Phone Woes

Everyone,

Do you see that wire that is sitting out all bare and exposed? That is our brand new, less than a month old phone line.

Off and on since we moved to the house, we have been getting a horrible buzz in the background of the phone. It used to come and go. We've had the phone company out several times to check it and hopefully fix it. They always managed to get it right, if only for a few more months. Finally, this time it was worse than ever. I couldn't even talk on the phone because I couldn't hear anything. And since we get no cell phone reception, we were without a phone.

The phone company (PC) sent out tech #1. She tells me it's time to replace the line. Yay! PC sends out tech #2 and he cancelled the ticket without even setting foot inside the house. He stated that it was an indoor problem. Lots of talking between Juice and the PC brought about tech #3. He also said that the line needs to be replaced. (By the way, this tech showed up in horribly baggy clothes with huge ketchup stains on them and his boxers were plaid. I do not want to see my repair guy's boxers! Where is the PC's dress code??) Nothing happened for weeks. Almost daily, Juice would call them and complain that the phone is awful. (A lot of, "I'm sorry, I can't hear you. The phone connection is awful!" on his part.) Tech #4 came out, phone line needs to be replaced. He at least mapped out where our hubs for the neighborhood are and tried to figure out where our lines went. (We have 2.) Tech #5 comes out. Finally, action is made. He called the utility people right then and there to get them to come and paint some lines so they can dig. He gave me his personal number. If we are going to get anywhere, he is going to do it.

Within days they marked the utility lines. (Butterfly said, "Oh! Someone colored on our grass!") About a week later, guys showed up with big digging equipment. Our new line was in! But the buzz was still awful. 2 days after the new line went in, tech #5 came and spliced it all together and we had crystal clear phone reception! Yay!

Then our neighbors decided to put in a new fence. They had to dig up our phone line to put the fence posts in. Bye bye crystal clear sound. Hello slight buzz. Arg!!!

Since I took the pictures, they have finished their fence, re-buried the line, and it's back to being clear. The only bad this is that the buzz is gone. We used the buzz as an indicator that the phone was on. Now, when we pick up the phone, it's silent. It's a little weird!

And it's a little weird that we got used to the buzz!

Safire