HOME PHONE PROBLEMS-NO DIAL TONE/STATIC

[tjlars]

Phone has been down 2 times in 4 weeks. New phones. Shows phone is"in use" no dial tone and has only static on line-sometimes a busy tone as well. Using FIOS and have checked the ONT all lights are "green" except the POTS light is 'orange" cannot find any info on this as well as trying to contact/make a repair request/calling is ridiculous via website and calling. Have not been able to contact Verizon for this 2nd time around problem. Same problem earlier and it was fixed for 2 weeks now it is back again. Any ideas???

[Jensays]

Perhaps misery loves company, because it looks like Verizon is having the same problem across the USA.  Here I am in NYC, and haven't had a functioning landline in over a week.  Of course, once I finally got through to a human being, they tried to blame my phones, which isn't the problem.  My handset says "line in use", but all there is is static, and anyone trying to call only gets a busy signal.  And to say that they're not exactly rushing to get my service restored is an understatement.

This isn't the first time this has happened - it's been an ongoing problem for about a year, only this is the longest the line has ever been out.

Does anyone know why I'm paying them for a dial tone?

[UpsetCustomer1]

Wow - I am now having the some problem.  What did you do to fix it?

[brianc1964]

How can I do anything to "fix it" since it was caused by recent heavy rain in LA? Verizon was SUPPOSED to come out a few days ago. So far, they haven't and I've gotten two voice mail messages saying they need to re-schedule to some time in January. This is **bleep** and unacceptable. Completely unreliable service. I have no dial tone, cannot make nor receive calls and I'm having to pay for some outdated service from a multi million dollar company? That's a joke. South America provides better telephone service than the US.

[NewsReporter]

Verizon customer service  is Horrendous. Numerous consumer websites have compliant, after complaint about their lack of customer service and the frustration getting issues fixed.  Long wait time on the phone, unable to speak to a human, and rude attitudes when and if you are able to reach a live person.

If you live in California file a complaint with the California Public Utilties Commision. The have rules thses companies must adhere too ( such as showing up for repair appointments, timely repari appontments etc.)  and can levy fines against them and help you get your issue addressed. In other states find out who regulations your Utilities and make a complaint.

[jeffepops]

My residential line has been out since 12/20 -- and my DSL, as well.  Verizon has been horrid in attitude and service.  Why they can't get a technician out in under 10 days in Los Angeles is beyond reasonable explanation.  They also did a line test and said they could not detect a problem, but I ran my own test at the NIT, and got no dial tone, only faint static.

I have already ordered internet service from TWC, and will cancel my Verizon DSL service. I recommend anyone who has the option to take their service elsewhere.

[rarevalo]

Our landline has been out since Dec. 22. Did what tech support said to do but it didn't work. Our ticket indicates that it won't be fixed until Jan.10..Ridiculous! What if I have an emergency and need a landline? Thank goodness our internet and cell phone is not with Verizon. Why doesn't this website let you communicate online with a live person?

[UpsetCustomer1]

Thank you for reply.  I intend to pursue some recourse.  Am on the line again with Verizon.  The agent I spoke to yesterday assured me everything would be ok this a.m. but if not to personally contact him.  When I said "how is that possible" (since I get a different person everytime), he insisted he was going to give me  info to make it possible.  Long story short - there was NO service this am so I called the fellow (FOLA was his name), following the instructions he gave me and SURPRISE, SURPRISE -- I couldn't get him - no one at that number heard of him and they said it wasn't possible to get the same agentperiod because the calls are fielded all over the country.  Of course, it took me multiple calls this a.m. (on a cell phone) just to get this information.  In the process I was disconnected 3x and transferred into oblivion 5x.  At present, am on hold with a Michelle who is in touch with a tech guy named Troy.  Have been "on hold" for an hour but at least there is a live person on the other end -- at least for now.  Ooops, she just came back on.  The news ("same old" "same old").  The tech people who were supposed to be working on the problem didn't do it (just passed the buck) but now I have a tech guy that will do it but it has to be done manually (?????) and he will call me back one way or the other, etc., etc., etc.  At this juncture, and at your recommendation, I am contacting the New Jersey  equivalent of the Public Utilities Commission.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[UpsetCustomer1]

