rent telephone adapter?

G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.
But my VoIP provider "sells" the telephone adapter (TA) to you, and then
the provider turns around and gives you "credit" for the cost. But
obviously they are probably going to change for a replacement if the TA
gets fried.

Why do you suppose they do it this way?
 

Ian

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Apr 5, 2004
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0
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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Rick Merrill <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message news:<FMGdne1HntjMQoDfRVn-sg@comcast.com>...
> Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.
> But my VoIP provider "sells" the telephone adapter (TA) to you, and then
> the provider turns around and gives you "credit" for the cost. But
> obviously they are probably going to change for a replacement if the TA
> gets fried.
>
> Why do you suppose they do it this way?

Well How many posts do you see asking how to unlock ATA/Phone Xyz so I
can use another VOIP supplier? But still saying that some do, BT in
the UK do as do/did many of the US based suppliers. Remember many VOIP
companies are startups and dont have the capital to supply many ATA's
at little cost and also no chance of getting them back.

Ian
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Ian wrote:
> Rick Merrill <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message news:<FMGdne1HntjMQoDfRVn-sg@comcast.com>...
>
>>Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.
>>But my VoIP provider "sells" the telephone adapter (TA) to you, and then
>>the provider turns around and gives you "credit" for the cost. But
>>obviously they are probably going to change for a replacement if the TA
>>gets fried.
>>
>>Why do you suppose they do it this way?
>
>
> Well How many posts do you see asking how to unlock ATA/Phone Xyz so I
> can use another VOIP supplier? But still saying that some do, BT in
> the UK do as do/did many of the US based suppliers. Remember many VOIP
> companies are startups and dont have the capital to supply many ATA's
> at little cost and also no chance of getting them back.
>
> Ian

Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of Renting
it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive route.
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
<rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:

>Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of Renting
>it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive route.

Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter by
not disconnecting the telco wiring.


--
Just sit through this NRA meeting Marge, and if you still
don't think guns are great then we'll argue some more.
-- Homer Simpson
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

In message of Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Rick Merrill writes
>Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.

I've never heard of that. Most ISPs sell the modem to you.

DF
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Most cable companies in the US will rent you a cablemodem for $5/month.

David Floyd wrote:
> In message of Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Rick Merrill writes
>
>> Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.
>
>
> I've never heard of that. Most ISPs sell the modem to you.
>
> DF
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Most home installs are do-it-your-self projects and lightnng protection and
proper grounding may not be done. The OP implied he was thinking about
lighting damage so it may be a problem in his aera. Some protection devices
may block the ADSL signal but newer devices don't. You can also isolate the
modem and PC with transformers designed for comercial use for futher
protection. Use of a wireless link to the PC is another form of protection.
The eazy way out maybe to buy spare modems on ebay and use them as a fuse.
Here Bellsouth offers a 10 day warranty on self installs and one year on pro
installs. Ebay is less than $50 for modems with shipping and Bellsouth is
$120.
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

In message of Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Yaser Doleh writes
>Most cable companies in the US will rent you a cablemodem for $5/month.
>

Exactly!! My point being that are an awful lot of people who think that
everyone lives in the USA or people outside of USA don't count.

>David Floyd wrote:
>> In message of Thu, 24 Feb 2005, Rick Merrill writes
>>
>>> Most internet service providers (ISP) will rent the modem to you.
>> I've never heard of that. Most ISPs sell the modem to you.
>> DF
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

DevilsPGD wrote:
> In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
> <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>
>> Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
>> Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
>> route.
>
> Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
> connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
> by not disconnecting the telco wiring.

And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
your table lamps into the phone socket..?

BTW here in the UK nobody gives away anything. You either rent things or
buy them. Well some broadband providers have given away cheap USB modems
but I don't count them as nobody with any sense uses them.

Ivor
 
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In message <3875u7F5jelt5U1@individual.net> "Ivor Jones"
<ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote:

>DevilsPGD wrote:
>> In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
>> <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
>>> Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
>>> route.
>>
>> Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
>> connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
>> by not disconnecting the telco wiring.
>
>And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
>your table lamps into the phone socket..?

The why is simple: To replace your phoneline with a broadband phone
service.

I've done this pretty much since the day I got VoIP for everyone in the
house, not just me -- Rather then running phone cables from the ATA
around the house to the various places we needed phone hookups, it's
easier to place the ATA near a point where you can wire it into the
house's wiring and use the house's wiring from there.

After that, the kids can plug their phones in using the jacks in their
rooms, the phone in the living room automatically works, so does the one
mounted on the wall in your kitchen.

It's not that hard to do if you have a bit of basic wiring skills, but
you need to be damn sure that you disconnect the uplink to the telco
even if the line is canceled and even if your telco doesn't provide
voltage on disconnected lines.


