No dial tone. Phone has worked intermittently. Cheched for loose wires etc.

There are a few reasons to get a line in use message; the message indicates that the phone does not detect a dial tone. For a simple corded phone, the problem could be the phone wire, the jack, the wiring between the jack and the incoming service or the service line. For all phone types, I use a simple corded phone for some of the testing. Try a new RJ-11 cord between the jack and the phone. Do you hear a dial tone? Make sure that you didn't use a handset cord in the place of the RJ-11 cable. Try a different phone. If there is a dial tone, replace the first phone. If you have another jack on the same phone line, try using the test phone at that jack. If you have a dial tone at the second jack, you have a wiring problem at the first jack or in the wiring to that jack. If you do not have a dial tone, find your incoming phone service box. If you are lucky, you have RJ-11 jacks inside the box. Plug your test phone into that jack and check for a dial tone. If you have a dial tone, you have a wiring problem. If there is no dial tone, the problem is the outside line. If you have a DSL line, check the DSL filter. If it's inside, you may need to replace it. If it's in the service box, ask your phone company to check it.

If you have a cordless phone system, you can have additional problems beyond those for a corded system. Check if the base has power. (Is the power transformer warm or cold?) If that is plugged in and cold, check if there is a switch or circuit breaker that is off. Replace the transformer if the power was good and check the phone again. If the transformer was warm, then check if the handsets were too far from the base. Move into the room with the base and see if the handset and base can communicate. You may want to check the find handset option. If the handset doesn't respond, check if the handset is registered with the base. You may need to replace the phone system. (If it is under warranty, contact Panasonic.)

If you have a problem with a specific jack, you can remove the face plate and check for loose wires. Some jacks use a keystone. These wires will need to be pushed back into the keystone with a push-down tool that is available at most hardware stores in the electrical section. The other type of jack uses screws to secure the wires. You need to strip the conductors and secure them in the correct position. See https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the wiring diagram. (If you have the wires connected to the wrong pins, your phone won't detect the dial tone or the call signals.) If the problem is inside the walls, you may want to have the wiring done by someone else. There will be a service charge but it's often easier than accessing all of the wiring yourself. (If you have a single story home with an open basement to inspect the wiring, then it could be easy.) If the problem is at the service box and outside, then your phone company should fix the problem for free. (Some companies don't won't to do this and may try to sell you a service upgrade if you have copper wiring.)

I've lost dial tone to all of the wired phones from: a contractor who cut a wire while digging and rodents who chewed on the underground wires. A lightning strike took out the DSL filter once and killed the voice line. Since upgrading to fiber optics, I still lost the dial tone intermittently due to a faulty modem in the service box. I've lost a single phone extensions from someone using a handset cord (simple fix) and a service upgrade where the technician didn't connect all of the phone cables to the service box at the end of the job. Since the wire was loose behind the vinyl siding, it was easy to fix.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Check that the base for the cordless phone system has power. If you have power then the problem may be with your telephone wiring in the house or outside. My standard checks start with checking if the jack is working by plugging in an old wired telephone. If there is a dial tone, then there is a problem with the cordless phone base. If there was no dial tone, then I check for dial tone at another jack for the telephone line with the wired phone. If there is a dial tone, then check the wiring for the first jack. There could be loose wires inside the box. The face plate will have either screw terminals or a keystone jack. You will need to strip the wires and secure them for the first type of jack. To secure the wires for the other type of jack, you do not strip the wires. Instead you will need a punch-down tool available at most hardware stores in the electrical section. Note: if there is a DSL filter inside, you may need to replace that. If you recently had a telephone service upgrade, a wire might not have been connected to the service box. Check behind your siding. (We had one phone extension out of four that wasn't connected after a service upgrade.)

If there is no dial tone, then I check the service box. If you have RJ-11 jacks in the service box, then plug in the test phone and check for a dial tone. If there is no dial tone or you can't test the line, contact your telephone company. They should test and fix outside problems for free. (Some companies may try to get you to upgrade to a non-copper line service instead.) Outside problems can be caused by mice or other animals chewing on the wires or a contractor who cut a cable while digging. Similarly a DSL filter in the service box could be damaged. If you have fiber-optic service, then the problem could be with the modem that translates the signal for the POTS line. If you have isolated the problem to an inside wiring problem that isn't at the jack, your telephone company can send a technician to fix a problem in the wall for a fee.

