How to get phone wiring or jacks repaired
If you need phone wiring or a jack repaired, you might be wondering. Who's responsible for fixing it, and who's responsible for paying for it?
Who's responsible for what
Generally, equipment inside your home is your responsibility, and equipment outside your home is our responsibility.
Basically, if signal isn't getting to your house, then the problem is outside your home. If, however, you have a dial tone on at least one of your jacks — even if it's faint, unclear or intermittent — the problem is most likely inside your home, and your jack(s) and/or inside wiring need to be repaired.
Tip: To figure out whether signal is getting to your home, read "How to troubleshoot for no dial tone on your phone" for step-by-step instructions.
Paying to fix broken jacks or wiring
If you subscribe to one of our maintenance protection plans, there's no fee to have us repair most jack and wiring problems. However, if you don't have one of these plans, you are responsible for all repairs within your home, including finding someone to do the work and paying that person.
Handymen and electricians are usually the ones who handle this kind of repair, and you can find listings for them in the phone book, on the Internet or by asking for referrals. The cost for them to do the work will vary based on what needs to be done and how long the work is likely to take. Most professionals charge an hourly rate as well as a materials fee.
Tips for hiring handymen:
- Shop around for the best combination of prices, skills and availability.
- Interview several candidates, and check references.
- Ask about specializations, training, professional licenses and insurance.
- Beware of scams — especially unsolicited telephone offers.
- Agree on a work schedule — start date/time and end date/time.
- Discuss the cost of the work — including high and low estimates.
- Find out when payment is due and what types of payment are accepted.
- Seek out quality guarantees; they exist and the best companies offer them.
- Get everything (or as much as possible) in writing.
If you'd like to save money, you might be able to do the repair yourself. Start by searching the internet (e.g., "how to repair a telephone jack") to find tutorial videos or articles, see what needs to be done, and decide whether you have the skills to do it.
If you are experiencing service issues and suspect jacks are a problem, we can do the work for you. If you don't have a maintenance protection plan, there will be a fee for the trip and any needed work, but our rates are competitive. Use the Service Troubleshooter tool to find a repair schedule that meets your needs. We’re here to help!