What if you can't hear them?

If you have a basic phone that can make and receive calls, and you can't hear other voices but others can hear you, you may be able to make a simple repair yourself.

If the phone has a modular (plug-in) handset cord, remove it and replace it with a handset cord that you know works properly. If this solves the problem, congratulations.

If your phone cord is hard-wired rather than modular, you can still replace it, but you'll have to open up the handset and the body of the phone. You won't need any special tools -- just a screwdriver and a longnose pliers.

One indicator that the cord is at fault is to wiggle it at various points from one end to the other. If another person's voice briefly comes back or your hear crackles, you know the cord is bad.

If it's modular cord, there's also a chance of a failure of a jack it plugs into, either in the handset or the base of the phone. Do some wiggling and looking around. We have replacement jacks to fit into the phone base, as well as the handset.

Before you spend any money or get involved in complex surgery, unscrew the earpiece cap. If you just bought an old phone, make sure there actually is a receiver in there, and that it's connected to two wires. If you need a new receiver, you can order one from us.