smile has had a problem with their phone for years. many times you get what sounds like a fax line. one girl told me several years ago it was because their phone line was plugged into a jack on the atm machine on the premise. no idea if this is/was true...but i just try again. always get through eventually.
or maybe my ol' buddy smiley is jamming their phone lines! he has nothing else to do being banned and all, until he reappears eventually.
JPdM