Line fault, intermittent Ring Trip!

[Devon_Dave]

Glad you got it sorted

[Keith_Beddoe]

You have taken a very common sense approach to the fault and located the problem. From what you have described, there should be no problem with the way you have rewired the installation, should you ever need an Openreach visit in the future.

It is difficult on older installations when a portion of the Openreach section is within your property. New installations avoid this by placing the master socket as close as possible to the point of entry, even if its in the most inconvenient place for the house owner.

[philharve]

I am also experiencing the 'not receiving calls' problem and I was notified of this fact when a friend tried to ring my landline and found my phone wouldn't ring, the line went dead. He rang my mobile and informed me of this fact.

Previous forum contributors have described my problem almost perfectly. I can make outgoing calls but not receive them. I have broadband and it works OK.

I have an old corded phone and I have a BT 3550 system, a base station with 3 handsets. Up until recently everything worked perfectly but sometime in the past few weeks the problem arose. If my phone system rings at all, it would be a short ring. Calling in from a mobile I hear 3 equally-spaced 'beeps' then silence.

I have had a visit from an Openreach engineer and almost 2 hours later he said my line was OK. He did find water in a junction box outside the house and corrosion had started but he cleared away the corrosion and waterproofed the junction box. But still I cannot get my phones to accept incoming calls when they had worked perfectly before. I have not changed the phone system cabling in any way.

I have tried disconnecting parts of my telephone system, including the broadband, and I made an interesting discovery. If I ONLY connect my corded phone to the Master Socket everything works perfectly. The phone rings normally and I can take calls. But if I reconnect my BT 3550 base station the problem soom manifests. I have removed and replaced the microfilter but still no resolution.

I have convinced myself the problem is caused by the BT 3550, its base station or its handsets, but I am working my way through other configurations to see if I can gain further clues.

I did wonder if a full Caller List was an issue but resetting the BT 3550 system would resolve the problem but I am no further forward. I even swapped the base station and reregistered the handsets but still no improvement. I did have a temporary divert on the phone to call my mobile but I have since removed it.

Can anyone suggest what might be causing the problem?

[Devon_Dave]

Have you tried a known working corded phone in the test point of your main socket? This will prove if the fault is in or out of your premises.

[philharve]

Hi Devon_Dave

Yes, 2 phones and both work OK when either is connected to the Master Socket!

The problem manifests when I plugin the BT3550 system, comprising 3 handsets and a base station. The handsets are wireless, the base station is cabled. This result makes me think the fault is 'internal' and is somehow connected with the BT 3550 base station. However, I've swapped the base station for a new one and the fault persists. The curious thing is that the corded phone and BT 3550 setup (configured in parallel) have worked comfortably together for 7 months.

I tend to think it's not a cabling issue but may have something to do with the BT 3550 base station. A settings issue? But I have not changed any setting! Very odd.

This is my 1st posting and I'll give you credit if it leads to a solution. Have you ever worked professionally with the telephone network?

[iniltous]

When you called to report your phones not ringing , were you given a warning about the potential for charges if the problem was with your own equipment or wiring ?, as far as I know, when you called, they would test the line, if there was an obvious 'fault' detected and the tester indicated the problem was not at or close to your home, they don't need to give the warning, but if the fault is indicated at your home, or no fault detected at all, and you insist on a visit, then the warning is given....in your case, it does look like your own equipment is faulty, given that an ordinary corded phone works OK, and charges may well apply ( the fact it's a BT branded phone is irrelevant ) , if the corded phone was available before you called to report the problem, you should have tried it first

[Devon_Dave]

@philharve. Yes used to work on the phone network.
Have you tried just the 3550 in the test socket?

[philharve]

Yes, I knew that charges might be incurred depending on the location of the fault: before or after the Master Socket. Yes, the 'Indian' technician had me disconnect my equipment and disassemble the Master Socket and remove the filter during which line tests were made remotely. The technician reported 'something' wrong with the line. Openreach performed exhaustive tests and a corroded junction was found (rainwater) and was fixed. The line was declared OK.

[philharve]

No, but connecting ONLY the 3550 to the Master Socket is on my list of tests. If I still cannot receive calls then that points the finger at the 3550. But what if I can receive calls? I think the REN of a typical BT line is 4 but I have an Extension Booster that greatly increases the REN. The Booster has worked OK for a great many years. We had several 'cabled' telephones upstairs but only 1 now remains. We have upgraded to wireless upstairs.

[Devon_Dave]

Are plugged in the internal socket that is revealed when you remove the front plate?