Phone Problem: No Dial Tone

Question

My phone has been acting up. In the past week it would randomly ring once and then I would answer it and all I heard was the dial tone. Today I try to call out and there is no dial tone. Incoming calls do come in, but I hear a buzzing sound as I talk to someone. I call my house phone from my cell phone and the call goes through. I can't make any calls because when I pick up the phone I hear no dial tone. My DSL internet works. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Okay what I recommend you do is go to the box outside the house to check if the problem is inside or outside. Take a phone and plug it into what looks like a jack. Another thing to do is disconnect all of the phones from the jacks inside and check them one by one to isolate the problem. You are probably going to need to call the phone company either way. You might just have problems with outgoing calls or the static or noise on the line needs to be fixed. It sometimes can be done via a phone check up.  

Answer 2

Need a little more info: First are the phone and the computer using the same wall-receptor (most people call them wall-plugs)?  If so you need a new splitter, it's a small box with wiring in it and it has a plug in the back and two receptors in the front.  The plug of the box goes into the wall-receptor and then you plug your computer and phone into the splitter's receptors.  

Sorry I don't know the technical term, but the person at Circuit City or any phone accessory store will sell them.  I've had to buy a new signal splitter every couple of years.

Since your DSL works it's probably something simple.

First check the wires from the phone to the wall-receptor.  Take a close look at the plug at the end of the wire.  The little plastic tab that is supposed to keep the plug firmly plugged in often breaks or becomes worn so it doesn't click in anymore.  You can try another wire if you have one lying about or borrow another wire from a friend or relative.  If it works you need to buy a new cord.

Next try a different telephone, again you can probably borrow one from someone and if that phone works, then you need a new phone.

If it isn't the cord or telephone, and you are using a different wall-receptors (wall-plugs) for the computer and phone, then it is the receptor, which will have to be repaired.  

My bet is that it's the signal splitter if the telephone and computer use the same wall-recptor because of the buzzing sound. (Also because of the buzzing sound it may be a filter, see below).  Both signal splitters and filters have very flimsy plastic parts and just bumping them or pulling on the cord a bit is enough to break them. (Sorry if you read my answer earlier I made a mistake).

added info.   Phone filters:  Depending on the telephone company you use, if you have DSL all the phones in the house will need a filter to work, no matter where in the house your phone(s) are located, without a filter they won't work.  If you plug your phone into a filter, then all you need is a different filter.  They cost a couple of dollars.  Again whether or not all the telephones in your house need filters depends on which telephone company you use.