POTS lines - testing poor quality 1

[codermonkey]

I've setup a faxserver (hylafax) using a multimodem card. Everything is great, three outgoing faxes all churning out a high volume.
BUT THEN
I noticed that majority of the faxes are going out on line 2. Line 1 and 3 is failing quite often, but not all the time. Switched the lines around, to test that the hardware was fine. it is.

So, how do I test if the POTS line is screwed up. How to I tell the telco (Verizon) that the line quality if too low for faxes?

 

[pbxn]

Do you have a regular analog phone you can use to test? If so, plug the lines into it, press any key (just to break dial tone) and listen for noise. If you have a maint contract on these lines with your Telco, call out a repair ticket. The tech will probably use a meter called a sidekick. This meter has an option to meter the noise levels.
If you are in an area that has recieved alot of inclimate weather, this could affect the perfromance of your line.

 

[SYQUEST]

First, verify that your own wiring and jacks are in good working order, properly installed and terminated, no shorts or crosses.

Things like low loop current, crossed pairs, loop imbalance, high resistance shorts or crosses can cause all kinds of effects on a line and cause fax calls to fail or not to complete. If you have a testset, monitor the call progress to see how far the call proceeds and completes or not. Verizon repair service can test the loop and check for some types of problems and offer some suggestions depending on results. You could also disconnect your wiring at the MPOE and have them test the loop. That way your wiring would not be included in the test, if you feel it is OK.

....JIM....

 

[sjs1717]

Syquest is correct you definitly need to discount your own wiring first. Too many times I have seen techs blame the customer(you)wiring when thats not the case. I AM NOT saying that all techs do that but my local guys seem to do that quite a bit. Then I am called in to prove them wrong.Needless to say it's not fun.


Steve
We're doing this stuff for the wealth and fame right?

 

[pbxn]

Also if you do disconnect your wiring from the MPOE/NID check your dialtone there without your inside cable connected. If you still hear noise on the line with your IW disconnected its outside in the cable.
Telco repair staff follow a standard proceedure. They will first test your line remotely to see what type of trouble you have on your pair. Dependant on the trouble they see they will either tell you they see an issue in the cable, or they will then advise that you should check your IW, they have to say this because customers in the past have complained that they never heard about possible charges and dispute the bill. The repair operator will tell you about your IW and possible charges to prevent dispute/reversal of charges in the future becasue the dispute resolution group will refer to your recorded call.

 

[codermonkey]

The first thing was to eliminate my ego, because obviously my wiring cannot be at fault
Started testing at the furthest point I could, at the 66 block which Verizon installed. Punched two wires into that block, and plugged into a fax (then 3 other faxes to eliminate the possibility of a hardware fault with the fax machines). Tested, and got the same problem as before, the fax is report reads: No Answer. So I reversed the two wires, just incase I got the polarity wrong. Same result.
Oh and I forgot to mention that I'm testing 3 different remote locations, all work fine from other lines.

Verizon came in, connected a tested to the same 66 block, and told me everything tested OK. I quote the tech: "Must be a data problem somewhere far away, the data team will have to look at this. I'm closing the ticket from my end".
Three days later, no calls from Verizon's "Data team".

Any advice?

I'm actually thinking of ordering two new lines, if they are OK, I'll just disconnect these faulty ones.

 

[allisland]

At the 66 block, you punched your wires on the spare set of pins, you didn't over punch on another set of wires, that looses up the bottom pair and could cause a bad connection, also if your using bridging clips make sure their tight, have seen them reused and they loosen up causing static.
As it was said earlier, best way to test at the demarc is to open it up, go on Telco's side with a plain old analog phone, but actually call someone and listen for noise or hum, line has to be terminated, not just dial tone broken.

 

[SYQUEST]

Allisland mentioned very good points!

66 blocks and all devices that use that style of contact were NEVER designed for more than ONE lead per contact!!

This has always been a contact reliability issue for the 66 block, since the Bell System days... In addition to the problem of stuck pieces of insulation from the jumper wire when it is removed from the contact.


....JIM....

 

[copperboy]

When ever you are having a static on the line problem a great ruld of thumb is to always disconnect the IW because the local carrier around here like to always blame the problem at hand on the customers IW.

 

[letman2]

If you can make voice calls and not fax calls it might be a timing issue if you are going through a telco SLC system. This would be a telco problem.