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Problem Line

pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Problem Line

I have a problem with my phone line. By line I mean the external phone line, from the BT test socket, all the way back to the exchange equipment. Indeed, I suspect, but do not know, that the fault may be in the exchange line card that serves my landline.

The fault is occasional noise on the line. The fault has been long lasting and intermittent. It has been causing errors and reduced performnce on ADSL. I have recently been able to diagnose a seperate intermittent fault - a rectified loop fault - in the faceplate of the BT Openreach NTE5 linebox at my home. So now I am left with the underlying intermittent noise fault.

Why do I suspect it could be at the exchange? Well, I don't use my landline to make calls, apart from test calls, so mostly I only hear incoming calls, where varying levels of noise can be present in an erratic manner. Now, since clearing the local fault (see above), if I listen to the line it sounds pretty quiet to me. If I use 17070 and the Quiet Line service, it also sounds fairly clean. BUT - if I use the 17070 Ringback service it is often a different matter. The speech sounds harsh, there can be background noise. As the equipment disconnects it also sounds noisy and only when the service and exchange finally drop out does the line return to its quiet state. I have also noticed that incoming call ringing causes a sudden peak in CRC errors and drop in noise margin on the ADSL signal. Sometimes this results in the router losing sync.

Does anyone have any opinion or idea of the best way to proceed?

TIA

8 REPLIES 8
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Problem Line

Are you on ADSL1 (20CN), ADSL2 (21CN) or FTTC?

jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: Problem Line

On ADSL2.

BenB
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 541
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎02-03-2015

Re: Problem Line

I am sorry to hear about this @pvmb,

From doing some some test on your broadband connection it is showing that there is an issue with the phone part of the service but when I have tested that it brings up that there is no issue.

Can you please troubleshoot and report the phone issues here https://www.plus.net/help/phone/#troubleshooting-phone-issues

pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: Problem Line

Thanks Ben. I tried the PN phone test but just got the usual: "Oops, something seems to have gone wrong"

As there was only(!) a 15 minute waiting time I called PN Support and they ran a phone line test and found a loop fault near my end.

So it's finally time for the Openreach engineer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBMoR1NMwVg&feature=youtu.be

I think I have done pretty well everything my end to avoid getting a charge, hopefully. Smiley

There is no internal wiring currently attached to the master socket, just the the new NTE5 faceplate. There is just one last thing I hadn't tried - I know your are not supposed to but I took the entire BT NTE5 line box off the wall and had a look at the back. Nothing obviously wrong but I noticed that the only existing 'spare' pair look as if they had been switched out previously - the line box was replaced once before many years ago. So it could mean the BT cable is a gonna.

HarryB
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 5,199
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Registered: ‎25-03-2015

Re: Problem Line

Glad to hear an appointment has been booked. Let us know how you get on with that.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Harry Beesley
 Plusnet
pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: Problem Line

Things now seem well set up for Friday!

The line is definitely and unquestioningly failing now, it's currently noisy crackles all the way. The BB DS SNRM is 13.9dB and DS speed dropped further to ~10kbps - not bad under the circumstances. Earlier it was down to ~7kbps, about half it's already presumably banded 14kbps.

So something definite at last. This should get sorted now, one way or another.

pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: Problem Line

An averagely grizzled engineer turned up at the appointed hour.

The fault on my line has been cleared. The end of the line just before the BT socket was damaged, likely when it was originally fitted, by nicking the wires when the old armoured cable had been stripped back. This had gradually manifested as a fault over the years. The engineer stripped the cable back further to get a clean pair.

He also replaced the existing Openreach NTE5 line box with a new Openreach Master Socket 5C. He assured me: "We  fit these new sockets every time we gain access." So my new NTE5 faceplate was a waste of money, as it seems incompatible with the new 'tool less' 5C socket. Still, it knocked out any possible consumer side fault. Smiley

I do hope I am not going to be charged for the new socket as this seems to be a BT decision, nothing asked for by me or necessary to clear the fault.

pvmb
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 568
Thanks: 67
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎12-02-2014

Re: Problem Line

I see one of the features of the new NTE5C design is that:

"The internal design uses components that are resistant to moisture ingress over time. "

https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/helpandsupport/how-toguides/howtoguides/downloads/NTE5C_Design...

 

(Error in link corrected)