Commonly Asked Questions

I have no dialtone.

If you have no dialtone, try another phone extension in the home. Also try replacing the phone with a known working phone to see if that is the problem.

Another way to check whether or not the problem is in your home, go to the NID (Network Interface Device) generally located on the outside of the structure or home. Using a flat tip screwdriver, open the customer access panel and unplug the modular test plug inside the box. Plug a known good phone into the modular test plug and if you hear dial tone this means you may have an inside wiring problem in your home.

The ringer is very faint or does not work at all.

First, check to make sure that the ringer volume is turned up.

Next, if there too many phones connected to the same line, the ringer may not work. Each line depending on the length of the phone line run and how it is connected together may cause the REN (Ringer Equivalence Number) to be higher than the local phone company set, usually 5. Generally, more than 4-5 phones on a longer run will cause this symptom. When the REN is exeeded, the phone(s) may fail.

Note: Another symptom of having too many phones wired together is dialtone will be present, but when the tone keys are pressed, nothing happens and the dial tone is still present.

My phone rings once and stops.

Call forward may be turned on.

I cannot find the NID (Network Interface Device) on the outside of my home.

The NID is generally gray in color and about 8in X 10in in size.

Note: Some older homes may not have been upgraded to the NID and may still be using an older style box. These boxes would probably be located in a basement and some of them are located on outer walls.

I hear 'chirping' on the line.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) may be active on the phone line. Filters help reduce the DSL noise and are usually supplied by the phone company. Filters are also available at most hardware stores.