Snap Crackle, Pop

(also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)

For the last 9 months, my incoming BT residential line has had a
hissing/crackling noise, its usually present, but not always. It sometimes
gets so loud it can drown out calls.

Suspecting my extension wiring, I removed the front plate from the BT NT5
line termination box and plugged several phones, one by one directly across
the A & B lines on the internal socket, hence eliminating extension wiring
and the phone.

The automated line test says "no fault" and so does the BT Oik (almost
certainly located in a (very) remote call centre) who presumably is remotely
performing the same test. Said Oik insists that the test is conclusive, and
if a BT Engineer visits, and confirms her findings, I may be liable for a
call out charge.

This has the potential to run and run, at £50 a time, so I would be very
interested in expert advice on the likely cause of the problem and how to
approach BT. If necessary, I have a fall back position of changing to NTL
which I am reluctant to do, as my Broadband contract has another 7 months to
run, so I guess its a useful card to have, even though I am unlikely to play
it.

BTW, the noise was present before ADSL was installed, however it may be
relevant that the ADSL service frequently drops, perhaps because the line
occasionally becomes unsuitable?

Could it be sunspot interference, rectified by a poor joint, I understand
from a radio amateur friend we are in a period of very high solar activity?

In article <PZgNe.7330$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...

[...]


> Suspecting my extension wiring, I removed the front plate from the BT NT5
> line termination box and plugged several phones, one by one directly across
> the A & B lines on the internal socket, hence eliminating extension wiring
> and the phone

You don't say what the results of this 'experiment' were?

> Suspecting my extension wiring, I removed the front plate from the BT NT5
> line termination box and plugged several phones, one by one directly
across
> the A & B lines on the internal socket, hence eliminating extension wiring
> and the phone.

So has the noise gone or not ?
If it always present at the faceplate the fault is NOT on your kit, call
them out to fix it.

> Could it be sunspot interference, rectified by a poor joint, I understand
> from a radio amateur friend we are in a period of very high solar
activity?

Not sunspots, no. Your friend is very much mistaken, apart from a solar
flare two days ago we are not at the height of solar acticity - in fact, not
far from the minima!

A poor joint could, of course, be your problem.

HTH - let us know of the outcome.

GM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> (also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)

Please don't post the same thing separately to different newsgroups, as
it fragments the responses. You should crosspost to both newsgroups at
the same time (from the same post) if you want to broaden your coverage.

Thanks,
Chris

<chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:du3ht2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> GM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> (also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)
>
> Please don't post the same thing separately to different newsgroups, as
> it fragments the responses. You should crosspost to both newsgroups at
> the same time (from the same post) if you want to broaden your coverage.
>
> Thanks,
> Chris

well said

In article <dMlNe.11936$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
>
> <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:du3ht2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > GM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >> (also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)
> >
> > Please don't post the same thing separately to different newsgroups, as
> > it fragments the responses. You should crosspost to both newsgroups at
> > the same time (from the same post) if you want to broaden your coverage.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Chris
>
> well said

fred ...

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 09:44:51 +0100, "GM" <(E-Mail Removed)> opined,
with wit and/or wisdom,:

>(also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)
>
>For the last 9 months, my incoming BT residential line has had a
>hissing/crackling noise, its usually present, but not always. It sometimes
>gets so loud it can drown out calls.

Had a similar problem a few years ago, just after getting dial-up for
the first time and eventually realising that 15 minutes to download a
100k file was a bit on the slow side... called BT, they said nothing
wrong, lather rinse repeat until on the fourth or fifth call the nice
lady got halfway through saying there was no problem when the crackle
got so loud she could hear it her end and had to admit defeat -
engineer came out next day and tracked the fault down to a waterlogged
junction box 100 yards away. Apparantly our entire street would have
been suffering the same problem...
--
Dreams are like water
Colourless
And Dangerous

""&"" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:dMlNe.11936$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:du3ht2-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> GM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> (also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)
>>
>> Please don't post the same thing separately to different newsgroups, as
>> it fragments the responses. You should crosspost to both newsgroups at
>> the same time (from the same post) if you want to broaden your coverage.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Chris
>
> well said

You'll be asking for his number next, eh Stef.

Regards
Bill.

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 09:44:51 +0100, GM <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> (also posted on UK.Telecom News Group)
>
> For the last 9 months, my incoming BT residential line has had a
> hissing/crackling noise, its usually present, but not always. It
> sometimes
> gets so loud it can drown out calls.
>
> Suspecting my extension wiring, I removed the front plate from the BT NT5
> line termination box and plugged several phones, one by one directly
> across
> the A & B lines on the internal socket, hence eliminating extension
> wiring
> and the phone.
>
> The automated line test says "no fault" and so does the BT Oik (almost
> certainly located in a (very) remote call centre) who presumably is
> remotely
> performing the same test. Said Oik insists that the test is conclusive,
> and
> if a BT Engineer visits, and confirms her findings, I may be liable for a
> call out charge.
>
> SNIP<

1 Get an FM radio, tune to a frequency where there is no station and just
a backgroung hiss and place by your phone

2 Ring BT faults

3 As you start to explain your fault, turn up the radio and lean towards
it so that the phone mouthpiece is close to the speaker but you can also
talk into it. Make sure the volume of the hiss is such that it makes it
difficult but not impossible for the the BT operative to hear you.

I bet they'll initiate an engineer visit !!

BTW if you don't have an FM radio, a sizzling frying pan of back rashers
will do - but don't lean to close to it!