Wow - I am having problems with Verizon also but they came about differently.  They were supposed to convert three of my phone to business lines with hunt feature on Tuesday, December 20.  I actually had 5 digital voice phones coming into the house but apparently to get the hunt feature they had to deactivate all five phones and then run three through the copper lines and two through the digitial.  Although they promised they would be done with the order on Tuesday, the only thing they did was disconnect all five phones and now NONE OF THEM work so I have been without any landline phone or my dedicated fax since Tuesday.  In the interim, I have gotten dozens of e-mails from disgruntled clients and friends and family members advising that when they call they get a message that the phones are disconnected (implying I haven't paid my bill!).

I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I tried to get a tech to fix the problem by calling Verizon and also trying their on-line support services.  When I made inquiry today they said they were closed for the Holidays which means I won't be able to get anyone until Monday, December 27.  Their inefficiency is definitely impacting my home business and the left hand doesn't seem to know or care what the right hand or foot is doing.  This is precisely the sort of lousy consumer service that compelled me to leave Comcast and switch to Verizon about 5 or so years ago.  Is Verizon sending a message that they no longer want our business?  The ironic thing is that they even sent me a VIP card because they apparently determined I was such a great customer.  This whole experience is not sending out a very positive message so if someone with Verizon is OUT HERE IN THIS BLOG ZONE I would certainly appreciate your getting my phones back on-line without further delay.

Deb Ruge

[tery221]

I had the same problem this morning with no dial tone, phone in use message on my phone. In home agent said no phone was connected. An old  landline phone that works...didn't. The ont checked out. Tech said it had to be my wiring.  Don't know why I thought of it but I replaced the filter between the outlet and the phone with a spare one and it worked perfectly.

[#11]

Tery - what kind of "filter" between the outlet and the phone are you talking about?

[smith6612]

He could be talking about a FiOS install that uses VDSL/VDSL2 instead of Coaxial or CAT5/CAT6 cabling for Internet. I don't know how Verizon connects it's FiOS service in apartments, but it's possible (but seems unlikely) that replacing a DSL filter would fix the problem just like that.

[lasagna]

Well ... for the FiOS thing, that definitely sounds weird.   Have you tried taking a phone out to the ONT and plugging directly into it?  Preferably a corded phone, not a cordless.   If you don't get dial tone then, it's inside the ONT. If you do get a dial tone, then there is a wiring issue or bad phone/handset inside your house.     If you have no dialtone at the ONT,  I'd try resetting the ONT and see if the problem clears -- unplug the battery from the battery backup, then unplug the power going to the battery backup unit, wait 60 seconds, and reverse the process.

If plugged directly into the ONT with a corded phone and a reset doesn't fix the problem -- this is a tech support call.  Make sure you make it clear that you have a corded phone directly plugged into the ONT and it's not working.   That should help shorten the troubleshooting process on their end.

As for the copper side of things ... same thing ... have you taken a corded phone out to the DMARK, opened the "customer" side and unplugged the house wiring and plugged in your corded phone to see if you get dial tone?   This is the quickest way to cut through the "House Wiring" vs "Verizon" problem.   If plugged into the DMARK directly with a working corded phone you fail to get dial tone, then it's a Verizon problem and you can describe this test to them (i.e. I have no dial tone and I am plugged directly into the DMARK).  If you do get dial tone, then the problem is inside your house either with the wiring or a bad phone/handset.

