topic Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection in Home Phone

Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Sun, 03 May 2020 20:14:25 GMT

Hello,
I've been experiencing some trouble over the past couple of weeks. The phone-line has been extremely crackly and I've lost all internet connection. My nephew has tried resetting the router, changing the authentication on my access point to CHAP from AUTO_AUTH and using the master socket to no avail. He has also tried another corded phone in the master socket but the line is still crackly.

I'm 92 years old and rely on my phone and internet has anyone got any suggestions? I can't call customer services as I'm hard of hearing and they won't speak to my nephew on my behalf.

Thanks

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 03:10:27 GMT

@winnie710 Welcome to the forums. If you have a noisy phone line, you need to report a phone problem - until that is sorted, your broadband will not work correctly. I would get your nephew to follow this guide: https://www.plus.net/help/phone/phone-line-troubleshooting/ .

Unfortunately, the steps he has already taken will not solve the problem.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 09:15:46 GMT

Is there nobody from Plusnet on this forum? If not, is their customer service chat working?

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 09:20:46 GMT

There is a reduced staff presence due to the current situation. Chat is discontinued for all but sales enquiries - unfortunately this has not been clearly stated and some links to it just open a permanently 'loading' tab.

Have you had a chance to go through the link I posted?

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 09:54:18 GMT

Yes, thank you. Tried it but it says there isn't any problem with the line. I know it isn't the phone and, from having plugged another phone into the master socket, I know it isn't the ASDL filter. The only option it offers is to call their customer services but I'm hard of hearing and they won't speak to my nephew. If I could get him added to my account, it would make it easier.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 10:04:27 GMT

Well, from your initial post, there obviously is a line problem. Just on the chance that the automated system reported otherwise (it does happen), can you check and see if there is an open question on your account.

As a minor point, it does help if you keep the information on the thread up to date - gives those of us trying to help an idea of what to suggest next, if possible.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:12:47 GMT

I'm sorry. I'm new to this so don't understand about keeping my thread up to date.

How do I find out if there is an open question please?

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:50:15 GMT

No problem, @winnie710 , but as I'm only a customer, like you, if people don't let us know what they have (or haven't) done, we can't offer any further advice or help.

To find if you have an open question, log into your account (the Broadband/Phone/TV option) from the drop-down you get when hovering over the 'My Account' tab at the top of the forum pages, then log into your account.

When that finishes loading, if there are any open questions, there will be a blue banner telling you. If there is one, click the banner, take note of the number, then click the 'logout' at top right hand.

Post the number back here - won't help me, but may help Plusnet staff if they pick the thread up.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:56:02 GMT

Thank you.

The only blue banner refers to me not updating my communication preferences in six months. I have done now but the banner is still there. There is no number on the banner.

Otherwise, there is nothing else.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 12:02:58 GMT

OK, that doesn't sound good - let me have a think, and I'll see if I can come up with any further thoughts as you do fall under the 'vulnerable' category at 92. Might be a bit later this afternoon though, I have some priorities of my own.

Ignore the 'communications preferences' banner - it's a pain in the rear.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 12:14:33 GMT

Thank you. I will also my nephew to take another look when he visits later

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 12:17:16 GMT

Get him to re-run the phone test again (just in case), preferably with a corded phone.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

BD — Mon, 04 May 2020 12:44:54 GMT

Hi @winninie710, thanks for getting in touch and I'm sorry ot hear you're having problems with your service currently. I've looked into this from our side for you and there certainly looks to be something out of place someone solely looking at your connection however we aren't picking up any specific faults.
As you've already mentioned you've tried another phone in your master socket then the only check I'd recommend you try is getting solely your phone (without router or filter) plugged into your test socket to see if the noise is still there or not. If so then we can be pretty sure it's something external to the property or the test socket itself.

The test socket check can be done by plugging just your into your test socket which is under the faceplate of your master socket and seeing if the problem persists. This rules out internal wiring, face plates and extension sockets as being the cause. How to locate the test socket and set your connection into it can be found here:
https://community.plus.net/t5/Library/Testing-From-The-Master-Socket/ba-p/1322242

Let us know how it goes as if issues persist then we'll happily get a fault raised for you and hlep progress this further.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 13:04:18 GMT

@BD Thanks for picking this up - I was going to try and prod someone later, because I'm out of ideas. I think you will find the customer has already done all the testing on the phone socket &c - I pointed them in the direction of the phone troubleshooter yesterday

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

BD — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:33:29 GMT

Hi @jab1, thanks for getting back and confirming the ODC's have been done. In which case, I have raised a fault on your account @winnie710 that requires your attention so we can progress this issue further for you. By all means feel free to give us a nudge on here when replying back to the ticket and we'll get this picked up for you.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:37:41 GMT

Thank you both so much. My nephew has said he'll do another check later this evening and I'll let you know the outcome either later today or tomorrow morning

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Mon, 04 May 2020 16:52:30 GMT

Do keep us up to date, @winnie710 .

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Tue, 05 May 2020 08:23:52 GMT

@jab1 @BD Hi. Have plugged a corded phone into the master socket and can confirm that the line is still crackly. The wifi router is showing a stronger signal today but the phone line crackle has got worse.

I believe a fault has already been logged so please could you proceed with this.

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

winnie710 — Tue, 05 May 2020 08:25:04 GMT

@BD if I understood correctly yesterday, you did raise a fault?

Re: Crackly Phone Line and no Internet Connection

jab1 — Tue, 05 May 2020 08:32:30 GMT

@winnie710 Good morning. Reading @BD 's post yesterday, he did not raise a fault, but now you have confirmed the fault appears to be external, he (or one of his colleagues) will do so.

Just to confirm something - you did plug the phone directly into the test socket?