BT landline won't work and can't get through to BT to get it fixed

[Spinstar]

My BT landline, which doubles as a personal and business line, has stopped working today and it's like it's engaged all the time - but with no dial tone. I can't phone in on my mobile and I can't phone out.

For the last 18 months or so, it's also been getting more and more crackly and noisy and often I can't hear a caller even if they've left a message on voicemail because of static like interference.

The hassle of getting anyone out stopped me calling their fault line sooner - for the noisy line - but as today we can't even call in or out at all, I tried to register the fault.

I entered all my details on their website fault report form and it kept rejecting my account number - which is weird, as it's definitely correct. So I then phoned the fault line on my mobile and can't get through at all and am left holding for ages and ages and don't have time to keep holding on.

I'm now at my wits end and wonder if anyone knows how to get through to BT more quickly on some unpublished number? Also wondering if anyone can suggest why no incoming or outgoing calls can be placed? It tinged and rang a few rings earlier this morning as if someone was calling and then kept cutting off and now there's no dial tone at all.

Finally, I'm wondering if the noisy line is because of a fault with the external wiring - and therefore covered not by BT but by their other sister company I think called Outreach. Would that mean that even if I can ever get through to BT and get someone out, they'll only say that they can't deal with the fault and I'll have to go through the whole thing again, waiting for another company to sort it? I'm losing business moment to moment as I only publish the landline and not my mobile - so it's really inconvenient.

Anyone had a similar issue and if so, how do you resolve it?

Bt will refer to openreach if needs be but be prepared for a long drawn out process. We repeatedly had to report the same fault only as an engineer said the line was fine and they closed the case. No one would check the exchange until they had ruled out a problem in our socket or at the junction box. Communication via their overseas call centre was dire , fb page gets a UK reply. Do you have a mobile?

I thought Open Reach was just responsible for broadband infrastructure and faults?

OP you could try contacting BT customer care on Twitter?
They have two accounts one for domestic and one for business customers - business should get a speedier response.
They're on
@BTCare
@btbusinesscare

To respond to other questions.

Yes, we've had a dead line which could neither accept nor make calls. We don't rent our line from BT, so we had to get the people we do pay to get in touch with the BT engineers for a repair.

It's complicated because of how the company structure is set up.
So far as I know noise on your line can cause broadband faults and slow speeds or dropped connection, but it might still be a line fault to fix. Broadband can still keep working with a faulty line and so can voice calls. If the fault becomes severe enough to prevent voice calls then broadband will fail too.

The first step is to contact BT business, report the fault and their investigations should determine which engineers respond. I do find social media usually gains a faster answer.
Good Luck.

A couple of quick things to try,

Change the filter on the line or detach it and the router and try a call, i've had one of these cause problems before.

Detach any TV set top boxes (Sky, Tivo etc) and give it a try.

If everything else fails try their online assistance
bt.custhelp.com/app/chat/contact_chat/queue_id/275/c/5638,5639

8am to 9pm Monday to Friday
8am to 8pm Saturday & 8am to 6pm Sunday