Help!!! Phone won't ring.

[Gear-Wife]

Whenever someone tries to call me they get a burst of static and then nothing. It does not ring at my home but I can call out. Any suggestions?[V]

Renee

[LazyPup]

The ringer is acheived by a variation in the signal voltage on the line. If you can call out, the line is working, therefore the problem is most likely in your telephone instrument.

Also. be careful when working with phone lines. While the signal voltage is usually very low, typically 18 to 24 volts, the ringer voltage is often 110 volts. If someone should happen to call you while your working on the lines you can get a fairly good jolt.

[dev 65]

it sounds to me that there is a problem with either the jack or the connector that plugs into the jack. corrosion can cause problems or a voltage spike from lightning can burn the connector. unplug the phone from the wall and inspect the connector

[leone184]

Do you have lots of phones on your line? Remember to count answering machines, fax machines and computers. Having too many things will cut into the available voltage that powers your phone line. You may have enough voltage to make calls, but the "jolt" of electricity that causes your phone to ring may actually be too watered down.

Try unplugging all but one phone that you know works, and have a friend call you back. If this solves the problem, plug in each additional phone or answering machine one at a time, until the problem shows up again. Obviously the last one added to the line will be the troublemaker. Sometimes simply turning off the additional phone's ringers will also help. I have four phones, one answering machine and one modem on my line, but only the main phone in the living room actually rings.

If you only have one phone, it may have been damaged by a thunderstorm, or is just wearing out. Buy a cheapie (about $10.) to test it before calling the phone company.

leone184