topic Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools in Home Phone

Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:36:15 GMT

There is crackling on the landline, running a TalkTalk test confirms this and a reference is generated. The recent visit of an Openreach engineer confirmed the crackling in on the line not in my head. At the start of the month this crackling overwhelmed the landline and after a snapping sound the call terminated. When the caller tried again their voice was distorting/echoing. TalkTalk website confirmed there was a fault on the landline.

The fault persists, I am using a new phone - it is not a cordless one. It is directly connected to the Openreach 5C master socket which has a new faceplate fitted by a Qube GB engineer.

The crackling continues when the electrical supply to the house is off.

A fresh test yesterday indicated a fault with the landline, there has not been an update for 24 hours.

I spent a long time on Live Chat as I was requested to do so, a test by the agent warned me it might last 20 minutes. The results of this test were to be included with the notes on my account.

Three weeks since the initial complaint - anyone with poor mental health would be put at risk by these circumstances.

I live in an area with a poor mobile phone signal, 28% again today. A landline is very important, to be able to hear and be heard is also important.

There have been landline faults here since I switched to TalkTalk six years ago.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Debbie-TalkTalk — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 07:26:42 GMT

Hi Crackle170224

I'm really sorry to hear this.

The line test is clear. I also checked the Openreach engineers notes from the last visit, they advised that they were unable to locate any line faults.

Can I just check, have you tried removing the face plate and connecting the phone and filter directly at the test socket?

Is the noise also present if you make a few test calls with the router removed from the line?

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Debbie-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 10:49:30 GMT

Hi Crackle170224

Do you still need help with this?

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:22:16 GMT

Yes please.

Faceplate has been removed [it has also been replaced recently by Qube GB], a new phone plugged directly into the test socket, the continuous crackle is heard. This test was done while the electricity in the house was switched off.

The continuous crackle on the landline was heard by the most recent Openreach engineer to visit my home.

Questions I have posed on my posts if answered might provide a cause of the continuous crackle on my landline.

Do Openreach engineers routinely do the necessary tests to resolve the issue of a continuous crackle on a landline?

Can acceptable faults on a landline combine to cause the problems I have reported? These include a continuous crackle on the landline from the test socket as detailed above. A call that was eventually terminated after louder and louder crackling. The caller's voice when they called back distorting/echoing - sounding like a dalek?

Thank you for trying to help.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:38:38 GMT

Hi Crackle170224,

Do you still hear the crackle with the router disconnected from the telephone socket?

Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:46:18 GMT

Yes. It occurs under all circumstance. For example different phones that only draw power from the landline, even the electricity in my home is switched off and the router disconnected.

It was been heard by the most recent Openreach engineer to visit my home.

Do all Openreach engineer visits to home entail the full range of tests necessary to identify the continuous crackling noise on a landline?

Would a number of acceptable faults on a landline cause this problem?

Thank you for trying to help me.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:52:45 GMT

Yes please.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:55:40 GMT

Yes the engineer should do test to locate the source of the problem. What did the last Openreach engineer say when they heard the crackle/

Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:07:35 GMT

The Openreach engineer told me he would go to the exchange as the test results did not explain the crackle. I asked if a TDR test had been done,? He did not answer my question but commented on me using a technical term.

An hour later he called me on my mobile number to say everything was okay. Here the embodile signal is poor [28% today] it was not possible to do more than accept what I was told.

A number of TDR tests here have revealed faults, some of which have been fixed. I think there might be two more of these unfixed faults, one at the top of the nearby pole and one underground on the way to the nearby Openreach cabinets [2].

I am on Fibre 65 which arrives at the house on a cable from the telegraph pole. My house is one garden away from the telegraph pole and two gardens from the two Openreach cabinets.

Thank you for trying to help me, it is much appreciated.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:08:10 GMT

Thanks for the information. We can book another engineer visit to investigate further, would you like me to arrange this?

Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:17:19 GMT

Hello Chris,

Yes, please book another Openreach engineer visit. The nearby telegraph pole leans a lot, to my knowledge it has not been climbed for 5 or 6 years. Repeat Openreach engineer visits have been required because the pole leans so much, a hoist has been used each time for my visits and also recently when my adjoining neighbour's landline was moved from that pole to one further away from the Openreach cabinets.

Morning appointments are best for me as I gather Openreach engineers do not visit the tops of poles once it becomes dark.

I am not available on Tuesday 27 February 2024 as I have an appointment to attend.

Thank you once again for your help.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:34:46 GMT

OK, if you'd like us to book the engineer can you confirm that you accept potential Engineers charges and we'll book the first engineer appointment available

Thanks
Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:41:46 GMT

Yes.

Will the Openreach engineer be able to conduct the necessary tests to identify the cause of the continuous crackling noise on the landline under the conditions I have described?

Please book a morning appointment, but not for Tuesday 27 February 2024.

Thank you.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:23:02 GMT

Sorry, do you mean will the engineer have a hoist?

Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:36:41 GMT

A morning appointment will give the Openreach engineer the chance of getting a hoist while here if they need to reach the top of the pole for the reasons I described.

If a hoist is required and is not available, it requires another Openreach appointment to be made. Previous Openreach engineers have asked me to point out that a morning appointment is best for the reasons I have described and that a hoist may well be required.

Do you think problems previously picked up by TDR tests that were within the distance between the Openreach Master Socket and the Openreach Cabinets may well include the box at the top of the telegraph pole? The last time an Openreach engineer was at the top of the telegraph pole they made a remark about it and tried different connections.

When my adjoining neighbour's had a problem Openreach went to the top of this telegraph pole and removed their landline and reconnected it to a different telegraph pole further away from the Openreach cabinets.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 06:10:48 GMT

Hello Chris,

Is the Openreach engineer visit booked for this morning [Friday 23 February 2024]?

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 06:26:37 GMT

Hello Chris,

Does Openreach have a filter that could be fitted to the landline, before it enters my house, which would remove the continuous crackling noise on the landline, if they are unable to determine its cause?

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:05:54 GMT

Sorry, I don't know about the filter. I'll book the first AM appointment available (excluding the 27th) and put a note on the fault ticket about the hoist. I'll let you know when I've booked the appointment

Chris

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Crackle170224 — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:16:40 GMT

Hello Chris,

Thank you for your reply. I will try to find about the possibility of an external filter if Openreach are unable to identify the cause of the continuous crackling noise on my landline.

Can a number of acceptable faults cause a continuous crackling noise on a landline?

Could these faults at times together be responsible for the reason I complained about on Thursday 1 February 2024.

Could these faults be the reason the broadband disconnects, sometimes for only a few seconds?

Thank you for trying to help me.

Re: Crackling on landline confirmed using TalkTalk tools

Chris-TalkTalk — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:35:14 GMT

Yes, noise on the line can cause the broadband to disconnect (and it can affect connection speed).

Sorry not sure what you mean about "number of acceptable faults". A continuous loud crackle isn't acceptable so the cause needs to investigated and fixed.

Chris