Your Own Telephone Installation Business

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Rather than carry a large selection of prefabricated extension cords in inventory, though, I suggest that you invest in a roll of wire and a crimping tool. That implement should cost less than $10, and the plugs sell for about 25¢ apiece. It only takes a minute to cut the cord to length and attach the connectors, and you'll save inventory and impress your customer with a custom installation. (Don't forget to charge a little extra for this service!)

After you've connected the phone, lift the receiver and listen for the dial tone. Then call a friend or the operator for a final check on the quality of the line. If there is no tone or if your call won't go through, you have a problem.

REPAIRS

And this brings us to the second of the services you can offer: telephone repair. There are two ways in which you could become involved in repairs. First, it could be that your installation is at fault, in which case, of course, you'd be obliged to fix it at no charge. Then again, you might be called out to repair a phone that's gone dead.

The best way to test a telephone line is simply to attach a phone to it and listen for a dial tone. Don't, however, rely on the integrity of the customer's equipment for this test. You can purchase a plug-in phone from any hardware or discount store for under $10, and I recommend that you carry one at all times.

Plug your test phone into the jack, then listen. If the tone is missing, it's a safe bet that the problem is in the line. Check your work before examining the phone company's input block. (It also wouldn't hurt to ascertain that service actually has been turned on to the customer; this could save you a lot of time.)

If you've determined that the problem is in the customer's wiring, start at the beginning and trace the circuit, looking for breaks, shorts, and crossed wires. An inexpensive volt/ohm meter (VOM) can be very helpful at this stage. Also look for broken connectors and defective parts. If you have any doubts about a part, replace it.

In the event that you decide that the phone company's wires are at fault, contact their office, and they'll make the repair free of charge. just be reasonably sure that your diagnosis is correct, because if they find the problem to be in your work in the house wiring, the customer will have to foot the bill. And that will reflect badly on you.

A timesaving (and possibly face-saving) device that's just come out is a telephone analyzer made by B&K Precision. This inexpensive ($19.95) meter tests all the functions of a phone line and quickly pinpoints any faults. It's easy to use and does not require batteries.

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