Anybody know about landline phones, wiring, etc.?

[donna723]

I may be the last person on earth who still has a landline phone! I also have a cell phone (that I almost never use) but I have to have the landline phone for my computer. My house is ancient and has only one phone line coming in to the house, in my living room. I am NOT one of those "constantly on the phone" people. I use this phone two, maybe three times a week. The main phone wire goes under an end table and is plugged into a splitter with two lines coming out of it - one to the landline phone set and the other to the modem for my computer. It's always worked fine ... until now.

A few months ago, in their infinite wisdom, the city aldermen decided to install a tornado warning system, a huge, tall, tower-like thing with giant speakers at the top. Peachy! They "test" the thing every Saturday at noon and, trust me on this one, it will raise you right up out of your chair! Only problem is that they put it in the public parking lot adjacent to my yard, 50 feet from my house! And little did they realize, they had just installed a giant lightning magnet right in the middle of town! And two nights ago, when the front of that storm system was coming through, lightning struck it! The "BOOM" was so loud that my clock came flying off the wall, the lights blinked off and on again. When I picked myself up off the floor, my TV just said "No Signal" (I have satellite TV) and I had no dial tone on the landline phone ... but I still had internet. The serviceman for DirecTV came the next day and got the TV working - it had fried the port the satellite wire goes in to on the TV - luckily there are two of them. If this one goes, my almost new TV is toast. But I still have no dial tone on the phone, but there is power going to it. I know the main phone line is OK or I would have no internet either. I bought a new splitter and new line to go between the splitter and phone set but it still doesn't work. Could it have fried the phone set too? That's about all that's left but I hate to spend money on a new one right before Christmas, and maybe it still wouldn't work. I was hoping somebody would have some bright ideas. My last resort would be to call the phone company. They will charge me out the ying yang and I just don't have it right now. Sigh .....

 

[InsaneCdn]

You've checked all the other stuff... most likely, it's the phone.
Around here... you can get a land-line phone cheap at a thrift store. That would at least let you test whether it is the phone or not...

 

[Hound dog]

Pick up a cheap landline phone at walmart. If it still doesn't work call the phone company. You should have insurance you pay for each month that covers them coming to repair the damage.

Contact your house insurance to replace the cost of anything else fried. Yes. They will do so.

Then, contact the city with the summed up total and request the magnet be removed from a residential area or you may bill THEM next time for damages incurred. If they don't get the point......perhaps a letter to the editor will get their attention.

I also have a landline. I won't live without one. When power is out.......you still have phone service.

 

[trinityroyal]

What Lisa said.

I also have a land line, and for the same reason as Lisa. In a power outage, you can still make and receive calls with a land line -- if you have one of the old fashioned phones that doesn't require power. Cordless phones will eventually fail once the charge runs out.

In an emergency, regardless of whether the power fails, cell towers are jammed with people trying to get in touch with emergency services and loved ones. Sometimes land line phones are the only ones functioning.

 

[donna723]

It's gotten very hard to even find a landline phone that isn't cordless, even in Walmart! When I got this one, Walmart had exactly ONE kind, although it did come in black or white. And it wasn't cheap! The cheapest one I can find in a store near me is $25 and it irks me to no end to have to pay out another $25 this close to Christmas!

I rent this house and the landlord has it insured but that's just for the house, not my belongings. And yes, I know I should have renters insurance but I don't. I may have to get it now though. It does concern me ... every time there is lightning now I'm going to be worrying about more of my appliances or electronics getting fried! There are several other houses that are about as close to this thing as mine is. I wonder if any of them had any damages? And I'm not sure if it was the city or the county that put the thing in - but it is in a city-owned parking lot. Not sure who I should be complaining to but I seriously doubt if they will be getting rid if it any time soon.

 

[Tiapet]

Donna I would find out, if you can, from your neighbors if they also had problems like you did. Recently the local electric co caused an issue with a power spike that destroyed people tvs, refrigerators, etc. They were responsible for the bill for replacement of all of it. If all your neighbors have the same issue you "could" present it and have it paid for. I would find out and yes, I would take it to the news whether the paper or the tv. You could also attempt a first step with a certified letter with all your signatures to the people (county or city) who put it up to begin with and see what kind of response you get before the news. I suspect it may be met with no response though but you never know.

 

[Hound dog]

Go get you a renters insurance policy. Most run about 100.00 per year. Much cheaper than replacing your belongings.

Tia has a good suggestion.

 

[Signorina]

Make sure you have surge suppressors for your computers & electronics. As an added precaution, uniform them entirely during storms.

 

[DDD]

Have you called the local power company and asked for a home check? I think in most areas they will respond and, of course, not charge a fee. Fingers crossed. DDD