AboutSpencer Holcombe Expertise I have been in the telecommunications arena for several years. I've worked in traffic,installation,repair,customer service,fraud,national and major accounts. I Started with Pacific Telephone,went to American Bell, AT&T Information Systems, AT&T Communications, Pacific Bell-SBC - AT&T. I can answer most questions of a service or equipment nature-excluding cellular. From jacks, wiring, phones, to custom calling services, local to long distance.
Experience Bell System and post divesture work for AT&T and Local operating companies. Service rep-to Fraud desk.
Organizations Telephone Pioneers of America
Publications PTM mag. Connections, Update, and other company publications. Also have expert status at AskME.com
Expert: Spencer Holcombe Date: 1/16/2008 Subject: electric power and phones
Question I have a dect6 1.9(?)ghz base with 2 handsets cordless phone set. Every time the electric power goes out, which is several (or more) times a year, the phone _line_ goes dead, i.e., not even a corded phone works. To make matters worse, i have a burglar alarm and when the phone line goes dead, the siren sounds. It scares me, and I'm sure my neighbors are cursing and thinking "not again".
I have talked to the phone company, the phone manufacturer, the electric company and an electrician. The phone company and the electric company both say they are not connected in any way when obviously there is some kind of connection because when I have power, everything works fine. No one else has a clue. Can you help?
Answer Carol,
It IS the PHONE that's causing the problem with the line going dead. Most cordless phones disconnect when power is lost, yours isn't. This is causing the telephone line to be "open" which your local telephone company is seeing as off hook and interrupts the service. Try replacing the batteries in the phone or buying a replacement phone. As far as your alarm going off, contact your alarm company as to why the alarm is set to sound when service is lost to the phone line and see if it can be changed to only sound when a circuit/sensor is tripped.
Spencer
