Loss of broadband connection when I get a call to my landline

[Katrina52]

When I am on a MS teams work call and I get call to my landline I lose my connection to my teams call. The phone line is not connected to a filter,  It was previously but it was not possible to use the phone due to the amount of crackling on the line. The engineer has been already but didn't really make any difference.

Can anyone help. 

[Anonymous]

You are losing your connection because of the lack of a filter!

I presume you've tried a replacement filter?  If it was still connected I presume the OR engineer cut the "bell wire", and that there are no wired phone extensions?

The next pertinent question is how close to your expected online speed are you achieving?

And have you tried a different phone (in combination with a filter)?  Even if it's one that you borrow from a neighbour for a few minutes?

[Jayach]

The problem you describe is usually due to connection problems in the home, but could be a line fault.

If Keith's suggestions don't help we would need some more info.

1. Is the router connected to the master socket and do you have any extension sockets?

2. How are you connected to the master socket? Does it have separate sockets for the phone and router or are you using a plug-in filter?

3. You say the phone line doesn't have a filter, what do you mean by that?

4. Was that an Openreach engineer and was he there for this problem? What did he do, and if it was for this problem did he/you not test it before he left?

[clint_flick]

Hi

Just to add to the 2 excellent responses....

Certain things jump out, the "Bell Wire", connection number 3 should have been cut / dis-connected by the engineer.

Changing from a MK5 to a MK4 Openreach Master socket is a possibility.  it is only a face-plate change, hopefully, that takes a few seconds.

The Mk4 VDSL filter front cover fits on to the NTE5C back plate and provides a built in micro filter with
separate telephone and data sockets.

Dialling 17070 and choosing the quiet line test, again something the engineer should have done and demonstrated the test to you, and stated whether your line noise is acceptable or otherwise.

[Katrina52]

Thanks for all these excellent answers.

As an update I have an OR engineer calling tomorrow.

It does seem there is an issue with the connection to my house and likely an issue with the master socket and the way the last OR engineer (subcontractor) wired it and connected in a second socket. This means my phone is plugged in to now socket and the router in to the other.

My broadband speeds are ok and inline with what I'm expected to get when it works, however, the ISP did identify that the connection is not stable.

I live in a rural area with no neighbours and have been having a lot of high winds over the past month or two. The wire to my home from the telegraph pole is some distance away bounces all over when it is windy. Having a phone conversation is high winds means having to put up with very crackly lines. 

Interesting when I was speaking with my ISP, my sister phoned me and managed to cut off my call to the ISP and speak with me without my phone ringing purely by her using a ring back facility. 

The pictures of the socket fronts is useful. Fingers crossed the OR engineer comes fully equipped this time and can sort it out. I'll make sure the engineer does a thorough test before leaving tomorrow.

[Jayach]

---

@Katrina52 wrote:

I live in a rural area with no neighbours and have been having a lot of high winds over the past month or two. The wire to my home from the telegraph pole is some distance away bounces all over when it is windy. Having a phone conversation is high winds means having to put up with very crackly lines.

---

Make sure you mention this to the OR engineer, they will hopefully check the connections and possibly replace the cable.

Good luck. I'm sure they will fix it this time.

[clint_flick]

Prego.

[Katrina52]

Thanks again all. 

The OR engineer called today , did a thorough test and found a could of issues with the cable coming into the house from the box, issues from the box to the exchange and issues with wiring of the master box for broadband and phone., which he replaced. He also identified the speed I was getting was a maximum of 12mbps.  Apparantly as my house is over 1000m from the box it will never get above 41 mbps. He sorted all the issues and now I am getting 40mbps, no crackling phone line. I haven't yet had a zoom call to test if a landline call will cause it to disconnect but I feel confident that the chap has done a great job and was able to explain the what the problems were and sort them. I will also be having a conversation about dropping to a lower broadband package as due to the speeds capable because of distance from the box I'm not benefiting from higher speed.

[Jayach]

Brilliant result. The OR engineers in my experience have always been very good, although if it needs a second visit they always try to go a little deeper into the problem.

As for dropping to the lower broadband level the difference is only £2.00 am month, so hardly worth worrying about. (When I joined they were offering Superfast2 at Superfast1 prices so no brainer)

I feel very pleased for you, and thanks for letting us know how it went.

[clint_flick]

Hi

Excellent.

Now you have a decent connection....

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

and

https://www.aa.net.uk/broadband/home1/

You are connected to cabinet XX. Your line length (from the exchange) is approximately 3454 meters.

"Superfast" VDSL (Fibre to the cabinet) up to 40Mb/s

VDSL uses the phone line copper pair to connect to a modem in the street cabinet and then typically glass fibre to connect back to the exchange and on to us.  As this uses less copper wire it provides faster download speeds than ADSL, but costs a little more. For your location, forecast download sync speed is 38-40Mb/s and forecast upload sync speed is 19-20Mb/s.

Those 3 will tell what is believed to be your speed, and from the aggregate you would expect that as a minimum.

The upload speed for video conferencing is perhaps very important, 

35 Mbps

Average download speed

Up to 9Mbps upload speed

Superfast 1 from £22 a month

63 Mbps

Average download speed

Up to 18Mbps upload speed

Superfast 2 from £24 a month

If in doubt please ask.