Troubleshooting
For The Telecom Impaired
Phone isn't
working and a service technician isn't immediately available?
Here's a handy checklist of steps to try. You might be surprised
by the number of "broken" phones that get turned in,
just because they had been accidentally unplugged.
NOISE ON
THE LINE
Some (or
even all) outside calls, but no inside calls?
Chances are you have a problem with the trunk card(s) in your
switch or the telephone company's line(s). You might be able to
help your friendly telecom tech if you have a display phone and
can identify which of the trunks is giving you the problem.
Some inside
calls, but no outside calls?
This is likely to be a problem with the phone, wiring, or station
card of the person(s) you are talking to internally.
All Calls?
Expect to find a problem with your phone, wiring, or station card.
THINGS
TO CHECK ON A SUSPECT PHONE
-
Is the handset cord plugged in tightly at both ends?
-
Try
a different handset cord that is known to be good.
-
Try
a different line cord that is known to be good.
-
Try
a different handset that is known to be good.
-
The
last thing that most users can do without calling a tech is
to try a different (compatibly programmed/same type) known
good phone.
NO LIGHTS
AND/OR SPEAKER PHONE DOESN'T WORK
If the phone
belongs at that location (someone may have "accidentally"
swapped in a phone that is not correctly programmed), odds favor
you having a power
problem.
-
Is the phone plugged in?
-
Is
an external power supply needed, and is it plugged in?
-
Is
there power to the socket that the external power supply
is plugged into?
-
Try
a different power supply that is known to be good.
-
Try
a different (compatibly programmed/same type) known good
phone.
Has the switch been programmed for handsfree operation?
NO DIAL
TONE/TOTALLY DEAD PHONE
If other
phones around you are also dead, then it's probably a switch
or telephone company problem. If other phones are working, you
can try the steps identified in the two sections above. Maybe
you will get lucky and your handset cord has just wiggled loose
or the phone came unplugged.
"IT'S
ALWAYS THE CABLE"
Telecom
industry pundit Harry Newton says:Whenever anything goes wrong
with your phones, assume it's the cable. It always is. Crackly
conversation? Check your handset cord. Phone suddenly dead?
Check the line cord to the wall. Check the connection from the
main box on the wall to the distribution jack.
HEADSET
PROBLEMS
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