Troubleshooting Your Phone Line

If you have no dial tone on your phone line, the trouble could either be caused by an issue in the outside equipment, an issue with the inside wiring, or an issue with a piece of equipment such as a cordless phone. The steps below can help determine the source. You will need a corded phone for Steps 2.

Please note if the trouble is in our outside equipment there is never a charge. However, if the trouble is determined to be your inside wiring, charges would apply, so please ask us about adding our Wire Protection service to help keep you connected and protected!

Step 1 – Phone Set Test:

Test another phone to determine that the problem is not with your telephone set. Often cordless sets cause interference on the line that can affect your dial tone.
Unplug any phones – corded and uncorded from the jack.
Make sure to unplug any cordless bases from the electrical outlets too.
Wait one minute.
If you do have a corded phone, plug that phone in first to see if dial tone returns. If it does, you can plug your remaining phones back in one by one to verify if one particular phone is causing the issue.
If you don’t have a corded phone, you can still trying plugging the cordless phones back in one by one.

Step 2 – Testing at the Network Interface Device (NID):

Locate the Network Interface Device (NID). It is mounted on the side of the house, typically next to your electric meter, and is labeled “network interface device.” There will be an arrow for “customer access,” and you will have to unscrew it to open it.
Once open, there is a horizontal cover on the bottom right side that opens up to expose a piece a black phone cord that is plugged into a jack.
Remove the cord, and plug it into a corded phone to test the service. If you hear a dial tone and can make a call, the trouble is with your inside wiring or with one of your phones. If you do not hear a dial tone or cannot make a call, the trouble may be with Granite State Communications’ facilities and you should contact the Service Center at 603-529-9931 or help@mygsc.com.
Replace test plug into the test jack.