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johnt1 · May 29, 2007, 06:34 AM

I have a humm on my home landline phone. I have gone to the csu box on the side of my house and lifted the leads coming into my house. I go directly on the leads coming into the box from the telephone pole and still hear the humm. It gets worse when it rains. I have contacted my service provider 3 times now and no tech has showed up yet in 3 weeks. The prior 2 tickets that were made out by my service provider where both closed as trouble fixed. This is a lease agreement from my service provider to the local provider. What is my next step to rectify this trouble? Contact the FCC or the State Attorney General. This is getting ridiculous.

Stratmando · May 31, 2007, 06:04 AM

Sounds like Bell South. I would unscrew? Protectors. Have seen them short to ground causing hum. Can you isolate wires from Telco, or is it in secure side of box by security screw?

ebaines · May 31, 2007, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Stratmando

I would unscrew? protectors. Have seen them short to ground causing hum. Can you isolate wires from Telco, or is it in secure side of box by security screw?

Since this installation has a network interface on the outside of the house, the protectors are on the Telco side of that box and hence inaccessible by the end-user. Also, while the old screw-in carbon block style or protector could indeed cause a hum (due to build up of carbon dust that causes a short to ground), anything installed in the past 20 years would be gas tube or solid state protection, not carbon blocks, and these do not fail in the same way. The fact that there's a Network Interface tells us that the installation is not that old (NIDs were introduced only at divestiture in 1984), so highly unlikely to be carbon blocks. Since we already know the problem is on the TelCo side, the only solution is to get the telco out to service the problem.

Stratmando · May 31, 2007, 12:27 PM

Replied in PM, that with wires disconnected from protection at D Marc, It is Telcos problem,
What they do down here to make a Network Interface(CSU?) is retro fit on top of existing box
It is actually a good idea. Quick Upgrade.
Poster also told me he was able to isolate(before protectors) and hum still there. Definitely Telco.
Bell South did that to Me, insisting it was in my house. I disconnected all phone lines in house, Then protectors, everything, I would call my house and it kept ringing busy(shorted) After a week of telling me it is on, Finally, She says
"OH, i think they have to do something on the pole" It had been signed off as working and good for the last week.
They finally had to change their name. Don't Know why? They Claim they are #1 customer service By JD power and . You would think they would keep a winning name.
Try calling one more time. Good Luck

Datacomm · Aug 16, 2007, 09:53 PM

When you lifted the wires coming from telco and isolated your house from the line and you could hear hum on the line coming from telco, you proved that the problem is in the phone companies circuit and not your equipment or wiring. You showed the problem is on their side of the demarc.

Hum will usually get worse when it rains if the connector gets wet or an exposed portion of wire pair gets wet.

I have heard on almost a daily basis for years "came clear while testing" or NTF(no trouble found) only to have a very temporary fix to a problem or no fix at all.

Call your phone company, take names, ask for the same person or their sup when you have to call back... and good luck!