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Crackling on telephone line

9 replies

HappydaysArehere · 03/09/2014 00:22

My sister has a problem. Outgoing calls are ruined by constant crackling noise. She has three phones. All of them crackle. Talk, Talk say they can't hear anything. However, the crackling is only at her end. She is not sure how to resolve problem which she is pretty sure is a line problem. Has any clever Mumsnetter got a possible answer? I have told her there are some brilliant posters on this site. Talk, Talk said it must be her end and have done nothing. Do Talk, Talk provide the actual line or is it BT. Does anyone know?

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MajesticWhine · 03/09/2014 00:26

Has she got splitters ? So there is no interference from broadband?

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HappydaysArehere · 03/09/2014 00:31

We are sitting here full of wonder. What are splitters? Thank you for trying to help.

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prh47bridge · 03/09/2014 09:54

I think MajesticWhine means ADSL micro-filters. This is the kind of thing needed but there are plenty of others available, including ones that allow a telephone and a broadband modem to be plugged into the same socket. Most broadband modems come with one or two micro-filters. If she hasn't fitted them she will get noise on her telephone line as you describe.

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prh47bridge · 03/09/2014 09:57

I suspect MajesticWhine is referring to this type of micro-filter as a splitter. As you can see it has two outputs, one for the phone and one for the broadband modem.

Read what BT has to say about micro-filters here.

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HappydaysArehere · 03/09/2014 10:32

Thank you so much but she says She hasn't got a modem. Oh! Dear, the plot thickens. She was saying that people on the other end of the line don't hear the crackle so that is why Talk, Talk could say they had checked it but couldn't hear anything! All her phones make a crackle so it must be the line. This trouble started in the winter and has persisted. Previously, with the same set up all was well. At the moment she uses her mobile and it is getting expensive. Anyway, thanks again.

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prh47bridge · 03/09/2014 11:44

Does she have broadband? If she does she has a modem. It may be called a router, a hub or similar. I believe TalkTalk call theirs a wireless router. Technically it is a wireless router with a built-in ADSL modem. It is the box that provides the broadband connection. Unless she has fibre broadband it will be plugged into a telephone socket.

People at the other end of the line not hearing the crackle is entirely consistent with the problem being a lack of micro-filters.

To answer the question in your OP, the physical line from the exchange to her house is provided by BT.

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prh47bridge · 03/09/2014 11:56

All her phones make a crackle so it must be the line. This trouble started in the winter and has persisted. Previously, with the same set up all was well.

All phones crackling is consistent with the issue being a lack of micro-filters. The fact the setup hasn't changed may not be relevant - I know people who have coped without micro-filters for ages but then have had problems.

So from the information you've posted it could be a problem with the line coming into her house or it could be a lack of micro-filters. Another possibility if she is using wireless phones is that they have started picking up interference (or are malfunctioning).

If she has wireless phones my first step would be to try a handset that plugs straight into the wall. If that solves the problem the issue is caused by her phones. She should consult the documentation to see if she can get the phones to use a different channel. If that doesn't work she will need to replace her phones.

If the problem is not caused by her phones the next step if she has broadband would be to nip down to Currys or PC World, buy a micro-filter and try it on one of her phones. If that phone then works correctly it is a micro-filter issue and she will need to buy one for each phone (unless they are wireless in which case she only needs one for the base station).

If all the above fails it is time to get BT to look at the problem.

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EmNetta · 03/09/2014 13:22

I had this problem a few years ago, pre-computers, with occasional loud, crackling noises only heard by me, and denied by BT - until a visiting friend standing nearby heard them too, and I insisted they send an engineer.
Problem was an overgrown tree on the boundary, which in any wind would react with nearby telephone wire, until a tree-surgeon sorted it out. Just an idea to check.

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HappydaysArehere · 03/09/2014 22:59

Thank you prh47 for your comprehensive input. She has broadband and yes her phones are wireless! I was puzzled when she said she didn't have a modem but you have solved that mystery. A plug in handset would be a good place to start and she has a Currys close at hand to find the filters. I am going to send all this information to her via e mail. She is going on holiday tomorrow but wants to sort this problem out when she gets home. Thank you also EmNetta I am also sending your input to my sister. Smile

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