[geeks] debugging house phones

[Porkchop]

>Fri, 27 Aug 2004 @ 22:36 -0400, Porkchop said:
>
>>  It really sounds like there is an electrical fault somewhere on the
>>  line. I'm as much an ee as I am a trapeze artist, but my advice
>>  (since you haven't fixed this since you posted tuesday) is:
>
>On the inside or outside wiring?

Can't tell. That's the problem.

>I can touch both customer and telco side contacts.  All I have is a
>multimeter though.
>I did a quick test across pairs on the internal wiring, with phones
>disconnected, and I got no current across them.  I did a few quick tests
>on alternate pairs too.  Same thing.
>What about across the telco pairs?

Can't tell unless you get them to disconnect the pairs from the 
switch at their end... and I believe that sort of test is more or 
less out of range of your equipment. Some COs can isolate the pairs 
by calling a machine, others still require a rack monkey to go to the 
switch and pull. Either way, you probably don't have the information 
you need to get them to do it.

>They told me that every time it rains, this problem is worse.  After a
>storm, they often lose phone service.

Indicative of the problem being present in the outside environment 
(that is, in telco land).
-mKaegler