[mimi3908]

Recently my dial tone went dead as well and i have a service guy coming in a few days. I've done basic checks inside the house and so far, looks like the problem isn't in my house, but just to be sure, I like to learn more about testing it myself to see whether the problem is really outside or inside my house. I like to learn more about DMARK box and how to do the testing. I think I can try to follow your instructions, if you can expand on it (like what does house wiring look like etc or provide any links i.e. any youtube instruction video? I search but couldn't find any) that shows how one can do the testing it will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[smith6612]

@mimi: It sounds like your phones running with no Caller ID may be a result of tests Verizon is running on the line at regular intervals, especially if they happen at the same times on a daily basis. Normally, if it is a test bugging the line it would not affect the phone service, however being plugged into the test jack may reveal different behavior however. But definitely look to getting the connection between your NID and your home repaired. It's possible something is disconnected or corroded, but it's also possible something is shorting out too. My home used to have that issue with the phone line, though I'm sure it was a result of a Satellite Receiver being improperly filtered, as once I found a bad install of one and corrected it, the mysterious ringing I got seemed to have stopped.

Anyways, if anyone here is running a POTS line over Copper, give Verizon Voice Repair a call on a cell phone or from another working phone line and have the agent who picks up perform an MLT on the line (mention static and popping, agent should ask you if you're calling from that line or should start to run a test). Do not dial a phone or even pick it up while in the call so that they may perform the test on your line. If the MLT detects a problem, it should indicate where exactly on Verizon's end is the problem, and a repair ticket should be immediately written to send someone out.

[ironman54]

I have/had a similar problem. One day I got up to find all my phones were 'dead'. I took one phone outside and plugged it into the jack mounted in the service box and it worked fine. I now have a long line going out my window to the outside jack so I still have DSL/phone service. Whats VERY STRANGE is that my phone will now ring twice a day - 2 rings, no caller ID. It happens at the exact same time every night (10:28pm) and morning (6:25am).This has been routine for the past month and began when I plugged into the outside jack. Prior to the phones going dead, I had no problems ever ! Even stranger is that I have 2 friends in different parts of the state with same issue. I was wondering if I could take say the red and green wire out at the box and splice them them together to create a 'loop' so that at each 'in house' outlet I can put 'continuity tester' probes across these 2 wires (at the jack) to test for a break in the line - then repeat with each color ?? Getting access to my in house wiring is very difficult as I only have a crawl space instead of a basement. I figure if I can test for a break in the line (or maybe corroded at the terminal where ever they split/branch out) from inside the house, I could narrow down the section of wire or the terminal connection thats at fault (it this is indeed the problem)? Any advice ? Thanx much !

[louslots]

i have not been able to use my phone for the last 4 days because of the noise and static, my address is {edited for privacy}

[POTService]

I have had static and crosstalk from other customer lines for a couple of days now.  Followed directions to troubleshoot at the NID (DEMARK in my case) and found problem is on the line coming from Verizon.  Online I was able to schedule a tech for 6 Jan (15 days from now), tried to call and talk to a real person and would be dumped off the line before a real person would answer.  Even though the problem appears to by on the Verizon side of the DEMARK and I pay $7.99 a month for inside wiring service I find Verizon unresponsive.  Is there another path to talk to a real person at Verizon?  When I had a cable problem a couple of months ago they sent out a tech that day (Sunday) and fixed the problem.

[lilums]

After reading all the previous complaints about our phone problems-no dial tone/static, I do not understand all the technical jargon, but I have the same problem, except that I did talk to a customer service person, who told me someone would come to my home to fix the problem today between 1 and 8 PM.  No one came, and a phone call from Verizon advised me that it wouldn't be even looked at until next year!  I pay my bill on time every month, and I expect better service than what you are providing.  To say that I am very disgusted is putting it mildly.  You have my phone number, so please call me to make that service  call tomorrow.  I am 91 years old and I rely on my phone to talk to my doctors.  Thank you.  Lillian Solomon

[brianc1964]

I've had no dial tonie since Monday of this week- December 20th. I called Verizon and they're sending someone tomorrow, December 23rd. I know people are calling me because their numbers show on my CALLER ID, from the telephone. I just don't get a ring when they call, and can't make outgoing calls. I also have no dial tone. This company is making millions every year and this is not responsible of them to blow off paying customers. Will probably be  changing phone services.

[smith6612]

@BrianC: These kinds of issues can be caused by bad line cards, generally. If that's the case, replacing them doesn't take very long at all. It's a matter of getting a tech to come out and do it.