Phantom Fax Machines

Every once in a while, and very consistently, we get a service call out for a problem that is blamed on the office Fax machine. The customer gets complaints from callers indicating that their calls are being answered by the Fax machine. Customers test this themselves and agree that some times calls to their main phone number gets answered by "their" Fax machine.

Unfortunately, the very first reaction is to put a call in to the phone service provider to check out the lines. Seems to be a simple cross connection issue.

"How can the fax machine answer the calls when we have a separate fax line?"

But the phone company technician checks the phone lines at site, right up to the demarcation point, and confirms that the lines are not crossed. And even if they have a policy that explicitly states that they would be charging the customer if there is no fault from their end, in this situation they may not know why its happening and cannot lay the blame on customer premise equipment.

There is a sure-shot charge if they call the interconnect/PBX service company no matter what!

Anyways... the problem remains, and there is even more frustration. In fact, now the calls are getting dropped after the first ring quite frequently.

Customers who are having hunting lines or over-lines, do not see this problem unless callers bring it to their attention. Simply because when the call gets dropped the first time, callers tend to ignore this, and call back immediately, and this time the call rings on Line 2, which works fine.

The problem is always with the First Call coming in on Line 1.

Any guesses...?

Give up? OK.

Its not your office fax machine that answers the calls. In fact it is not even another phantom fax machine. It is the Alarm Panel!

Your Alarm Monitoring company has connected their equipment to Line 1.

Normally this Alarm Panel is using Line 1 to send out an alarm signal if there is a break in. It is also set to answer to a call after about 8-10 rings from the Alarm company in case they need to get access to the Alarm Panel for remote programming/ reset etc.

To put it in simple words, the alarm panel has malfunctioned and is answering calls after the first ring. The remote access device in the alarm panel is a modem and that's why the caller hears fax like tones.

You will be surprised to know that sometimes it takes at least 2 visits from the phone company tech who will not know anything and walk out in 10 minutes, and 3 visits by different technicians from the PBX/Interconnect service provider to get the right technician who is experienced enough to tell you this!

Thanks To : fax machine