Crackling line - BT say it's our fault

[steve8182]

We have a very crackly line - the second time in as many months.

Having gone through the relevant checks we have had engineers out. Both times they say it's our phone that's faulty. We have BT branded phones and both times a new phone will work for a while but then the crackling comes back. 

We can't keep buying a new phone every few months - why do our phones keep breaking? Is there a fault on the line that would break our phone?

[iniltous]

Unlikely is the short answer, if you have a noise problem and changing the phone makes the noise stop, then that indicates the phone ( unless you have been really unlucky and at the exact time the new phone is connected the ‘line’ problem resolves itself) ....if you get a new phone , and the noise goes, plug the old one back in, if the noise returns , then it’s obviously the phone.
Next question , why do your phones ( if that is the issue ) keep going noisy ?, are these phones cordless DECT phones where a base station is mains powered or non mains powered phones that use the exchange itself to power the instrument ?, if the phone is only connected to the line ( no powered base station ) then it’s possible that a spurious condition is travelling down the OR ‘line’ and damaging the phone, but phones are designed to resist this , and the standard condition is -50v, when the phone rings , it’s around 90v AC.

If you have cordless phones with a mains powered base station, perhaps your household mains are responsible.

You could buy a cheap corded phone for around £10, then if that also goes noisy after a short while , you can at least be sure your house mains are not responsible.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@steve8182 

Are you still a BT Retail customer?

You last reported an issue here https://community.bt.com/t5/Landline/Without-a-dial-tone-since-12-2-17/m-p/1726057

[steve8182]

Thanks for the swift response. The first time was a corded phone- worked for a while then went crackly. Second time was mains powered cordless - I'm at a loss as to why they would both work for a while but then go crackly.

[Keith_Beddoe]

In both cases, did you try the phone when plugged into the test socket?

Does your line come in from a pole?

[steve8182]

Yes. Both times the test socket was also crackly. And yes our line comes from a pole the other side of the road

[imjolly]

As @Keith_Beddoe  asked are you a bt broadband customer?

[steve8182]

Yes. I'm a broadband customer. BB is working fine

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@steve8182 wrote:

Yes. I'm a broadband customer. BB is working fine

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Do you have an ADSL connection or an FTTC (superfast) connection? There is good reason for me asking this.

[steve8182]

ADSL. The cab is 30m away. Feeds across the road to a pole and drops to the house. We have the integrated socket with a separate socket for phone and BB.