Checking phone line Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[ralphmalph]

Hello, I have just joined the forum and am looking for advice.

I have signed up to Virgin Media's national (non-cable) phone service. They contacted me to say the line was activated and gave me a phone number... but when I plug in a working telephone, the line is dead and when I call my number it is constantly engaged.
I phoned Virgin to say there is a problem and they told me to check the master socket. It's an old one, an LJ2/1A, and is wired as follows:
1. Unconnected
2. One solid blue and one solid purple
3. Two solid green
4. Unconnected
5. Two solid orange
6. Unconnected

Is this OK? I am used to the more modern white/green wiring etc so am wondering if this old set-up is causing the problem.
*The weird thing is the two other sockets in the house are fitted with modern white/mixed colour wiring but they are slave sockets (no ring capacitor). Anyway, the line is dead from all of them.
Virgin say if they send someone out they will charge me a lot of money and I can do most things myself... but need some advice.
Thanks all

[ericmark]

In my area there is no Virgin so I don't know how they work but Open Reach have a special master socket designed so you can undo two screws and unplug rest of house and test at master socket.

Failing that then one would test the two incoming cables that go to 2 and 5. First when disconnected there should be 50vdc and second when connected to a phone you should get dialling tone.

Normally when you phone the service provider they do a TAM test and from that they can normally pin point 90% of the problems. But there is always the odd one they miss in my case a rose bush had grown through cable.

But although they have often said I could be charged for a job. Up to now after making sure the guy is supplied with tea or coffee they have always filled in paper work in my favour.

[Neil54]

If you disconnect the wiring from the master socket and dial the number one of two things should happen:-
1. You hear ring tone, on reconnecting and dialing again you hear engaged tone, there is a fault in your house which would in theory be chargable work.
2. You still get engaged tone. Then the fault should be on the network and you won't get charged.

Cups of tea for the engineer does work wonders.

Don't disconnect the wiring without a tool to put it back!

[ralphmalph]

Thanks ericmark and Neil54 for your replies and your advice. I'm going to get one of those tools in the next day or two and will investigate. And if it comes to it, I'll get some very nice biscuits to go with the tea/coffee for the engineer :D

[ralphmalph]

Hi, I tried what you advised, Neil54, and it saved the day. Not only did I get a ring tone when I disconnected, when I reconnected everything was absolutely fine. Must have been loose connection in the master.

Many thanks again to you both for taking the time to write.
:D