[vox] [OT] renters question - "snooping" landlord

[Mike Simons]

On Mon, Apr 07, 2003 at 01:51:49PM -0700, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> i believe he might have screwed up our phone while on the roof cutting
> branches.  our phone has an incredible amount of intermittent static.
> i'm reluctant to call the phone company.  on one hand, we never had this
> problem before.  on the other hand, if the phone company doesn't find a
> problem, they penalize you with a $50 fine if the problem exists between
> the cable pair and your phone.   i'm not sure what to do.  

Pete,

  There should be a box attached to the side of your house where the
phone line attaches to and then enters your house.  Normally they are 
a grey color.  I think they are called the 'D-Mark'.  Anyway... open it
up and there should be a phone jack available inside.  Connect a phone
up to it and check for static.  If there is static, then it is a PacBell 
problem... bother them.

    TTFN,
      Mike

ps:
  you can normally disconnect the house wiring from the d-mark box
just to be sure it's nothing inside the house.