ancient phone line

[stevieC]

advice needed please from someone with technical knowledge! Our small business runs out of our house, effectively in 'dingly dell' at the end of unmade lane; BT line originally installed to premises in the days of the Post Office and still has the totally obsolete connection box; from which further wiring has been run. Outside, from the nearest pole, the wires are covered in greenery, and the wiring after the box at our property runs externally for some way and part of it is protected now by insulating tape! Yesterday, just after very heavy rain, telephone became unusable - ie very loud interference on line. I have had a 'line check' done online and there is apparetnly no fault detected. The phones appear to be working today OK. Is it possible that something inside the 'pole' connections gets wet an then drains dry? I don't really want to pay BT a fortune to come and fix something they think doesn't exist, but do they have to upgrade this ancient box - which must be at least 40 years old.

Sorry if this is a stupid query, but our technical knowledge of the niceties of phone lines is minimal!!!

thanks,stevieC

[Davel]

Hi Stevie, BT are responsible for the line into your premises however old the installation may be. As an ex BT Engineer the modern day test facilities used by BT seem to be nowhere near as good as used in the old days.

[stevieC]

Dave, thanks for your reply. Interesting that you think their test facilities are not as good as they used to be. But is my theory possible - that something in the 'pole' connections gets wet and when it has dried, the line will 'read' as 'no fault'? The 'connection box' (which looks like photos I have seen of 1950s types) is just inside our property at inconvenient position, so years ago - too long ago to remember - BT came and ran an 'extension' from this  around the exterior of the property, although the socket doesn't look like modern ones. This extension cable has worn in places and has protective tape - it must have been there for at least 20 years. Would we have to pay BT to come and check this extension? I really find it difficult to believe that a pole connection shrouded in wet greenery can have no fault, if phones become unusable in rain!!!! StevieC