Phone line problems

[trock]

Symptoms from my home phone:
-No dial tone--sometimes
-Dial tone with static--sometimes
-Other times, the "phone is off the hook" beeping is going on, followed by the "hang up and try again message".
-When I call from a cell phone, the line rings once, if that, then the cell phone connects automatically--even if I do not answer the bad phone. (this one's weird)
-When I connect my dial-up service from my computer, there is a connection, but at drastically reduced speed (anywhere from 4.0 to 12.0 kbps, as opposed to 45.0 to 54.0 kbps when it works properly)

I have checked my phone at the NID, so I know the phone works, and I know the problem is on my side.

I have replaced the wire that leads to the only jack I use, I have replaced the jack, and the only other wire connected at the NID is what I think is the ground. I have visually inspected the ground wire, cut it where I thought there was a kink, reconnected it, and still the same symptoms.

My thought is there is a problem somewhere else along the ground or there is a problem with the NID.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[joed]

Did you try the phone alone on the system. Remove all other devices including the PC, answer machine etc.

[trock]

I tried that, joed, and I had a marginal improvement--dial tone every time, but still staticy and bad PCU speed.

However, I got to talking to a friend, one who did work on this house before I owned it, and I learned that what I thought was the ground was really a line burried to the garage to make it phone ready.

I disconnected that line. Problem solved. I guess I learned to make sure I can accurately and definitively identify ALL components as a first step. Oh well. It only cost me about $15 for the materials I replaced. Better than the phone company charging me $70 to tell me it was my problem.

Thanks.