gadget and I just wonder if it somehow bluetoothed into the junction box bypassing the cable that I don't trust at all. But I know nothing. Except that I don't have any sort of phone service and this is likely to cost me a fortune. Many thanks for your time.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

imjolly — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 16:46:31 GMT

I think you need to phone CS 03301234150 and report phone fault not broadband as you are not trying test socket

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 17:20:23 GMT

Are you sure you have not been moved over to BT Digital Voice? You would have been supplied with a BT Smart Hub 2 which has a phone socket on the back.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 17:35:33 GMT

No, it's the same Home Hub 2 that I've had for years.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 18:00:25 GMT

Unplug the broadband connection to the home hub, then ring your phone number from a mobile phone and see if you still get engaged tone. Make sure your phone is still plugged into the socket on the wall.

Its possible you have a short circuit on your phone wiring which is why you would get engaged tone when you call your home number.

Its possible for the home hub to cause a short circuit, which is why I suggest disconnecting it.

Next thing to try is to unclip the front cover on the NTE5C, and plug your phone directly into the socket that is showing as that will eliminate any issue with the NTE or any extension wiring.

There is no other way for the Openreach Field Technician to test, apart from the test socket unless they disconnected the wires in the junction box and tested from there.

There is also a possibility of an intermittent fault in the exchange, as the equipment is getting very old. This could also cause some of the issues you are reporting.

Just in case you are not able to progress this, I have asked a moderator to offer help.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Deborah123 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 18:40:56 GMT

I took my mobile half a mile up the nearest hill which is the nearest signal and got 'call not allowed ' which I think is mobile speak for engaged. When I got back the landline was ringing which might mean something. Landline no response in the test socket though.

Thank you for the moderator. The last time this went wrong which is years ago the moderator was very helpful.

Many thanks

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

Keith_Beddoe — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 19:06:32 GMT

Its possible that there is an exchange fault, especially if your phone was ringing when you got back home. Either that, or your line is crossed with another, and somebody was calling that crossed number. Is all a bit odd.

Re: No dial tone but engineer says all is good.

RobbieMac — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 08:15:52 GMT

Hi @Deborah123

Welcome and thanks for posting!

I am sorry for the problems you're having receiving calls on your line. It's definitely a strange one! We can pick up from here and help get you sorted. I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie