CJT wrote:
Mike S. wrote:
The other day I noticed a lot of static and humming on my phone lines.
Then today I noticed that sometimes I can't get a dial tone, it sort of
goes in and out. I also noticed that the upstairs phones are the ones
that have more problems with getting a dial tone and the static. So I
went out to the phone box (NID) and tested the line with two different
phones. There was static and humming on both but it wasn't terribly
bad.

It seems the static is not so bad at the NID, at the downstairs phones
it gets worse and then on the upstairs phones it's horrible. Since I
get static and humming at the NID, that indicates the problem is in the
outside wiring. If the problem is outside, then shouldn't all the
phones have the same amount of static? Why would it be worse upstairs
if the problem is outside? Is it some sort of signal problem? The
further the line goes, the worse the problem gets?

Did you disconnect all of your phones before testing at the entry?

Are any of the phones powered by wall-warts?

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If unplugging all phones and other devices, ie modems, answering
machines, etc doesn't eliminate it, then go to the NID and disconnect
the house from the incoming line. Put one simple phone on there and if
there is any noticeable hum, noise, etc. call the phone company it's
their problem. If not, then it's in the house wiring, which you'll
have to trace and diagnose section at a time.