Help with No Dial Tone

[sleach861]

We've been without a home phone or dial tone for about 5 days (since the last rain storm). I've used the Verizon Torubleshooter and it tells me there's an equipment issue. I know it's not the phones or the lines in the house because I tested those.

So I went to the ONT and opened it up. I noticed there were two POTS with cables plugged in: Line 1 and Line 2. I plugged in a corded phone to each line and found that Line 1 doesn't work, but Line 2 does. It appears that Line 2 goes to our house alarm because if I plug directly into the alarm, I get a dial tone.

So what's my next step? Reboot the ONT? Call for service? Should I be looking at anything else?

Thanks,
{edited for privacy}

[gs0b]

Welcome to the forums.  You're talking to other customers here.  If you want to reach Verizon, click here: Contact Us

The ONT status lights will tell you a lot about what is going on.  If you can describe what these lights are doing, some of us may be able to offer suggestions as to what is going on.  It will help to know the model of ONT as well.  If you can post a picture of the lights, that would be even better.

On many models of ONT, the RJ-11 phone jacks are for test use only.  There are separate connectors that are used to hard wire the phone lines to the ONT.  When a device is plugged into the test jacks, the hardwire connector is automatically disconnected.  This makes testing very easy, but if someone uses the test jacks as a regular phone jack, it will mess things up.

How many phone lines do you have?

The more details you can provide about your setup, the better we users may be able to help you.  Pictures are especially helpful.

Good Luck.

[sleach861]

The ONT is Alcatel-Lucent I-211M-H and I only have 1 phone line.

I'd agree with your comment about the RJ-11 phone jacks being typically used for test purposes, however both phone jacks on mine have cables plugged into them.

Like I said I before:

I believe Line 1 on the ONT is for the home phone (when I disconnected the cable from it and plugged in a phone I get the same scratchy, no-dial-tone noise as the home phones around the house).

Line 2 seems to be the alarm because when I disconnect that cable and plugged in a phone I get a dial tone. I also get a dial tone at the alarm itself.

BTW... I also tried rebooting the ONT which caused my home phone to have a fast busy signal for a few minutes then went dead...

I guess I might have to call Verizon.

[gs0b]

I'm still confused about the number of lines you have.  First you say you have one line, then you say you have a phone line and an alarm line.  Can you clarify?

Can  you describe the ONT's status lights?

From the pictures I found on the web of the ALU I-211M-H, it looks like the RJ-11 jacks are used for service and test.  I saw a unit with a connector block with RJ-11 terminated pigtails that plugged into the ONT.  On that unit, it looks like the pigtail is removed for test purposes.  If your ONT is the same, then I would expect to find wires plugged into the jack(s).

If you believe the ONT isn't working right, you do need to call Verizon.  They will help you.

Good Luck.

[sleach861]

Sorry if this is confusing...

I pay for one phone number... aka one line. I have a home phone and an alarm system using that single number.

Now the ONT has two RJ-11 jacks, one labelled "Line 1" and another labelled "Line 2". Both jacks have cables plugged into them that are wired into a terminal block (similar to what you describe).

Now if I unplug the cable from "Line 1" and plug in a phone, I get the same scratchy noises and  no dialtone (just like my phones around the house).

If I do the same with the jack marked "Line 2", I get a dial tone.

If I plug both cables back in and go to my alarm box, open it up, and disconnect the RJ-11 wire inside and plug my phone in the jack... I get a dial tone at the alarm box. This is what leads me to believe that the Alarm is wired through the "Line 2" connection and my home phone through the "Line 1" connection. I could be completely wrong, but it sure seems like an unlikely coincidence.

For the ONT Lights: The ALU I-211M-H has a label on the inside that shows what "normal" status lights should look like. Everything checked out normal per the label (FAIL & VID OFF, all else green with the MoCA flashing green).

[Hubrisnxs]

go back to where the alarm line has Dialtone and plug your phone in again, this time dial this telephone number, and listen to what caller id information it reads back.  If it's the same as your house number, then like 1 is not being used, or was never intended to be used.  Caller ID Testing company (804)2221111 Testcall.com      free call just normal calling rates.  nothing special above that.

those line 1 line 2 are for different phone numbers.

[manhattanNYC1]

Call Verizon C/s,  for repair, do not do anything yourself.