I hope these ideas help.

Cindy Wells
(I've contacted my telephone provider about the mice breaking an underground cable a few times. When my household's fiber-optic modem flaked out, we had intermittent loss of dial tone and internet service. Due to the sporadic nature of the outages, it took a while to realize that we needed to call for the unit to be serviced.)

"Check Tel Line" indicates that no dial tone is heard by the phone. If there are multiple extensions, check that all of the handsets are on their hooks. For cordless phones, make sure that the base has power. After that, you need to check the wiring to determine if the phone is faulty or where the wiring fault is. First, try a new RJ-11 telephone cord between the phone and the jack. (Make sure that a handset cord is not used instead.) If you have a dial tone, you have solved the issue. Next try a different telephone; I like to use an old wired phone always works with POTS (plain old telephone system) wiring. These don't need electrical power and are easy to move between jacks. If there is a dial tone on the second phone, then the first phone has a wiring fault. If it is under warranty, contact the manufacturer for repair.

Next try using the test at another jack for the extension. If there is a dial tone, then the first jack has a fault or the wiring to that jack has a problem. Open the wall plate and check for loose or damaged wires. There are two types of wiring connections - keystone and screws. For the keystone jack, you'll need a punch down tool to push the wire back into the appropriate slot. The tool is available at most hardware stores in the electrical department. Do not strip the insulation. On the other type of jack, strip the insulation and secure the wire under the screw. Use https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx to check which wire should be secured where. Multi-line jacks must have the wires correctly paired.

If there is no dial tone at another jack or you don't have another jack for that line, find the incoming service box. If you are lucky, then the box has RJ-11 terminals. Use the test phone to check for a dial tone. If there is a dial tone, then you have a wiring problem inside. If you can't test the line or there is no dial tone, contact your telephone provider. They should repair outside problems for free; although some will try to sell an upgrade to avoid maintaining the wiring. If it is an indoor wiring problem, you may want to pay to have someone else find the damaged wire in a wall. The telephone company repair crew can do this.

Other possible causes are a damaged DSL filter. If that is inside the home, you have to replace the filter. Filters in the service box should be repaired by the telephone company staff. If you recently had a service box repair, check that all of the wires were properly replaced. My home lost one extension after a service upgrade because that wire was left loose behind the siding on the wall by the contractor. Once we found the loose wire, we plugged it in and solved the problem.

For fiber-optic systems, the problem could be with the modem. That will have to be fixed by the provider. Other problems may be able to reset at the computer at the provider's hub.

Damaged copper wires can be caused by rodents. Above ground wiring could be damaged by vehicles or weather. Underground wiring is damaged by contractors and idiots who dig in the wrong place. If water gets into the copper wiring, it can cause corrosion causing the failure eventually. (With a fiber-optic system, water damage takes incorrectly sealing the connections during the installation.)

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(I've dealt with most of the above, including the loss of the fiber-optic modem. With that, we had intermittent loss of dial tone and the rest of the service. It took longer to diagnose due to the intermittent nature of the problem. We've also had multiple cases of the contractor dug too deep for both copper and fiber-optic underground wiring. A few times, the issue was area-wide since the cut wiring was near the service provider's hub.)

This means that the phone doesn't detect a dial tone. This can be caused by a wiring problem, a service issue or an issue with the phone. A wiring problem could involve the outside wiring or the jack. Sometimes the problem can be as simple as changing the RJ-11 cable between the phone and the jack. (I once saw someone use a handset cord in place of the RJ-11 cable. It didn't work.) Beyond that, you need to check if a different phone works at that jack. I prefer to use an old simple wired phone (no LCD screen, no AC power required). If another phone gets a dial tone, then you know that the problem is with the original phone. Next check if there is a dial tone at another jack for the same phone line, if one is available. If there is a dial tone here, you'll know that the problem is with the first jack or the wiring to that jack. Remove the face plate of the jack and look for a loose wire. These jacks will either have screw terminals or keystones. For the screw terminal type, strip the insulation from the wire and secure the wire under the correct screw. With the keystone, you'll need a punch-down tool available at hardware stores in the electrical section. Do not strip the insulation. Just use the tool to push the into the right spot. See https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the usual wiring pattern.

