My phone has a mind of its own.

[kuulani]

My home phone is going crazy ... all day long it says "line in use" in the little caller id window. Line in use? The phone is hung up!! How can the line be in use?

I've tried everything ... unplugging the jack ... unplugging the electricty ... plugging everything back in ... slamming the receiver back onto the hang up button ... playing with the hangup button ... pressing "flash" ... pressing "hold" ... pressing everything ... the line is still in use

 

[Gato_Solo]

My home phone is going crazy ... all day long it says "line in use" in the little caller id window. Line in use? The phone is hung up!! How can the line be in use?

DSL? Anywho...is it a relatively new phone? If so, it could be 'programmed' wrong, and a trip to the 'users manual' could be in order. If the DSL answer is yes, it could be that yor computer is 'on-line' 24/7...

 

[Inkara1]

The idea behind DSL is to be able to have faster downloads and for the computer to be able to be online 24/7 without tying up the phone line. However, every phone in the house needs a DSL filter.

Do you have any other phones? Do you get a dial tone at any of them?

 

[Gato_Solo]

The idea behind DSL is to be able to have faster downloads and for the computer to be able to be online 24/7 without tying up the phone line. However, every phone in the house needs a DSL filter.

I knew that. I was thinking of a kind of 'party line' thing going on with DSL...

Do you have any other phones? Do you get a dial tone at any of them?

That I did not think of...

 

[kuulani]

It's a regular phone line, the phone itself is only about 5 years old ... I feel so disconnected

 

[Gonz]

Check the batteries. Mine does that too.

 

[Gato_Solo]

It's a regular phone line, the phone itself is only about 5 years old ... I feel so disconnected

I'm assuming you've got a cordless phone. Try moving the 'base station' to another room, and plug it into another phone jack. If that doesn't work, try a new line from the wall to the base. If that doesn't work, try getting a cheap corded phone. If that doesn't work, its a wiring problem behind the wall, or from the house to the pole.

 

[Inkara1]

As for if it's the wiring, take a chape corded phone and try it at the jack(s) inside the house. If you don't get a dial tone at any of them, go outside and open up the phone network box. In there is a phone jack. Unhook the plug that's plugged in there from that and plug in your cheap corded phone. If you get a dial tone there, but not inside the house, then there's a problem with the house wiring and it's your responsibility (or the landlord's if you rent). The phone company is responsible for everything up to the box.

 

[kuulani]

It's not a cordless ... and it's not the batteries 'cause we run it off only the electricity.

Damn phone, it's time for a newer, fancier one

 

[Aunty Em]

It's probably programed to go wrong at a certain age so you go out and buy a new one... it's called built-in obsolescence. Gotta make sure the consumers consume...

 

[kuulani]

It's probably programed to go wrong at a certain age so you go out and buy a new one... it's called built-in obsolescence. Gotta make sure the consumers consume...

I think you're right!! It's like my laptop ... it's only a few years old and a window keeps popping up that my battery is almost at the end of its usable life. stoopid pc laptop.

 

[Gato_Solo]

I think you're right!! It's like my laptop ... it's only a few years old and a window keeps popping up that my battery is almost at the end of its usable life. stoopid pc laptop.

It's most likely the battery. After a few months, they start losing the ability to hold a full charge.