Every now and then, and on a very constant basis, we get a service call for a problem that is attributed to the office fax machine. The customer receives complaints from callers that the fax machine answers their calls. Customers test this for themselves and agree that calls to their primary phone number are sometimes answered by “their” fax machine.
Unfortunately, the first reaction is to call the phone service provider to check the lines. It seems to be a simple cross connection problem.
“How can the fax machine answer calls when we have a separate fax line?”
But the phone company technician checks the phone lines at the site, to the point of demarcation, and confirms that the lines are not crossed. And even if they have a policy that explicitly states that they would charge the customer if there is no fault on their part, in this situation they may not know why it is happening and cannot blame the customer premises teams.
There is a sure charge if they call the PBX / interconnect service company no matter what!
Anyway … the problem persists, and there is even more frustration. In fact, calls are now cut off after the first ring quite frequently.
Customers who have search lines or overlines do not see this problem unless the callers report it to them. Simply because when the call is dropped for the first time, the 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 assumptions …?
Give up? it’s okay.
Calls are not answered by your office fax machine. In fact, it’s not even another phantom fax machine. It’s the Alarm Panel!
Your alarm monitoring company has connected your equipment to Line 1.
Normally, this alarm panel uses line 1 to send an alarm signal if there is an interruption. It is also configured to answer a call after approximately 8-10 rings from the alarm company in case they need to access the alarm panel for remote programming / resetting, etc.
To put it in simple words, the alarm panel has not worked properly and is answering calls after the first ring. The remote access device in the alarm panel is a modem and that is why the caller hears fax tones.
You will be surprised to know that sometimes it takes at least 2 visits from the telephone company technician who will know nothing and leave in 10 minutes, and 3 visits from different technicians from the PBX / Interconnect service provider to get the right technician who has the right enough experience to tell you this!