Telephony issues..., page 1

For some time now, I have experienced problems with my home telephone.

I live in the United Kingdom, so I also have my broadband connection through the line, although this has never had any problems that I am aware of (fortunately).

The point of my post is this:

Recently I was talking to a friend at around eight thirty in the evening. During the conversation there was an audible click, like someone putting the receiver down at the other end. However, neither myself nor my friend had anyone in our respective homes with us that could use another telephone, and we were still having our conversation.

This click clearly distressed my friend, and she immediately broke from the main topic of conversation, and asked me about the click. More to the point, she stated "you weren't kidding about people listening in".

I have been convinced for sometime that an undisclosed third party has been listening to my telephone conversations for some time.

Very recently a development took place that meant when I occasionally called from the house line, my voice would be garbled, so much so that whomever I called would shout down the phone "you sound like an alien", or "cannot understand you"... Putting the phone down and re-dialling always solves that problem.

Anyway, I run my own business, I dabble a little in politics (nothing too deep), and am happily settled with a significant other who doesn't do much but work, and socialise...

I used to have this sort of problem at my last house, and when I moved, earlier this year, I thought that the problem of a 'bad phone line' was being left at the old house. Not so, as the problems followed me to the new house, and the new line.

Anyone have any suggestions?