Why is my phone flashing "in use"?

I have a question that I have (so far) not been able to find an answer to:

My cordless phone (landline) has started showing that it is 'in use' several times a day and night. It first caught my eye about 6 weeks ago and it is happening regularly. It usually happens once in the morning before 9 a.m. then midafternoon, 3-ish. I notice that now it is happening at about 8 p.m., 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.. Never precisely on the dot, but a few minutes after or before the hour.

What is the cause of this? I have tried to google and see if the phone companies do some kind of 'line open' checks, but I cannot find any info. I am willing to believe that it may be something like this, but it is very odd that I have never noticed this before the past 6-8 weeks.

My cordless base sits underneath my television on my bedroom wall, which is directly opposite my bed. That makes it very noticeable when it blinks, and I am just noticing this phenomenon. It blinks for 8 counts, or about 6 seconds. The other base is right at my left elbow as I sit here at my computer desk, and I have seen it doing it, too.

It is starting to freak me out a little. Maybe I have just been so unobservant that I never noticed it before , even tho I have owned these phones for 2 years now. They are located in the same places that they have always been.

I hope someone with better skills than me can give me a good answer about this. Otherwise, what the heck could it be?

Oh, and the phones are both v-tech dect 6.0 cordless phones, model no. cs6114. No bells, no whistles, not even an answering machine. And maybe this is a weird forum for this, but I didn't know where else it would fit!

What else is connected to that phone line, is my first question. In particular, do you have Dish or other Satellite TV? Cable? Satellite is the worst about it though. It phones home when it feels like it for software updates (and more, if you ask me). Just a thought

If you were concerned because of technical issues you would have used a different site IMO.

But no...you are thinking that you are being watched and listened to because the NSA is out there. Ask yourself, why? Are you important? And if you are indeed a danger to all, why would you be on here talking about it?

So, either you are right and they have you in their cross hairs or your phone needs replacing.

Or...

aw crap, I don't know. Just take the light out.

Peace

reply to post by jennybee35


The most common answer is that you have a voicemail waiting. I know it sounds silly, but yeah.

Other than that if your landline is VOIP it could just be glitch in the matrix. Mine does that all the time.

~Tenth

Someone with the same phone whose changed its internal switches to match yours could be using your phone line to make calls. Check your phone bill.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


My phones are not connected to anything other than phone jacks. I have Directv, but I won't hook our phone lines up to the t.v.s because I don't allow P.P.V. here. Netflix and redbox are way cheaper!! LOL The Directv people are never happy about that because they cannot send updates or messages, I have to deal with all of that online.

I have wireless internet, no phone connection. Could some of these things be he cause?

reply to post by jude11


I purposely did NOT mention any 'spooky stuff' because that would be ludicrous. But yeah, thanks for that insight.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I don't have any type of voicemail.I don't even use AT&T as a service provider, I have Budget Home Phone for my home. But aren't the same phone lines used regardless of who you pay your bill to?

I see that most everyone here is thinking "NSA" or similar. Why? I am a rural LA dweller, with cows and chickens, cats dogs and kids. I have nothing, I mean NOTHING that they could possibly be interested in.

I thought that maybe someone would know if the big phone companies ran some sort of 'line checks' that opened the line for a few seconds several times a day. But that sounds weird too, I guess.

reply to post by VoidHawk


But how close would they have to be to do such a thing? I have no neighbors, at all, for about 1/2 mile in all directions!

And it would be some extremely SHORT conversation at 6 seconds!!

reply to post by jennybee35


You said it's a cordless phone and you have wireless internet. I'm not a big techie but that's where I would begin looking for answers. Is your phone picking up something from the wireless internet signal?

How old is the phone? Could simply be it's time to buy a new phone.

reply to post by playernumber13


It's two seperate phones in two seperate rooms of the house. They are the same make and model phone. They are about 1.5 to 2 years old. I cannot see how my wireless internet could have anything to do with my landline phone??


Well, I had hoped that it would be a quick, easy answer. If I were to go to a techie forum, as Jude suggested, I would have to post a question and wait for some answers (if anyone ever got back to me.) ATS is a go-to for some of us. There is always someone here, usually willing to help you out, even if it seems like silliness to some.

It's not like I come here often and act like I am being pursued by rogue agents out to 'get me', for pete's sake.....

maybe there is something in the area that is on the same frequency as your cordless phone? There should be a button on the phone to change the channel (frequency) that the phone is using, try changing the channel and see if that helps.

reply to post by Tardacus


I can't find anything that indicates that I can change the channel on these cheapy phones.

reply to post by jennybee35


You said they are cordless phones. Is it not possible they are picking up a signal from your wireless network?

I would try changing the channel like the other member suggested. Process of elimination.

edit - nevermind the channel thing then.

Originally posted by jennybee35
reply to post by Tardacus

 

I can't find anything that indicates that I can change the channel on these cheapy phones.

Ignore my earlier post, didnt realise you lived so remotely

Have you looked under the batteries? there's usually a little row of switches. If you alter them you'd have to do the same to the base station.

They are tracking you! Quick, break the phone and hide in a closet!

reply to post by VoidHawk


There is only one button on the base of these phones: the 'find handset' button. Just pried the back off of the handset, no switches under battery.

What else can I google to see about this? Any ideas? I get all sorts of gobbledy-gook about everything but what I am looking for......

reply to post by TsukiLunar



Hilarious, just really hilarious.........

And I would have to break two, TWO phones! I am not gonna throw out 19 bucks just like that!!

reply to post by jennybee35

If I were you I'd be checking my phone bill. If there's nothing out of the ordinary then it does prove nothing bad is happening.

Dont want to worry you, but sometimes the police etc turn them on so they can use them as a microphone to listen to you.
Try making rude noises next time it displays its in use

reply to post by jennybee35


It's possible that other wireless devices could be tripping your phone, but I wouldn't think it likely. Simple frequency interference shouldn't be enough to actually have your phone DO something. I mean, connection issues while you're using it from that would make sense, but not seeing it actually perform a function, like engage the line?

The next step I'd take in your position is real simple but I'd say, real important. Get a wired phone. Cheap will work fine and Walmart ought to have a $5 or $10 piece of junk. It doesn't need to be used after this. Even a yard sale phone? Maybe $1 there.

Hook it into the area closest to where you normally work/sit to see this happen. (get a splitter if necessary with phone line to reach) Next time you see your phones do something, immediately pick up the wired phone, as an unrelated extension, and see yourself....is it REALLY engaging the line? Do you have dial tone on the wired phone? If yes, then your cordless phones are going screwy on ya for something ...could be a meaningless glitch.

However...if you pick up the wired phone and find NO dial tone, then your wireless IS engaging the line somehow ...and it's time to replace them if you can find no other obvious reason for this. I'd never trust a system again that I caught doing this. That's my take.