If no other jacks are available or there is no dial tone at the second jack, find the incoming phone line service box. Open the service box and look for an RJ-11 jack. Make sure that the wires for the inside service are connected to the service line. (I've had the wire for one extension left loose behind the siding after a service upgrade.) If there is an RJ-11 jack, unplug the current cable and plug in the test phone to check for a dial tone here. If there is a dial tone, you have a damaged wire inside the building. If you can't test the line, contact your telephone company. They will test the line for you. Most companies will fix outside wiring problems for free. (There are some who will try to get you to upgrade since they do not want to maintain the POST copper lines.) To fix a wiring problem inside the walls, you may want to hire someone to do the work for you. The phone company is often willing to have their service tech do this for a fee.

If you has a DSL line, check the DSL filter if it is inside. Replace it if it is damaged. This can take out the voice line; I've had this happen after a nearby lightning strike. (If the filter is in the service box, let the telephone company replace it.) For a fiber-optic service, make sure that the back-up UPS has power or is still running to provide power. If this is working, you'll need to contact the service provider. The modem or other hardware has to be fixed.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(I've lost landline service from rodents chewing on underground copper lines or contractors who cut cables while digging between my location and the telephone provider. I've also had a damaged fiber-optic modem. In the last case, we had intermittent short loss of dial tone and network access for several weeks before the problem lasted long to be a clear problem. That's when we called the provider.)

The PNLC1017 is the charger for the handset of some Panasonic cordless phones. One of the compatible handsets is the KX-TGA660 which works with the KX-TG4112 system.

However, the 'Check tel line' message indicates a problem at the base or the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) telephone line. The system is not hearing the dial tone. Check that the power adapter is plugged in to a live outlet and is warm. If it's cold, than the power transformer is not working and the base has no power. If there is power, check if the handset message disappears when the handset is close to the base. This is usually rare but indicates a transmitter/receiver in the handset or base is not communicating properly. You can try to de-register all handsets and then register them again.

To check the phone line, I prefer to use an older corded phone. These don't require power to work. First, try a new phone data cord (RJ-11) between the base and the wall jack. (I've seen someone accidentally use a handset cord which doesn't work.) Test if there is a dial tone when this cord is plugged into the test phone. If there is a dial tone, then if the cordless phone base didn't work with the replacement cord, the base is faulty. Replace it or contact Panasonic if the system is under warranty. If you have a DSL fliter, this may be damaged. If it's inside, replace it. If it is in the service box, ask your telephone provider to check it.

If there is no dial tone, you need to locate the other phone jacks for that phone line. Find where your phone service comes in as well. Check if there is a dial tone on another jack for that phone line. If there is no dial tone, check the service box for an RJ-11 jack, Test for a dial tone there if you can plug in the RJ-11 cable. If you have a dial tone at another jack, then the problem is local to the first jack's wiring. You can open the jack and check for loose wires. There are two styles of jacks - screws or punch-down. For the screw terminal, strip the insulation and wrap it under the appropriate screw. For the punch-down keystone jack, you need a punch-down tool. The tool is available from most home improvement/building supply stores, in the wiring section. Do not strip the wire. Use the tool to press the wire down into the correct slot on the jack. See https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the wiring diagram.

If you can't test the phone line or there is no dial tone at the service box, then you need to contact your telephone provider. It used to be that the provider would always test and fix outside problems for free. Some telephone companies are trying to stop repairing copper wiring. If you have a dial tone at the service box, then the problem is somewhere in the inside wiring. You may want to get someone to find a broken wire in the wall for you. Your telephone company service technicians will do this for a fee.

I hope this helps. I've had the check tel line issue times several times at my home. Twice, the outside line was damaged by mice and repaired by my telephone company. Once, a lightning strike damaged the DSL filter; it was promptly replaced. Other times, the line was damaged by contractors digging too close to the underground utilities. The contractors got the wiring repaired. When our service was switched to a fiber-optic system, we lost one telephone jack when the installer simply didn't plug in the wire. We found the loose wire behind the siding and plugged it into the port in the service box ourselves. Since then, we lost telephone and other service intermittently when the modem card in the service box was failing. That was also replaced by the telephone company technician.

