BT line help please

[Mr Jenks]

I guess there must be a few BT engineers on here, bit of advise please.
My home phone line has gone down, started by ringing once then stopping, this continued for a day or so, I now have no dial tone and if I call in it is constantly engaged, just like if the wife is at home. I have taken the front off the master socket and plugged a new cheap corded phone into the test socket and still the same. White and orange wires are connected ok, I thought I should get a voltage (more than the 1.4v that it has) across these wires or is that only when someone rings in ? I am convinced the fault is on the exchange side but BT want £115 call out and £75 per 1/2 hour to come and check. My broadband still works fine thankfully.
Cheers

[Hoppy2008]

Mr Jenks said:

I guess there must be a few BT engineers on here, bit of advise please.
My home phone line has gone down, started by ringing once then stopping, this continued for a day or so, I now have no dial tone and if I call in it is constantly engaged, just like if the wife is at home. I have taken the front off the master socket and plugged a new cheap corded phone into the test socket and still the same. White and orange wires are connected ok, I thought I should get a voltage (more than the 1.4v that it has) across these wires or is that only when someone rings in ? I am convinced the fault is on the exchange side but BT want £115 call out and £75 per 1/2 hour to come and check. My broadband still works fine thankfully.
Cheers

Whats your number, Ill try ringing you?

[MentalSarcasm]

We had this recently, the telephone wire from the pole to our house had been rubbing on a tree branch for the past year and had worn away, so it kept shorting out, making the phone call itself or suddenly decide it was engaged, or the line would be filled with static.

BT engineer came out to check it, found that it was worn, and replaced the wire. My Dad has now cut off the tree branches.

[ofcorsa]

Mr Jenks said:

I guess there must be a few BT engineers on here, bit of advise please.
My home phone line has gone down, started by ringing once then stopping, this continued for a day or so, I now have no dial tone and if I call in it is constantly engaged, just like if the wife is at home. I have taken the front off the master socket and plugged a new cheap corded phone into the test socket and still the same. White and orange wires are connected ok, I thought I should get a voltage (more than the 1.4v that it has) across these wires or is that only when someone rings in ? I am convinced the fault is on the exchange side but BT want £115 call out and £75 per 1/2 hour to come and check. My broadband still works fine thankfully.
Cheers

sounds 1 leg dis

BT repair the line from exchange to NTE, if when plugged into test socket still NDT, It their responsibility.

Broadband can work down 1 leg

[anonymous-user]

You should have 50V DC accross the pair. BT fault without doubt.

[Mr Jenks]

Dave_ST220 said:

You should have 50V DC accross the pair. BT fault without doubt.

Thats what I thought, Thanks

[ChrisEvo2]

You should have nearer 50V DC across the 2 wires. Odd that your broadband still works though - have you tried logging the fault via their website - last time I did this there was a fault at the exchange - you can monitor the progress of the fault on the site - there was no mention of a call out fee.

[Mr Jenks]

Dave_ST220 said:

You should have 50V DC accross the pair. BT fault without doubt.

Thats what I thought, Thanks

[911motorsport]

Something connected to the line is holding a short. PC, answerphone, alarm system, router etc, TV (Sky). Unplug absolutely everything then try just the phone plugged in.