30- second whining sound after every incoming call.

[redex0901]

For about a year we have had a problem with incoming calls. When a caller leaves a message and ends the call the answerphone makes a high-pitched whining sound for exactly 30 seconds and records this too.  It does this after every message and always for 30 seconds.

Our answerphone is 6 years old so we bought a new answerphone but experienced the same problem. We took both our answerphones to a friend’s house to test them on his landline and had no problem with either of them.

I have found our very old BT answerphone and tested that at our home but it also recorded the 30 second whining sound.

So the problem is not with our phones.   I have tried a new phone cable. I have tried plugging the phone into 3 different phone sockets including the Master socket but experience the 30-second whining sound at all of them.

It’s driving us mental. What can we do?

[carololiver]

Thank you for your comment but firstly the sound coming down both my phone lines are ear piercing if the handset is held close to the ear, I know it is going to happen so don't hold the phone close to my ear but my Husband was totally unaware and held the receiver close to his ear causing the problems he now has.

I've already read the other comments and as I already stated it doesn't take over 1 year to resolve an issue like this and even the engineers that visited me cringed when I said the system was with talktalk. The only way I've looked at it is they're cheap so you get what you pay for, a crap service!

[martswain]

@carololiver  please read messages 16 and 19, it's a known equipment issue that they have been unable to fix and as @Debbie-TalkTalk said, engineer visits are pointless.

You'll just have to accept it happens.

No way is it loud enough to cause hearing damage in normal people.

[carololiver]

My broadband and phone were transferred on 19th June 2024 to Fibre 35, I'm not receiving all my emails and my phone is giving the most horrendous high pitch shrill for 30 seconds at the end of every call before I hang up. I've unplugged the computer, splitter and router plugging the phone direct into the socket but still got the same problem, I've spoken to customer services in five different countries who only read from a script with no intention of using common sense. I opened a complaint and have been told from a person in South Africa that no fault is showing on a test, even though on the website it is showing clearly as a fault on the incoming line. I only have part fibre to my property and wonder if the copper connection is not compatible with the wifi router I've been sent hence I disconnected everything and just connected the landlines just as a test, to no avail. They previously sent 2 separate internal engineers to my property, 1 from Openreach and 1 from talktalk who can't find anything wrong in the property and the only answer I receive from South Africa is they will send another engineer (how many engineers do I need to get the same report!). I did say I would leave talktalk and go with another provider and was told I would have to pay £300 to leave, considering the broadband is slow and not at the speed promised and having to endure ear piercing shrill at the end of all incoming calls as far as I'm concerned talktalk are in breach of contract for this health and safety ear piercing horrendous shrill down the telephone line and recorded on my answer phone. After reading community comments it appears that this problem has been ongoing for over 12 months with other customers with the promise it is being looked into BUT it doesn't take over 12 months to resolve these issues! We should be able to contact staff in out own country who may understand what is happening to resolve this issue, not staff without a clue about the UK in Durban, Thailand, Asia and Philippines. My Husband is now suffering from Tinnitus/deafness since this problem necessitating medical treatment.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Apologies, I've discussed this with my colleague as I didn't realise that Karl had previously responded to this. This statement is correct and was fully investigated by our network team. Unfortunately the situation hasn't changed and engineer visit would not be able to resolve this particular issue.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

@redex0901  Apologies, let me check with the team.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi redex0901

Were was that information posted, on the Community?

[redex0901]

Debbie,

I agree to the charges and can be available AM or PM on Mon 11th to Thursday 14th March or Mon 18th to Friday 22nd March.

Before you arrange an engineer visit have you read the following response I was given by TalkTalk on 22-6-23?

Unfortunately, the sound that you are describing is known behaviour and not a fault as such. The sound was not the intended outcome but resulted from some incompatibilities between different suppliers’ products following an upgrade which means our systems are presenting the wrong tone. However, despite extensive investigation and a series of fixes being deployed by our supplier, we have been unable to resolve it. We appreciate this is not a satisfactory situation but do not have a resolution at this time. We are aware of it and will continue to discuss the issue with our suppliers should another solution become available in the future to address this.

What do you make of it? If it is correct it sounds like I should not be paying for this to be fixed.

Peter

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Peter

Thanks for your reply.

Please can you provide your availability AM and PM? (for an Openreach engineer visit)

Can you also confirm potential engineer charges Engineer charges

Thanks again.

[redex0901]

As far as I know Openreach have not been involved since I reported this annoying problem.  Yes, I would like it to be investigated.

Peter

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi @martswain 

Ok, if you would like me to investigate it then please let me know.

[martswain]

Hi @Debbie-TalkTalk 

No visit was arranged.

It is just a bit annoying but I am happy to leave it as it is, my broadband and phone are both fine apart from this minor issue and I'd rather nothing is disturbed.

Thanks, M.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Thanks @martswain

Did we ever arrange an Openreach engineer visit for this issue for you?

[martswain]

@Debbie-TalkTalk 

It's still an ongoing issue with me since I chipped in last June.

If the caller hangs up first the annoying tone appears, it doesn't matter where the handset is plugged in or handset type and removing the router makes no difference.

Obviously an exchange equipment issue.

I am on Fibre 35 (VDSL) 

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi redex0901

I'm really sorry to hear this.

I've completed a line test and this is clear - No faults detected.

Can I just check, when you tested with a different phone, did you connect this directly at the test socket? (with the router removed)

[Gliwmaeden2]

Re-escalating this for you, @redex0901.

[redex0901]

Do you have any news of a fix for this problem I reported 8 months ago? 

I described it as a whining sound from our phone when a caller hangs up but it's more like a high-pitched screech for exactly 30 seconds.

It's been going on for close to 2 years now.

Peter

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

Made some enquiries here, and have the following response : 

Unfortunately, the sound that you are describing is known behaviour and not a fault as such. The sound was not the intended outcome but resulted from some incompatibilities between different suppliers’ products following an upgrade which means our systems are presenting the wrong tone. However, despite extensive investigation and a series of fixes being deployed by our supplier, we have been unable to resolve it. We appreciate this is not a satisfactory situation but do not have a resolution at this time. We are aware of it and will continue to discuss the issue with our suppliers should another solution become available in the future to address this.

Karl.

[martswain]

@Karl-TalkTalk this issue has been ongoing for a long time for many customers, I am sure at least a couple of your colleagues know about it.

You get a high pitched continuous tone if the caller hangs up before you do, I've never timed it but the OP obviously has as it is on their answering machine.

It is obviously being generated at the exchange equipment.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

I've ran a number of tests on your line, looked at the voltage, resistance and capacitance levels and all look ok. All tests are clear and not picking up any issues.

Have you tried another handset directly at the 'Test Socket' with nothing else connected to see if this happens.  Faulty dsl cables, microfilters or routers can also impact the line, so it is important to recreate the fault with just a handset connected to rule these out.

Karl.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi redex0901

I'm sorry to hear this.

Please can you add your name and TalkTalk landline number to your Community Profile, we can then take a look at this for you.

Thanks