Daughter has ongoing problem with phone

[moiraf100]

My daughter has been with VM since June 2007 when she moved into her flat.
It was a new installation.
She has M TV 2mb BB and L Phone (?She pays for free calls)
Anyway, since about August/September she has been having problems getting an outside line. (TBH I'm not sure if I've already posted this - apologies if I have)
She has bought a new phone and still has the problem.
An engineer has called on numerous occasions with her having to have days off work and losing Saturdays for visits.
The first few times the engineer said there wasn't a problem, and the last time he swapped some wires outside and said it would be ok.
Tonight she phoned me really upset as she had had a minor accident and yet again couldn't get an outside line to call me.
When this problem occurs she has to use her mobile to call her land line and then it clears and she can use it to make a call.
In MY frustration I called Virgin and upon checking her line from India was told that the line was in use.
I tried explaining that she was more than likely on the phone to them complaining as well. He seemed to think that as the phone was in use there couldn't be a problem.
What can she do next? She's written to complain as she was told she couldn't complain over the phone, but has heard nothing yet.

[moiraf100]

Well, she's currently having a visit from another engineer.
They phoned her on Thursday and have given her a direct number so she doesn't have to keep explaining the problem, and then she has to call on Monday to tell them how the visit went.
The first thing the chap said this morning was - 'What's the matter with the phone?'
Will update later when I see her this p.m

[joglynne]

Fingers crossed that the phone is sorted today.

It will be interesting to see what has been causing this issue. At least she now has somebody taking ownership of the problem which is always more reassuring.

[moiraf100]

She's just sent me her notes. I think maybe there might be some ???'s as she didn't know what he was talking about and didn't like to ask him to spell! C&P from email..
()'s are my additions

He changed the box inside - master socket (The inside box was really old and looked as though it was just an old type of ariel outlet). Said the loud music other people could hear and the background noise I heard was something to do with the radio (the connection would seem to drop off and we would hear really loud music, although she could still hear us moaning about the phone line befoe hanging up). He checked the connections on the outside of the flat and further back the road -to another box maybe? Dropped the cable to blue pai. Change DP node from DC 14 to 12 and changed M Beerah and channel. It took him an hour to do.
(I have no idea what M Beerah is, although yesterday she used the word enumber instead - some word or phrase that must sound like either I expect)

We just have to wait now until something does or doesn't happen now.

[moiraf100]

Well, she called me last night from her mobile - the connection went while she was talking to her friend.
I phoned India and was first told there wasn't a problem in her area, then when I asked him to call her he said there was a problem in her area!!!
What with the other problem she's having at the moment - stop cock outside her flat and whether it's covered by insurance - this is the last thing she needs. Plus she needs the phone for her continuing calls to the water board etc to chase them up to fix it. :(

[m419]

Suppose someones tampering with the cables outside????

Depends what time you call Virgin Media, I've managed to speak to someone over in the UK

[moiraf100]

Phone's up and running again...she's got another chap coming round on Thursday - ho hum...and now her washing machine is leaking..

[MovedGoalPosts]

Has she got a second phone. Try disconnecting any extensions, and using only the master socket. Try swapping phones over. I'm not saying it isn;t a VM fault, but you need to rule out the customer's own kit.

[moiraf100]

No, just a single phone. She bought a new phone last time and still had the problem.
It may have been a hiccup at the weekend - area problem possibly.

[Buzzby]

Well put Rob. That is good standard advice. All readers please take this to heart. Among my many old lobs as an ex BT engineer that was the first advice to customers when I was on repair handling, jo blogs to small business faults. :cool:

[moiraf100]

Well, had a phone call from her on the mobile 10 mins. ago and it's down again.
When I call it goes straight to voice-mail.
Just got off the phone from India and they can see no fault their end and say it's either an internal or external connection fault.
I've given them her mobile contact number again and I imagine they are arranging yet another engineer to call.

*edit*
She's just found a ticket thing on the Virgin site for her area.

[Buzzby]

If it is down & your call goes to voicemail it seems to me to be there is a short cct on the line. It should be easy for remote diagnostics to confirm this.

[Mr_Moo]

DP = Destination Point
M bearer
enumber? Possibly e-side...

The e-side is half (ihs) of the cabinet/box/node taht goes back to the exchange and beyond, the d-side is half (ish) the cabinet/box/node to the DP (aka her flat). The point of destination.

By the engineer changing the 'channel'... He... Doesn't matter, it gets a bit confusing. By the sounds of it, he has basically changed the whole route of the way her phone line comes in from the exchange. to the cabinet.