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: 11/12/2006 Subject: Old DTMF Pad Problem
Question I'm cleaning the interior of an old Western Electric telephone for my mother. The dialtone volume was very low, so I cleaned the metal to metal contact points in the back and sides of the DTMF pad, as well as behind the switch hook. Now dialtone is nice and loud, but only a few of the keys will break dialtone - *, 0, # and sometimes 4. Watching the action in the back and around all four sides when I press buttons, it looks like everything is OK, but it isn't. Where should I look for the problem? I assume it was working before I messed with it.
Answer Larry;
Go back and recheck all of the contact points.
Make SURE none of the contacts are bent or out of alignment.
What did you use to clean them with?
If their not bent, you can check to make sure no cleaning compound/fluid is on them, and also try to just work the buttons over and over to loosen them up. Also recheck the connections at the switchhook, and test it out by dialing a local number, or time, before using it in actual service.
Spencer
