# Silly telephone question



## Guest (Oct 17, 2009)

I live in Queretaro state, and have TelMex telephone service (here when I moved into a rented house).

I have bought both a cordless 5.8GHz phone, and a regular telephone to use in this house, and neither works after I plug them into the TelMex line. No dialtone, nothing. I have to then go back to using the TelMex telephone that was here.

Is there a compatability problem, or have I somehow managed to buy not one, but TWO defective telephones from WalMart?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Does the telephone that came with the house have a dial tone? Is the line active? Has the bill been paid? If you can answer all of those questions in the affirmative, something is wrong with your new phones. If you aren't sure, check with your landlord. The fact that the house has a phone and a phone line doesn't mean that it is active with Telmex. You may have to visit Telmex and open an account.


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2009)

Now you're being silly. Yes, the TelMex telephone has a dial tone, and yes it works. (as stated - " I then have to go back to the TelMex phone that was there"). Of course, the bill is paid. Yes, the house has an account with TelMex. 

I just have a problem talking on the phone immediately inside my front door downstairs, where TelMex originally installed the telephone 10+ years ago, when my computer is upstairs and connected to a different cable internet provider. I had the silly idea that a cordless phone might actually let me talk while working on the computer. Skype doesn't work as well for local calls.

I bought the 2 telephones in two different stores on two different days. I very rarely go to Wal-Mart (or Aurerra as it is called in some stores), so I am not familiar with the quality of the goods they are selling. In other countries, my experience has been that they ship the crap to their international stores, knowing that they won't have to replace defective merchandise they sell, and in that way, they can sell even more. The cordless cost about 800 pesos, and the regular replacement phone cost about 150 pesos in a computer supply store.

And of course, I tossed the receipts immediately. Guess I'm out 950 pesos. I forgot how things are done in Mexico, which is to save every receipt for everything and anything for the next 10 years, because you can never know when you just might need it again). :-(

Looks like I need to buy a third phone, hang on to the receipt, test the phone, and if it doesn't work either, go back yet again to the store for #4 and a test. Or. I could buy a $500 peso cheapo phone from TelMex, and when it doesn't work, call for a tech to come out in a month or two to check on it. One of the blessings of expat life.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Calm down, Carlos. Let's try this: Plug your new phones into the jack where the working phone is located. Test them there. If they work, there is nothing wrong with the phones you purchased.
A portable phone may not work through the thick walls or floors in your dwelling, especially those with a lot of reinforcing steel. I also understand that there are two types of portable phone that operate at different frequencies; our 24 Gz portables work fine. what frequency are yours? I'm not familiar with the various VOIP systems and can't help you with that problem.


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## jlms (May 15, 2008)

GringoCArlos said:


> Now you're being silly. Yes, the TelMex telephone has a dial tone, and yes it works. (as stated - " I then have to go back to the TelMex phone that was there"). Of course, the bill is paid. Yes, the house has an account with TelMex.
> 
> I just have a problem talking on the phone immediately inside my front door downstairs, where TelMex originally installed the telephone 10+ years ago, when my computer is upstairs and connected to a different cable internet provider. I had the silly idea that a cordless phone might actually let me talk while working on the computer. Skype doesn't work as well for local calls.
> 
> ...


Ask TELMEX.

The days in which you were forced to use their handsets only are long over.

They should be able to tell you why the phones you are buying are not working.

Did you test the new phones elsewhere?


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