Cindy Wells

Is the power adapter warm? If the power transformer is cold, the base isn't getting power and can't communicate with the handset. Try a new telephone cord between the base and the jack. The cable can fail. (Make sure it's a line cord. I've seen someone plug in a handset cord here and that won't work.) If you have a DSL filter at the jack, you may need to replace it.

For the rest of the phone line diagnostics, I like to use an old wired telephone. Then you don't need to plug in the power adapter at the test locations. Check if you have a dial tone at the jack with the test phone. If you do, then the DECT GAP C601 phone is faulty. If it is, contact the manufacturer if the phone is under warranty (one year). Replace it if it isn't.

If there is no dial tone, use the test phone check for a dial tone at another jack for that line, if available. If you have a dial tone, then the problem is with the wiring to the jack or in the jack itself. Open the wall plate and look for loose wires. If a wire is loose, reconnect it in the correct location. There are two standard connections - screws or keystone jacks. For the screw type, strip a portion of the wire's shielding. Loosen the correct screw. Wrap the wire under the screw and tighten. For keystones, do not strip the shielding. Get a punch-down tool from a hardware store. Use this to push the wire into place. See https://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx (for the US standard wiring pattern).

If there isn't a second jack available or there is no dial tone at that jack, find your telephone service connection. Open the panel if you can and look at the terminals. If there is a RJ-11 connection, plug in your test phone and check for a dial tone. If you have a dial tone here, then the problem is with the wiring inside your building. You may want a professional to find and repair the break in the wires. If you can't test the phone line, contact your telephone company. They should test the line for you. Outside problems should be fixed by the telephone company (in the US) However, some companies are trying to avoid repairing copper wiring.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(My phones have lost dial tone due to nearby digging projects that accidentally cut a line. I've had rodents damage the wiring outside. (I have underground telephone lines.) I've had the DSL filter get damaged; in my case that's outside and the telephone company replaced it. I've also had a contractor fail to connect all of the wires during a service upgrade. Only one jack had no dial tone. It was easy to fish the misplaced wire back up from behind the siding and plug it into the panel. I've even lost dial tone intermittently when the fiber-optic modem card began to fail. That was fixed by the telephone company.)

A "Line in Use" message generally means that there is no dial tone detected. Assuming that all of the handsets are in Standby and any other phones are connected to that line are also on their hooks, then you need to determine why the base isn't getting a dial tone. This can be an inside or outside wiring problem.

I like to use an old wired telephone for testing since power isn't required to use the phone. You also need another RJ-11 telephone wire. Try connecting a new RJ-11 wire between the KX-TGA131 base and the phone jack. If there is a dial tone with the new cable, you had a bad cable. If not, try the alternate phone. If the test phone has a dial tone, then the KX-TGA131 has failed or has a power problem. If the phone is under warranty, contact Panasonic.

If neither phone has a dial tone, take your test phone to another jack connected to the same phone line (number), if available. If you have a dial tone here, then the problem is in the first jack or the wiring to the jack. You can try to repair the jack yourself. Remove the cover plate and look at the jack. If any wires are loose, reconnect them to their appropriate location. See http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx for the usual patterns. There are two types of telephone jacks, keystone and screw terminals. For the keystone type, you need a punch-down tool (available at many hardware stores in the electrical section) to put the wires back in place. Do not strip the individual conductors before using the punch down tool. For screw terminals, strip the wire before securing it under the screw.

If you do not have another jack or there is no dial tone at the second jack, find the incoming telephone service box. Open the box and check the wiring. If you find an RJ-11 jack, plug in your test phone and listen for a dial tone. If there is a dial tone, you have a wiring problem. Check the jacks as above. You may want to have someone else check the wiring in the walls if there are no broken/loose wires in the jacks. Your telephone company will usually offer the service for a fee.

If you can't test the phone line at the service box or there is no dial tone at the service box, contact your telephone company. They will test the service box and should repair outside issues for free. (Some providers are trying to avoid copper repairs.)

If you have DSL, you may need to check the line filter. This filter can disrupt the dial tone when it fails. If the filter is in the interior, you are responsible for the replacement. In my service area, the DSL filter was in the service box so my telephone company repaired it.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(I've had no line issues several times. Sometimes, it was the result of a contractor cutting through underground lines. With copper wire, rodents sometimes damaged those underground wires. Once it was simply an issue of a contractor who'd left one wire loose after upgrading the service.)

This sort of issue requires you to check if the base or the phone line has a problem.

I prefer to use an old corded phone for testing. I also get a new RJ-11 cable. Unplug your phone base from the jack and check for dial tone when you plug in your test phone.

If you get a dial tone on the test phone, try the new cable with your cordless phone. If you still get that message, then the phone has failed. If it is under warranty, contact the manufacturer for repairs. If it is out of warranty, then determine if it is worth fixing or replacing. These phones are not designed to be fixed by the end user.

If you do not have a dial tone, take your test phone to another jack on the phone line. Check if there is a dial tone at that point. If there is a dial tone, the problem is at the first jack or the phone line to the jack.

If you still do not have a dial tone at the second jack, find where your telephone service comes in. Open the box and determine the type of connection used. If you are lucky, it will have RJ-11 connections. Plug your test phone into the jack and check for a dial tone. If you do not have a dial tone at this point, call your telephone company. They will fix the problem for free. If you find that the connection is not an RJ-11 type, call the phone company and have them test the line and repair it if needed.

If you have a dial tone at the service box, then you have an inside wiring problem. Inspect the visible wires for damage. Open the faceplates for the jacks and check for loose wires. There are two types of connectors. Screw type connectors need the wire stripped back a little then wrap around the screw and tighten. The other type is a punchdown jack. To repair a loose wire in this, you will need a punchdown tool. These are often available in hardware/home improvement stores in the wiring section. http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx has clear pictures of the wire color to pin pattern.

You may want a professional to check the wires inside the walls. Your telephone provider will do this for a fee.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(who has had outside phone line problems due to rodents chewing on wires, road crews digging just a little too much, and lightning damaging a DSL filter.)

For this type of problem, you need to isolate the issue. It could be the phone, the inside wiring, or the outside wiring. I like to use an old rotary phone for testing but any basic corded phone should work. Get a new RJ-11 phone cable as well.

Unplug the base unit and plug in the test phone to that jack. Check if you get a dial tone. (Try a new cable if the initial one doesn't work.) If your test phone has a dial tone, then the problem is isolated to the cordless phone. (If the test phone works with the new cable, do check if Uniden works with that cable.) Modern phones are not designed to be fixed by the consumer. If the phone is under warranty, contact Uniden Customer Service. (Otherwise decide if the costs are worthwhile for you; there will be a significant delay before the phone is returned/replaced.)

If you do not get the dial tone, you need to track down the wiring issue. Next move to another jack on the phone line and check if there is a dial tone on your test phone. If there is a dial tone, you have isolated the problem to the jack or the wiring to the jack.

If there is still no dial tone, find where your telephone service comes in to your building. If you can, open the box. Determine the type of connection used there. If you are lucky, you will find a RJ-11 jack for your phone line. Plug in your test phone and check for a dial tone. If there is no dial tone, contact your telephone provider. They will fix this outside problem for free.

If the connection is not a RJ-11 jack, you will need to call the telephone company so that they can determine if the problem is inside or outside.

If you do have a dial tone, then the problem is with the inside wiring. Inspect the visible wires for damage. Open the faceplates for the jacks and check for loose wires. There are two types of connectors. Screw type connectors need the wire stripped back a little then wrap around the screw and tighten. The other type is a punchdown jack. To repair a loose wire in this, you will need a punchdown tool. These are often available in hardware/home improvement stores in the wiring section. http://www.lanshack.com/wire_phone_jack.aspx has clear pictures of the wire color to pin pattern.

You may want a professional to check the wires inside the walls. Your telephone provider will do this for a fee.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

See if you are getting a dial tone from the phone.
-> If you can't, check the line.
-> If you can get a dial tone and successfully call out. Make sure you are not running on a digital phone system, IP phones, using DSL, etc. Fax machines have problems on digital lines and many either won't work without a line scrubber or work intermittantly.