MRS. CLEAN wrote:
Do we have a phone expert in this group?

I know, silly question.

I have terrible static in my phone line. I unplugged everything,
bought a new wire phone, plugged it in, and heard the same old static.

Assuming it's my problem (phone company tells you that if it's house
wiring the meter starts running and running and running), what do I
do?

Re-wire the house?

I was thinking about ripping down the lines, blaming the city tree
pruners, then calling them out making sure phone company's connection
is proper...


Better yet just find your interface. On an older house it will just be
a terminal block with brass nuts wherever the phone line enters the
house. On a newer house or one that has had the phone service replaced
by the phone co. recently, it will be a grey plastic box outside the
house with a modular plug inside. Once you've found it, disconnect all
the field wiring in your house leaving only the service wire connected.
With the newer style grey plastic box that's done by just pulling the
modular connector out of its socket. You'll need a nutdriver or socket
to do it on the older style terminal block.

Once you've done that, take a known good working phone, and either plug
it in (to the new box) or take a short length of phone wire and a new
jack and connect it directly to the terminal block (old style.) If you
still have static, then call the phone company and tell them that you've
determined that it is definitely their problem and that you expect them
to fix it.

If you have Verizon, don't expect results however. I did this dance for
about 6 mos. and many service calls at my old place before I just gave
up and went all cellular. Those annoying radio/TV adds bragging on
their reliability make me mad all over again, they're the most
worthless, unreliable utility I've ever dealt with. (I had problems
with them at two other places I've lived, as well.)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel