How do I get rid of static and other noises on my phone line?

If you’re hearing static or other noise on your phone, make sure the signal coming to your home is clear, all your phone-related equipment is working properly, no random household devices are interfering with your reception, and all your DSL filters are correctly installed if you have Internet.

If you hear noise on your line, isolate the source of the problem by checking the signal outside your home and the equipment inside your home. To test the signal coming to your home, you need to locate your NID and plug in a corded phone. If the signal coming to your home is clear and strong, keep reading.

Look for Simple Fixes 

• Does your phone get noisy when your move the cord? If yes, check that the cord is it snug, both going into the handset and at the wall. If not, unplug and then re-plug the cord at both ends.
• Check your phone cords for damage. Even small nicks and cuts can cause noise on your line. Replace any damaged cords.
• If the problem only happens with one phone, try plugging a different phone into that phone’s jack. Next, place a call from the new phone to see if the issue is resolved. If there is no more noise on the line, it indicates a problem with the phone itself and you may need to replace it. If there is still noise try plugging the phone into a different wall jack. If the trouble is only on one wall jack please contact our technical support team for help in getting a technician dispatched.
• If you have Internet service, unplug your modem and then check if you still have noise on your line. If you don’t, examine your DSL filters, making sure they’re connected and installed correctly.

Seek Out Interference 

Basically, any piece of equipment plugged into your phone jacks can act as an antenna and pick up broadcasting frequencies creating noise on your line.Cordless phones are notorious for picking up other people’s conversations as well as radio signals. If you don’t have a cordless phone, do you have a satellite TV receiver, answering machine, caller id box, fax machine or alarm/security system plugged into a phone jack? If so, any (or all) of them could be interfering with your reception.

To test your equipment:

1. Unplug any corded phones from the wall jack.
2. Unplug any cordless phone from the wall jack AND the electrical outlet.
3. Unplug any other equipment that plugs into a wall jack.
   After you’ve unplugged all your equipment, wait 1 minute and then plug a corded phone into each outlet. Test one jack at a time. Do not plug in any other equipment until you have tested all wall jacks with the corded phone.You should hear a clear, strong dial tone when you test each outlet. If you don’t, make a note of location of the jack and what you heard when you tested the outlet.

If you have tested all of the wall jacks with a corded phone and you don’t hear noise on the line, start plugging in your equipment one piece at a time and checking the corded phone after each is plugged in until you find the offender causing the noise.

If you don’t want to unplug the offending piece of equipment, try installing a filter on your line. This equipment is easy to install and can be purchased at most electronic stores.

If you have tried all of the steps above and still have noise on the line, please contact our Technical Support Team.