Yes it was a fault with the internal wiring from the external junction box to the NTE5 - an OR engineer relocated the NTE5 after drilling a hole in the wall and running fresh external grade cable from the junction box. The original internal grade cable etc. was left in place (obviously disconnected) since removing it would have caused problems with the wallpaper, carpeting etc. at that stage.

The humming was so bad that conversations were impossible. Because it was a serious voice fault the OR engineer did the repair, free of charge, a day after the fault was reported In contrast I�ve found that intermittent "crackling" voice faults are a devil to get repaired unless they are a symptom of ADSL disconnections

Afternoon Zarjaz

I have since followed through, first checking BT's recommendations-

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/37807...

You'll note that the first step is to re-boot the equipment.

The second step is to check that the phone line is working, acknowledging that it does not mention the QLT.


SKY's recommendation-

http://broadband.diagnostics.sky.com/
"
If your Sky Broadband connection has stopped working, is slower than expected or has an intermittent connection, our online step by step guide will help you fix the problem.
"

Following through "Get started"

http://broadband.diagnostics.sky.com/dial-tone
"
Check your phone line

If you have a telephone, lift your phone receiver. If you can hear a beeping, intermittent dial tone, this means you have a voicemail and there isn�t a fault with your telephone line.

We also need you to check for the following before you continue:

No dial tone
Noise, hissing or crackling on the line
"
(My Emphasis)

Again there is no direct mention of the QLT, which I think is some-whst remiss of both companies, as the use of their respective QLTs, would help to establish recognised standards of testing.

I wonder why this reluctance?

I had not viewed those BT and SKY pages previously.

==============================

Agreed that there are many phone line faults that can affect either or both Voice and Broadband - so do we tell any enquiring poster to simply contact the ISP, with all their obstacles, costs and similar ramifications should the source of the fault turn out to be within the poster's control?

If the poster is unaware of the QLT or a substitute, how is he/she going to learn about it if not mentioned?

And I have only recommended that a Voice Fault be reported when "untoward noises" have been heard at the NTE, nowhere else - surely directly in line and agreement with your own clearly expressed opinion?

Thanks for the quick reply and explanation.

so do we tell any enquiring poster to simply contact the ISP, with all their obstacles, costs and similar ramifications should the source of the fault turn out to be within the poster's control?

No, we listen to what the poster has to say, and based on this, if the symptoms suggest it, and after all the usual advice, trying in the test jack, new filters, etc, then we might suggest it.

If the poster is unaware of the QLT or a substitute, how is he/she going to learn about it if not mentioned?

My point being that maybe in some/many cases informing the OP should be as required, not mandatory.