Phone line dead

CathJ

CathJ

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Picked up the phone today, and the line's dead. ADSL is fine, but I'm not getting a dial tone. And it was working fine yesterday. Apparently it just rings if someone phones my number.

And I can't phone Telkom, because I don't have a phone. (Well, I do have a cell, but I'm not calling from there, it'll cost a fortune!) I've reported the fault online, but they seem to be very strict about it being 'voice only', so I don't know if that will accomplish anything :(
 
Hmmmm, at my dads house we're suffering from a similar issue, except this is no dial tone or internet! >< Goodluck.
 
Happened to me sometime ago. Currently experiencing hectic noise. Have to check out filter. The ADSL drops from time to time for short periods of time too.

Too scared to report it to be honest! :D What if they disconnect it completely while working on it?!!? ;)

I would phone asap in your case unless you don't care for the voice line much. :)

If my voice cut out I would be on them ASAP.
 
My phone line is now dead for 3 weeks... I don't need it so why pay for it or reporting it :sick: bah...
 
Sometimes the voice comes back by itself otherwise if it hasn't been restored in a day or two report it as a fault and then ask for a pro rata refund on the line rental cost for the time that it is down.
 
exact same thing happened to me once:

2 copper wires (leg A and leg B) - one leg for voice - one leg for ADSL

either one wire not making contact or removed per mistake at distribution box.
 
Happened Twice to me.... ADSL works 100% but line dead...line just started working after a day or so!
 
Happened to me as well, but unplugging the filter from the wall and plugging it back in fixed the problem.
 
just report and say u run a business and you need the line, they work fast if they know its for business
 
killadoob said:
just report and say u run a business and you need the line, they work fast if they know its for business
Click to expand...
What if its a home line? I wouldn't want to end up paying more for a business service.

Our local post office has a phone you can call telkom on.
 
I gave them a call this morning from work - they do pick up faults from the online fault reporting site, so that's useful.

They're apparently waiting for the next available technician. I just hope he doesn't need access to my premises, since I don't work from home and therefore am not there during the day (I know there's not a lot else they can do, if they need access, but it always annoys me when they assume you'll be at home).

The pavement down by the corner is being dug up, so I was wondering if that could be the problem, but I'd imagine that if they'd dug up or cut the line the adsl portion wouldn't be working either.

Hopefully they get it fixed today, I'll be really annoyed if I can't use the phone over the weekend (I'm on the Closer 2 package, so I get free calls all weekend :))
 
Rocket-Boy said:
Silly question but have you tried changing the microfilters?
Click to expand...

I haven't, but I've got two handsets on two different filters, and it seems unlikely that they would both die at the same time, especially since they're both pretty new. Not impossible, of course, but unlikely.

If telkom says the line coming in is fine, then I'll have to start looking at the filters, internal wiring, etc.
 
Im sure both wouldnt go at the same time.
You never know with Telkom tho, a techie might have changed something in the exchange that was supposed to be changed back but they forgot to do.
I find with matters like this one that Telkom go the the exchange before they get to your premises and find whatever was wrong, then they come to you and *check*, thats the point where they claim everything was fine all along.

Lets hope they sort it out today tho, keep phoning them every hour and they will make sure someone gets out there!
 
Follow the wire up to the telephone pole. Last time our phones went dead, something had damaged the cable going to the pole. Easily fixed + Keeps the Telkom dudes away.

It's a bit of a long shot, but worth checking.
 
Darn, it's still dead, despite me phoning them three times today.

And I'm in a security complex, and all the lines are underground, so I can't even check the line to the pole like conspirator suggested.

You'd think that Telkom would want to fix your line, so that you could make calls and they could make money out of you. But every time I say that, someone laughs at me :(

At least I have internet still.
 
Somewhere in the news today there was a story that one of those Telkom boxes on the street was knocked out and 400 businesses are without phone lines. Maybe it's that. No idea what area and I can't remember where I read it.
 
@Cathryn: You could always sign up for Voip services from one of the Betamax/Finarea companies like www.12voip.com. They are currently offering free calls to SA landlines. Just read all the terms carefully. I have been using www.voipstunt.com for 2 years now and the service is much more reliable than Telkom or any of the SA cell companies. I do close on 20 hours worth of international calls for about R24 per month. The free calls to SA landlines for example can be made at any time of the day - not restricted like the Closer packages. I think they let you make a free one hour international call before you have to pay to use the service so give it a try and see what you think.
 
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Suddenly started working again, around lunchtime on Saturday.

@Conspiritor - saw that article about the distribution box, but it wasn't in my area. Luckily, since I don't them getting that fixed very quickly...

@Yotch - thanks, might be worth looking into as a backup. How much bandwidth does something like that use?
 
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