imo you need to report a phone fault. is the mains hum present at the master socket with all extension wiring disconnected? If so, report that as a phone fault distorting your calls and request the drop wire is replaced.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

imo you need to report a phone fault. is the mains hum present at the master socket with all extension wiring disconnected? If so, report that as a phone fault distorting your calls and request the drop wire is replaced.

That's a very good idea I will try it in the test socket next time I think its safe to resync DSL, problem atm is it's taken me about 4 days to get it stable. The mains hum is quite quiet so I am not sure I could say loud enough to distort voice calls and I fear if an eng visited on that basis they may do nothing and charge me for a wasted visit

A quiet line test should be just that, quiet. You shouldn't get any mains hum. Sounds to me like electronic interference

Well I certainly promise to try the phone in the test socket ASAP, and I guess report it as mains hum in QLT that way I have not made any claims as to the disturbance level Its certainly way above any hiss in fact I cannot hear any hiss because of the hum, but I am not aware of it using the phone for voice calls.

Just did a QLT on the test socket and its the same as an extension, hum is higher than hiss but hiss can still be heard, anyway I will report it and see.

Is that mains hum about the same level on the QLTs, whether the BB has been interfered with or not?

And is it easily heard, rather than having to strain to hear it?

Yes I would say it's the same level in both cases.
It's easily heard on the QLT but not during a conversation except if there is a pause or it's one of thos annoying silent calls.
Just tried the Pnet phone fault report, it d/c my dsl while it did a test then said oops!! call us......
Recorded message keeps trying to get me to go to internet lols, 13 minutes so far but determined

OMG the phone people REACT when you report a fault, BT coming this Thursday!!
Had to wait 25 minutes for call to be answered, could be better, then tested line found nothing of course but listened to my story of the old drop cable and could also hear hum so my hopes are up!!

You have to agree to a £50 charge if they decide it's your fault, and it was a good thing I had already tested the phone without filter in the test socket

Edited by fourtytwo (Mon 22-Aug-16 15:08:32)

If the Mains Hum or any other noises, "Snap, Crackle and Pop, engineering tones etc are EASILY heard during the QLTs, then there is a FAULT of some sort; and should be reported, preferably as a PHONE Fault, rather than Broadband.

The basic Phone Line should be either silent or a struggle to hear any form of noise.


Also subject to your using a simple corded phone for the QLT - I keep an old phone for that purpose - and it is not as ancient as I would like it to be.

Before reporting, check any mains/mains adaptor "phone" equipment you have, such as Answering Machines etc.

And there is always the chance that it is not phone-related equipment.

By unplugging, rather than simply switching off.

Fault finding and correction can be a long tedious task!

Signs, Symptons, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis - Ad Infinitum

Edited by deleted (Mon 22-Aug-16 15:14:20)

All the extensions are disconnected as soon as I go into the test socket, the phone I use is line powered (no batteries or external mains power) just plain old analogue. We don't use the answerphone it's unplugged from the mains as it fills up with microsoft and other scam messages!!

Nope don't have to struggle to hear the hum. Already reported and BT coming Thursday yeyyyyy