Home Phone Service Troubleshooting

Bright House Networks is dedicated to providing the highest quality service to your home. Occasionally you may experience a reception problem. You may be able to correct some of these problems on your own by following these tips and troubleshooting solutions:

Home Phone

1. When I pick up the receiver I do not hear a dial tone. 
2. I hear a dial tone but I am unable to make outbound calls. 
3. I am unable to receive any incoming calls. 
4. I hear noise on the line that interferes with my conversations. 
5. If a service call is the only solution, help us serve you better. 

1. When I pick up the receiver I do not hear a dial tone. 

• Locate the Home Phone Service modem that is attached to your main phone cord from the wall. (See Fig #1; make and model may vary). If you have High Speed Internet service from Bright House Networks there will be a connection for that as well.

Fig #1 

• Check the modem to see if your equipment has a standby button. If this has been accidentally depressed it can cause loss of dial tone and/or loss of Internet connectivity.
• Check the back of the modem to verify that the phone cord from the wall is plugged into Line 1 and not Line 2. (See Fig #2; location may vary by modem.) If it is plugged into Line 2, please remove it and plug it into Line 1. At this point, check all other connections to the modem – wall phone jacks, power cord, etc. – to be sure they are all plugged in and secure. Also check the round cable wire (coaxial) that comes from the wall to the modem to verify the connection is secure.

Fig #2

• Reset the modem by gently inserting a small object such as a paper clip or pen point into the hole labeled Reset. (See Fig #2.) Please allow 3 - 5 minutes before testing your phone; this will allow the cycle to complete without interruption. Keep in mind that performing this step will not only take your phone offline, it will also cause you to lose your Internet connection.
• If you have another phone such as a second land line (a traditional phone) or a cell phone, call your Bright House Networks Home Phone Service number and make note of any error messages, tones, etc. you may be experiencing. This would also be the information friends or family may have reported to you if they have tried to call your number and were unsuccessful.
• If you still don’t hear a dial tone after resetting the modem or you are getting an error message on inbound calls, please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.

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2. I hear a dial tone but I am unable to make outbound calls.

• Check the back of the modem to verify that the phone cord from the wall is plugged into Line 1 and not Line 2. (See Fig #2; location may vary by modem.) If it is plugged into Line 2, please remove it and plug it into Line 1.
• Verify that your phone is set to tone dialing (touch tone) and not pulse dialing.
• To check for a possible inside wiring issue, remove the telephone cord from the wall jack and take the phone (and the base, if it is a cordless phone) to the Home Phone Service modem. Remove the telephone cord from Line 1 on the back of the modem and set it aside. Take the telephone cord from your phone and plug it into Line 1 on the back of the modem. This should give you a dial tone and enable you to use the phone that you have just connected to the modem. Please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.
• To check for possible equipment issues, take another phone and try it in the same wall jack. Optionally, connect it directly to the modem, as in the previous step above.
• Reset the modem by gently inserting a small object such as a paper clip or pen point into the hole labeled Reset. (See Fig #2.) Please allow 3 - 5 minutes before testing your phone; this will allow the cycle to complete without interruption. Keep in mind that performing this step will not only take your phone offline, it will also cause you to lose your Internet connection.
• If you are still unable to complete calls after resetting the modem, please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.

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3. I am unable to receive any incoming calls. 

• Verify that the ringer on your phone is on or if your phone has a ringer volume control, make sure it is not turned all the way down.
• Check the back of the modem to verify that the phone cord from the wall is plugged into Line 1 and not Line 2. (See Fig #2; location may vary by modem.) If it is plugged into Line 2, please remove it and plug it into Line 1.
• Verify that you hear a dial tone.
• If you have access to another phone, such as a second land line (a traditional phone) or a cell phone, call your Bright House Networks Home Phone Service number and make note of any error messages, tones, etc. you may receive.
• Reset the modem by gently inserting a small object such as a paper clip or pen point into the hole labeled Reset. (See Fig #2.) Please allow 3 - 5 minutes before testing your phone; this will allow the cycle to complete without interruption. Keep in mind that performing this step will not only take your phone offline, it will also cause you to lose your Internet connection.
• To check for a possible inside wiring issue, remove the telephone cord from the wall jack and take the phone (and the base, if it is a cordless phone) to the Home Phone Service modem. Remove the telephone cord from Line 1 on the back of the modem and set it aside. Take the telephone cord from your phone and plug it into Line 1 on the back of the modem. This should give you a dial tone and enable you to use the phone that you have just connected to the modem. Please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.
• To check for possible equipment issues, take another phone and try it in the same wall jack. Optionally, connect it directly to the modem, as in the previous step above.
• If you still cannot receive calls after resetting the modem or you are getting an error message on inbound calls, please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.

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4. I hear noise on the line that interferes with my conversations.

• If you are experiencing this issue while using a cordless phone, check to see that the battery is sufficiently charged. Also, change the channel frequency on your cordless phone if the model you have has this feature. 
• Cordless phones often receive interference from other signal emitting devices such as routers, microwaves, and other electronic equipment. If you are using a cordless phone, make sure you are at least 4 feet away from these devices. 
• If your interference is present or starts at the time you hear a dial tone and occurs on all phones in the home, this is generally related to the house wiring and/or equipment. 
• To check for a possible inside wiring issue, remove the telephone cord from the wall jack and take the phone (and the base, if it is a cordless phone) to the Home Phone Service modem. Remove the telephone cord from Line 1 on the back of the modem and set it aside. Take the telephone cord from your phone and plug it into Line 1 on the back of the modem. This should give you a dial tone and enable you to use the phone that you have just connected to the modem. Please call Customer Care to schedule a free service appointment.
• To check for possible equipment issues, take another phone and try it in the same wall jack. Optionally, connect it directly to the modem, as in the previous step above.

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5. If a service call is the only solution, help us serve you better. 

If you are unable to resolve your problem using these trouble shooting tips, you may need to schedule a service call. Before calling our Customer Care department: 

• Verify that you subscribe to the service you are not receiving.
• Ensure that someone age 18 or older will be home at the time of the service call, and will be able to stay for the duration of the visit. 
• Provide the appropriate phone number where you can be reached, in case our technician needs to speak with you before his arrival.

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