I have a landline with Verizon. I live in Saratoga N.Y. and have had the same landline here for 14 years, without a problem...before today (Approx.). Even when the powers' been out, at least the phone would work (which is why I have a land line). Today, when I went to make a call, I picked up the phone, and there was only a very faint "hum", and no dialtone. Thinking something may just have happened to one of my jacks (or wires to it), I went and tried the other jack in my home, but the same problem was there too. I tried a different phone, angain also trying both jacks...same problem.Went to check the NID box outside** on the corner of the house, also same problem there, too. I then went to my neighbor, and checked to see if they had any problem, they did not.
**(NID box was a little different than shown, it had no jacks plugged into the receptacles...only a pair of wires going to red + green plastic screws right next to the receptacles). I know in the past it had the plus is described, but I have not seen the inside of that box in several years, and don't remember anyone coming to change anything. Not sure why they are not there now...
I just sent in a Repair Request Online, since it's the only means at my disposal now. Once it was submitted, it's status said (online) it should be repaired 2 days from now.
I am disabled, house-bound, and with no way to go anyplace. And now without a phone, I can't even make calls to make transportation arrangements, get perscriptions called in for refills, etc..... all of which I needed to get done today and tomorrow, naturally. (No, no cell phone, can't afford it, and that type of service has not been good in this area in the past, anyways).
I also don't understand why I would have a problem with a landline like this, when it's not affecting others nearby. Nothing has happened at my house (storm, utility work, etc.) to cause that kind of problem. I am also wondering if the Online Repair Request will be enough to get someone to fix it, since I have no way to be contacted without the phone working?
And lastly, When I checked the Status Online, it said something like "The number reported is part of an outage", which makes me wonder if that's just a standard "status reply"....otherwise, how it could be "part of an outage", if no one else next to me is having the same problem(s)???
I had waited for more than two weeks before Verizon sent a technician to fix my cross line problem; After the repair, the cross line problem disappeared, the no-dial-tone problem comes (that's why the cross line problem disappeared - irony :)). I have to wait for another week before Verizon send another technician.
So please keep mind, if a Verizon technician comes at last, make sure your telephone work before he tries to leave.
Do not wait for the automated online ticket... especially if you have no other way of being gotten ahold of
Make contact with a real person...
http://www22.verizon.com/content/contactus/
Click that, then click on the "LIVE CHAT" and you can communicate with a real person... and if need be, they can setup a dispatch.
When the phone is the only "real" source of communication with the outside, i.e. the party is disabled, housebound, has severe medical conditions, etc. the utility companies make the repair of these services high priority. However, they need to know the service is down. i would definitely not rely on a web trouble ticket in this situation. Speak or chat with a person directly, even if you have to email or chat with a friend and ask them to call the trouble report in for you. That outage may have been for something entirely different than dial tone.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
