What are they testing when you call the phone company and they say they will test your lines?

[dman]

I'm on the phone with my TelCo right now. I've been having problems where all three of my lines will (at the same time) cut out (no dialtone) for a few minutes and then a short while later they'll come back on. It's happened about 5-6x today at least (that I'm aware of). I had it happen on one line once before and that happened to be some kind of card that had to be replaced.

Anyway, I've been on hold for a while before I got to the repair dept and now she is running a test on my lines. Just curious if anyone knows what they can actually test for remotely while I'm using the phone lines?

I've had them run line tests in the past and they never can tell you anything. Usually they just come back 5-10minutes later and tell you they'll schd someone to come out in the next 24-48hrs. So it seems like a meaningless diagnostic from my end but I have to imagine it does something productive and was just curious if anyone actually knows.

 

[iamwiz82]

i think the test just sends a signal to the line and back. If it doesnt come back the line is down.

 

[dman]

If that's true, what point would there be in doing that while you are on the phone with them on that line?

Maybe none other than to say they've run the test and can send out a L2 Tech or something?

 

[308nato]

Your patience maybe ?

 

[Jfur]

often they are testing to see which side of the line of demarcation the problem is on. If the signal gets to your box (the cutoff point for their responsibility), then they will tell you to deal with it yourself, as it is either the lines in your home or your equipment. I have had something similar happen after central office upgrades, it is intermittent and they ALWAYS claim it is on my end (it never is). is this a home or business service?

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: 308nato
Your patience maybe ?

True.

Oh well, at the end of the call she said she couldn't test the line I was on because I was speaking on it and that after we hung up not to use it for 10 minutes even if it rings. So, perhaps they can't test while the lines in use but she didn't ask me to disconnect my data line / modem?

Whatever, the repair tech is supposed to come out tomorrow and hopefully can give me a reasonable explanation for the outages. Maybe they are upgrading and I can finally get DSL. I wish. :frown: