Telephone line won't clear after a call

[Leo Berger]

This is an intermittent problem, a few times a month. I use the phone then hang up. Someone calls me in the next minute or so. My phone rings, I pick it up, and there's no sound. I can't hear the caller and they can't hear me. They call back a few times in a row and my phone rings but we still can't hear each other. All this time if I pick up the receiver there's no dial tone. If I let the answering machine pick up the call it makes no difference. After 5 minutes or so the dial tone comes back and all is normal. This could go several times in an evening with different callers, or not again for weeks. Maybe the phone company isn't disconnecting the original call? Any suggestions?

[joed]

Start by disconnecting all but one phone from your line including the answer machine, modems, faxes, cordless base stations. If you find no change then call the phone company. It sounds very odd since the phone actually rings the line must be hung up. It is not one of your phones holding the line open.

[Leo Berger]

Start by disconnecting all but one phone from your line including the answer machine, modems, faxes, cordless base stations. If you find no change then call the phone company. It sounds very odd since the phone actually rings the line must be hung up. It is not one of your phones holding the line open.

THANKS FOR REPLYING. I'VE EVEN DISCONNECTED THE INSIDE HOUSE LINES AT THE PHONE BOX AND PLUGGED IN A 25-FOOT EXTENSION PHONE CABLE FROM THERE TO THE KITCHEN WITH VARIOUS PHONES CONNECTED. ONCE I CAME HOME AND THERE WAS A LOVE LETTER FROM MA BELL ON THE FRONT DOOR, SOMETHING LIKE "WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR INTERIOR PHONE LINES. YOU OWE US $40." THERE ARE FOUR PAIRS OF WIRES IN A BUNDLE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE FROM THE OUTSIDE BOX; I TRIED SWITCHING ALL ROOMS TO ANOTHER PAIR. THE COMPUTER ISN'T ON A DIAL UP MODEM (IT HAS A CABLE MODEM) SO I THINK I WILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND TRY THE TORTURE METHOD - TRYING TO GET THE PHONE COMPANY TO ADMIT IT IS THEIR FAILT.

[joed]

If you have a extension plugged into the box and it happens with different phones I think it is pretty clear it is a A Bell problem.