Engaged tone on phone

[bemahan]

Hi! When I try to make a call on any of our 3 (all different) landline phones I get an immediate engaged tone - even before I've tried to dial. I rent the line through Tiscali but they just give a tel. no. (not a freephone no.) to report it on (very sensible if the whole point is that you haven't got a working phone!!) and I have a Pay as you talk mobile so am reluctant to use it. Have e-mailed their general help contact but automated reply says they hope to call back in 24 hours!! I was just wondering if a) anyboy's come across this problem and has any bright ideas or
b) if anyone knows a more urgent e-mail address for reporting a fault to Tiscali?
Many thanks

[ChuckFickens]

unplug all your phones and any extension leads and then try calling your number, if you get a ringing tone then it's a problem inside your house and not a line fault. if that's the case then start plugging everything back in one by one to see what is causing the problem

[weeal]

could it be the tone which tells you you have a message, like on 1571 or something? it sounds quite like an engaged tone and as soon as you pick up the receiver until you clear the message

[ChuckFickens]

I've just re read the question, I thought it was when you made a call to your phones, but yes as it's a call from your phones it probably is the answer phone message pulsed dial tone your hearing.

[bemahan]

Hi! thanks both. It's definitely not a message tone - definitely an engaged tone. I can't phone in either - If I try to phone in from either another landline phone or my mobile I get a high-pitched tone made of a series of 3 beeps, each of the three beeps is higher than the last. It's a tone I've heard before (?number not recognised?). Not easy to explain over the net!! The tip about unplugging everything was helpful. I did that and then tried phoning in from my mobile and still had the same problem so am pretty sure it's a line fault. Thank you.

[ACtheTROLL]

the joy of saving money - getting tisc out is going to be impossible ---

do you have a calling plan - diverts that sort of thing?

chuck is actually right - you need to prove it out of your house - the only way is to connect directly to the feed
de ja vue http://www.buzzhost.co.uk/nte5.php

if it still does it - it's out ... and you are going to have to report it faulty - if it's in - it's your wiring - you'll have to sort it