Not being able to use your home phone is a major annoyance. Reconnect with the outside world by following our troubleshooting tips.
Common phone faults usually fall into one of the following areas:
- Problems making telephone calls
- Problems receiving telephone calls
- Problems with line quality (crackle, noise) or telephone equipment (wiring)
Problems making telephone calls
Ensure the telephone bell is switched on and turned up. Make sure that the telephone is plugged in correctly.
Many phones have the bell or sounder positioned on the telephone base. Make sure this isn’t placed on a soft surface which could muffle the ring tone.
Overloading a phone line may result in your phone failing to ring when incoming calls are made. Try removing one or more connected items on your line.
Problems receiving telephone calls
Try plugging your phone directly into your main telephone socket with nothing else attached. Do you get a dial tone? This way you can check whether the fault is with your cables or phone.
There could be problems with your home number, or you may just be trying to dial the wrong number. Try dialling a number you know well to see if you can make a successful call.
Check your phone's manual to see if it is multi-frequency (MF or touchtone) dialling. Some home phone calling features will only work if you have an MF or touchtone telephone.
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We try to make the advice on our website (www.HomeServe.com) as useful and reliable as possible. However, the purpose of this advice section of the website is to provide homeowners and private landlords with general guidance and useful tips only. It doesn't necessarily deal with every important topic or cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals and might not be relevant or appropriate in all circumstances. It is not designed to provide professional advice or financial advice and should not be relied on as such. Click here to read the disclaimer in full.