Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
tpr520
Enthusiast - Level 1

I removed my old non-working alarm system, cut all the wires attached to it and now my phone is dead, no dial tone. Can someone help me?

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Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you go to your NID there will usually be a white or beige 2 pair wire with a red/green pair and a yellow/black pair. That is the alarm wire. All you really need to do is connect whatever wire that’s connected to the yellow/black pair and connect it wire that’s connected to the red/green pair. 

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Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
jonjones1
Legend

You have two choices. Call the old alarm system company and find out how it was instaled and see what wire you should not have cut. Or call verizon and they can sort out what you did 1-800-VERIZON and they can get your phone up and working again.

it is never wise to just cut wires when you don't know how they are connected.

Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you go to your NID there will usually be a white or beige 2 pair wire with a red/green pair and a yellow/black pair. That is the alarm wire. All you really need to do is connect whatever wire that’s connected to the yellow/black pair and connect it wire that’s connected to the red/green pair. 

Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
jonjones1
Legend

Can you write that again slowly, so I can understand it?

the poster said they cut the wires, and then the phone went out. In the old days of copper phone lines I don't remember if it was yellow/black or red/white but one of them was not even necessary. I could remember when I ran wire for my apartment when I was young. Today I couldn't tell you how the phones work. 

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Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
tpr520
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thanks so much for your help! I was able to figure it out. I only had a blue and a white/blue wires spliced to a green and a white/green wires at the NID. All I had to do was add the green wires to the blue wires at the phone jack. 

Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

@jonjones wrote:

Can you write that again slowly, so I can understand it?

the poster said they cut the wires, and then the phone went out. In the old days of copper phone lines I don't remember if it was yellow/black or red/white but one of them was not even necessary. I could remember when I ran wire for my apartment when I was young. Today I couldn't tell you how the phones work. 


The alarm panel has to be first to seize the line in case if a break-in. Wherever the dial tone originates at the demarc(NID, ONT, Cable modem) there will typically be a two pair wire that runs to the alarm panel. The red/green pair will connect to the dial tone first at the demarc and feed the alarm panel. The alarm panel then feeds back to the demarc on the yellow/black pair and connects to the rest of the inside wire feeding the house. This way if you are on the phone during a break-in the alarm panel will take over the line and dial out to the Alarm Company dispatch center. 

These day alarms can dial out using the cell tower and have a pots line for a backup. Most municipalities will still require landlines for fire alarms and elevator lines

Re: Removed alarm system, now phone won't work.
jonjones1
Legend

Thank you. I just never knew how alarm systems functioned.