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Unused BT phoneline still has dial tone.
Technix
29-11-2010
The BT wiring hasn't been used for almost a year as I have VM cable phone so when I plugged into the port I was suprised to find a dial tone. Calling out doesn't work, 1471 says no new caller and 17070 gives me a number for this BT line which you can't ring to from a different phone.
Would it be possible to activate ADSL BB on this line without paying line rental?
chrisjr
29-11-2010
Probably not.

I have yet to see any broadband deal that does not require a fully functioning phone line. Which means getting it re-activated and having to pay line rental.
beerhunter2
29-11-2010
Originally Posted by Technix:
“Would it be possible to activate ADSL BB on this line without paying line rental?”

Not unless it is reactivated. When a line is ceased these days, it is not physically disconnected it is just disabled.
Technix
29-11-2010
Thought not, I did find out a little bit more about "soft dial tone":
Quote:
“This is know as 'soft' dial tone and it supports only '17070' and the RATS line
testing system. Calling into the number will also fail. Basically the line is
OCB and ICB and just carries the juice and dialtone with basic diagnostics.

The 'thinking' behind this is twofold.
(1) It is meant to stop BT engineers 'stealing' the pair of wires that is proper
to your property by making the line look 'live'.
(2) It makes it a software matter to re-provide the line to the premesis if you
so wish.

In reality, engineers still take the pairs that are 'TOS' (even with soft
dialtone) as line plant should be used for paying customers, not those that have
gone, and it's often the only way to provide lines where line plant is short.
They can look these lines up easily on the CSS database system to find them, but
can't sit easily in a joint 'clocking' through them for the old TOS tone.

The 'Soft' dialtone is not just percuilar to system 'x' exchanges, it also
appears on system 'y' too, although the delay between the dialing of a number
and 'dead' tone playing is a little longer on system 'y'.

Depending on how 'busy' your area is the dialtone may stay a week, a month or as
many years as BT decide it's the system they are using. ”

bryemycaz
29-11-2010
At some point in time if BT are doing a repair down your road you might find it ceases some day as BT will disconnect your house feed at the roadside box and re use the rest of the old feed to provide service to someone else. Unless you decide to reenable the line first that is.
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