Phroz
join:2005-11-23
Lewiston, ME
2 edits | DSL works (sort of)... but no dial tone I'm in an apartment, so I don't have access to the NID, but I'm pretty sure it's not the inside wiring. I have no dial tone now, and if you call my landline you get a busy signal.
My problems started last Saturday. First the phone got a lot of static, then I got disconnected and had no dial tone. A FairPoint worker was doing something on the pole across the street, who knows what... but my phone service was restored when he finished. There was still some intermittent static though. During this time, my DSL also started losing sync, and would keep reconnecting every 10 minutes or so. This lasted for about a day.
From last Sunday until this past Saturday night, my DSL was fine and stayed connected. Saturday night my DSL started dropping connections again and re-syncing every 10 minutes or so, with the longest it staying connected being an hour.
Then today, while on the phone with FairPoint no less, my phone goes dead. Tried every jack, multiple phones... no dial tone, no nothing. Since my phone died, my DSL has been perfect again. No re-syncing or anything. Coincidence? I don't know. I guess what sucks is that you still can't even get FairPoint on the phone (aside from the DSL support), let alone get a repair set up.
I guess this is more of a rant than a question... anyone want to take bets on how long I'm without phone service? LOL  |
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1 edit | If you cannot reach FairPoint in a timely fashion contact the NH Public Utilities Commission and file a complaint. I've filed a few complaints, and in each case the PUC staff has called me back and offered to have someone from FairPoint contact me. I noticed a large discrepancy on my bill this past Friday, contacted the PUC, and had a call back from a FairPoint CSR the next day (yes, on Saturday).
Web site to file a complaint: www.puc.nh.gov |
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 tschmidtPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
kudos:8
 ·G4 Communications
·Fairpoint Commun..
 ·Hollis Hosting
1 edit | said by jadziedzic:Web site to file a complaint: www.puc.nh.gov Good advice but OP is in Maine. Best bet is to contact Maine Public Services commission, not NH.
/tom |
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1 edit | reply to Phroz
The Maine PUC is scheduled to meet with FairPoint officials tomorrow, April 1st, on problems with telephone service (they don't regulate DSL service). Live audio of the meeting is supposed to be broadcast online: »www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/ind···rticle08
Of the three PUC's who had to approve the sale to FairPoint, the Maine PUC seemed most enthusiastic - even though the PUC staff had publicly opposed the sale. The NH PUC seemed skeptical about the sale, and they are scheduled to meet with FairPoint officials next week. |
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Phroz
join:2005-11-23
Lewiston, ME
1 edit | By some stroke of luck, I managed to get them on the phone this morning. After running a line test, I was told that my phone was off the hook, and the solution was to hang up the receiver...... after assuring them it was, I was then told that it was not possible for my DSL to work if there was no dial tone so they wanted me to double check.
Finally they said they would send someone out for a repair between 8am and 6pm on either Wednesday or Friday. I'm glad they could really narrow down that time for me  |
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tschmidtPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
kudos:8 Reviews:
·G4 Communications
·Fairpoint Commun..
·Hollis Hosting
| said by Phroz:I was then told that it was not possible for my DSL to work if there was dial tone so they wanted me to double check. Glad you managed to get through. Let us know how things work out.
As far as Dial tone and DSL the support rep is mistaken. DSL is designed to work when phone is on hook, off hook, and when ringing (90v 20HZ). DSL is more sensitive to line impairments then voice so in general problems that take out voice will take out DSL but not always.
Sounds like you have a partial short that makes switching system think phone is off hook.
/tom |
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 hawk82
join:2001-04-26
Oakland, ME
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to Phroz
I've seen bad modems (with an internal short) do this before. What happens if you shut off your modem and disconnect it? Does the DT come back and work properly? Just because you are in an apartment doesn't necessarily mean you do not have access to the NID. I've seen NIDs all over the place in apartments, from the outside to the basement, to a utility room, to underneath a staircase. I'd dig around to see if you can find it. Who knows, you might not have a standard NID like most people have, but the old station protectors. |
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Phroz
join:2005-11-23
Lewiston, ME
1 edit | Turning off the modem and uplugging it doesn't have any effect on dial tone. The modem is an old Westell Infospeed B90 if that's relevant.
I'm not exactly sure what I have to be honest. The wiring for the building connects inside the basement. It comes up through the floor in my closet and connects to what apparently is a station protector, like this: »AT&T Southeast Forum FAQ »Station Protector? and then goes out to the phone jack.
//edit
OK update, after playing around... disconnecting the DSL filter and plugging the phone into the jack directly gives me a repeating series of beeps, one long followed by two short. No dial tone. With the filter in place, I get nothing. Doing this also caused my DSL to lose sync. After unplugging the phone and resetting my modem my DSL is fine again. |
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Phroz
join:2005-11-23
Lewiston, ME
1 edit | So apparently there was a short in the wiring. The guy came, plugged his meter into the jack in my apartment and said there was a solid short. After getting into the basement, he gets it fixed. Now we have dial tone on his meter.
But... when we plugged my phone back into the jack, we got nothing. OK weird, so we hooked up another phone (corded) and it worked fine. He used his meter to test the cordless phone for me and apparently it's shorted out as well. I don't think a short in the wiring could kill the phone could it? Maybe a weird coincidence, I dunno.
Anyway, that phone is in the trash and my phone and DSL are all working fine now. |
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 mouseferatuToo many cats, Too many micePremium,MVM
join:2004-03-16
Im not sure
kudos:3 | A short in the wiring could kill the phone. It doesn't take a lot to kill electronic components, and when you get a short, you also may get surges, faults, arcs, etc.
I just pulled my Monsoon radio in my Trans Am to send for repair... a short in the dash cluster also took out the "brain" in the radio so it has no memory capability.
--
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crispy and good with catsup." |
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tschmidtPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
kudos:8 Reviews:
·G4 Communications
·Fairpoint Commun..
·Hollis Hosting
| reply to Phroz
said by Phroz: I don't think a short in the wiring could kill the phone could it? Maybe a weird coincidence, I dunno. Of course it can, no different then short in something you plug into power and blow fuse.
Strange there were two shorts, wiring and bad phone? Have you has any lightning storms recently?
Glad to hear things are back to normal.
/tom |
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Phroz
join:2005-11-23
Lewiston, ME | We did have some lightning this weekend, but nothing too bad. I guess what surprises me is that it killed the phone but not my modem. Maybe I got lucky it didn't take everything out.
Oh well, I've been wanting an excuse to buy a new phone anyway  |
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| Make sure to get a 6.0 ghz phone instead of a 2.4 ghz if you connect wirelessly, it may cut down on any wireless interference. |
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