Choppy landline phone...

[Adela]

Hello, I have a landline speakerphone, AT&T. It started chopping and breaking up the words at the other end making it difficult to follow or understand. Especially on the recorded options which all corporations nowadays have.

AT&T suggested I try it on a different phone outlet which I did, and low and behold the choppy words were no longer choppy!

Could someone tell me where else could be the problem? Could it be in the outlet? Or maybe the extension I use to reach the wall outlet?

Will appreciate a little help. Thanks ever so much! Adela

P.S. Not sure if a phone falls under "electronics"; if not, please forgive?

 

[davenn]

hi there Adela

could be a number of reasons
maybe there's a fault in the cable to that outlet
maybe there's a fault in that outlet - loos wire connection
maybe that outlet itself is faulty
maybe the contacts on the phone plug and the outlet socket were a bit dirty corroded

You might even now find that the act of unplugging and replugging the phone into the first outlet works as the contacts have had a bit of a clean

cheers
Dave

 

[Adela]

Hello and thank you Dave. I can see that it will require a lot of testing. It makes sense that unplugging and plugging could help but it didn't help in the first plug (where the problem exists). Unfortunately I can't move the phone to the outlet where I tested it.

I may make some little tests with the bad one but I feel I may have to buy a new phone. Problem is even the more expensive ones only after a few months start showing bad symptoms....

Thanks again! Adela

P.S. Love your 2 quotes....

 

[jakekusters]

If you have used both the same phone and cable on the working outlet you can cross those off the list to test. It will most likely come down to the rear of the wall socket or the cable running within the wall.

As the phone worked with the second socket there is no need to replace it.

Unfortunately if it is the socket or the cabling it will need to be fixed by a professional.

 

[Adela]

Thank you Jake! It does sound serious. Is there a way I can tell (before I call an electrician or a telephone person) whether it is in the socket or cabling within the wall? Oh, I just thought, I'll ask maintenance in my building to see what's wrong, then I'll take it up from there and see if it's worth to fix (by the phone Co. or?) and buy a new phone, or... I don't know!

Thanks so much again! Adela

 

[jakekusters]

It isn't a serious issue. If your phone works on another outlet dont replace it, the phone is fine.

There is nothing you can do to fix a problem if it exists in the outlet or the wall. It could even come down to a rat having a chew on the cable.

 

[Adela]

Oh thank you, then I won't have to waste time looking for a new phone. If the problem resides in the outlet, the line, or the wall, is this something for the building's maintenance you think? I wonder...

As to the little rat chewing on the cable....I hope it won't hurt his/her tommy! )

 

[jakekusters]

The only thing I am unsure of is how cabling may run in american houses. In Australian houses we have the cabling that runs from the street to the first outlet and from then on the other outlets are daisy chained off the first one. So using this logic if the very first outlet is all good and the second outlet has issues you can accurately assume it is the cabling running from the first outlet to the second. If it had been Ok prior and now randomly it is having a problem that would also be more evidence for the cabling being damaged.

 

[jakekusters]

If I were you I would be contacting maintenance to identify if they perform cabling or just contact a licenced cabler.

 

[Adela]

Thanks so much for the good explanation. For the first time I understand the mystery behind the power that gives us those gadgets!!! Yes, you are so right. I'll contact maintenance and see what they think.

Very grateful for your being so kind and helpful! Happy Holidays for you and yours! Adela