--
My news reader can beat up your news reader
 
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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:3875u7F5jelt5U1@individual.net...
> DevilsPGD wrote:
> > In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
> > <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
> >> Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
> >> route.
> >
> > Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
> > connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
> > by not disconnecting the telco wiring.
>
> And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
> your table lamps into the phone socket..?
>
>
I am considering plugging my adaptor into the house phone wiring when I
finally decide on a VOIP provider. Of course, I will disconnect the phone
company's line where it enters the house. The reason for connecting that
ATA to the home's phone wiring is to have a dial tone on existing phones
instead of purchasing a half dozen wireless phones. As for the how, that is
relatively easy. You would just connect the ATA with to a wall jack with an
extension cord. You could also just unplug the phone company's line from
the service entry point box and plug in a line from the ATA.
 
G

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Vox Humana wrote:

> "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> news:3875u7F5jelt5U1@individual.net...
>
>>DevilsPGD wrote:
>>
>>>In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
>>><rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
>>>>Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
>>>>route.
>>>
>>>Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
>>>connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
>>>by not disconnecting the telco wiring.
>>
>>And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
>>your table lamps into the phone socket..?
>>
>>
>
> I am considering plugging my adaptor into the house phone wiring when I
> finally decide on a VOIP provider. Of course, I will disconnect the phone
> company's line where it enters the house. The reason for connecting that
> ATA to the home's phone wiring is to have a dial tone on existing phones
> instead of purchasing a half dozen wireless phones.

re: existing phones: find out how many phones your TA will support (some
support "one" and some "3") and how many REN you have presently.

> As for the how, that is
> relatively easy. You would just connect the ATA with to a wall jack with an
> extension cord. You could also just unplug the phone company's line from
> the service entry point box and plug in a line from the ATA.

If you are in a duplex or apartment house especially make sure to label
the disconnected lines so no one else will reconnect them (for you)!
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

"Rick Merrill" <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:7t6dnYUVloCy6YPfRVn-pA@comcast.com...
> Vox Humana wrote:
>
> > "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
> > news:3875u7F5jelt5U1@individual.net...
> >
> >>DevilsPGD wrote:
> >>
> >>>In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
> >>><rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
> >>>>Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
> >>>>route.
> >>>
> >>>Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
> >>>connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
> >>>by not disconnecting the telco wiring.
> >>
> >>And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
> >>your table lamps into the phone socket..?
> >>
> >>
> >
> > I am considering plugging my adaptor into the house phone wiring when I
> > finally decide on a VOIP provider. Of course, I will disconnect the
phone
> > company's line where it enters the house. The reason for connecting
that
> > ATA to the home's phone wiring is to have a dial tone on existing phones
> > instead of purchasing a half dozen wireless phones.
>
> re: existing phones: find out how many phones your TA will support (some
> support "one" and some "3") and how many REN you have presently.
>
> > As for the how, that is
> > relatively easy. You would just connect the ATA with to a wall jack with
an
> > extension cord. You could also just unplug the phone company's line
from
> > the service entry point box and plug in a line from the ATA.
>
> If you are in a duplex or apartment house especially make sure to label
> the disconnected lines so no one else will reconnect them (for you)!
>

I don't live in a multi-unit dwelling so the reconnection issue shouldn't be
a problem. Since I am new to this, I'm not sure I understand your point
about how many phones the adapter will support. I keep reading that most
have two jacks. I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that a unique phone number
could be assigned to each jack, not that the adapter would support only two
phones. I hadn't thought of looking at the RENS. I see that the closest
ones say 0.0B, 0.1B. 0.7B. What is the "B" all about?

Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they said
that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA. I guess
I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't press
the issue.
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Vox Humana wrote:
.... Since I am new to this, I'm not sure I understand your point
> about how many phones the adapter will support. I keep reading that most
> have two jacks. I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that a unique phone number
> could be assigned to each jack, not that the adapter would support only two
> phones. I hadn't thought of looking at the RENS. I see that the closest
> ones say 0.0B, 0.1B. 0.7B. What is the "B" all about?
>
> Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they said
> that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA. I guess
> I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
> numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't press
> the issue.

The telephone adapter (TA) can only drive so many loads, usually fewer
phones than the POTS (plain old telephone system) line could drive. Ask
the prospective VoIP providers what REN they support and they probably
do not know! They are told (usually) to tell you to buy a cordless phone
with multiple handsets (i.e. have the TA drive one phone base).

The VoIP providers can have several lines (phone numbers) go to a single
TA.

The two jacks are the equivalent of a two-line house: each drives one
phone number to one (sometimes more) phones.

Bottom line: choose a provider; disconnect ALL your incoming lines;
attach a single phone to the AT (or ATA) and get it going; then you can
hook it to your house hold wiring.
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

The B is for Bell.
Analog phones lines increase the current to trigger the ringer. The ringer
used to be a physical bell.
Your 0.0B is most likely a cordless phone which uses house power to run, so
doesn't have a power draw when ringing.
Also, if you turn off the ringer on a phone, you can disregard the REN.
I used to use a 3Com ISDN TA for voice and it would only power 4 ringing
phones. Adding a 5th phone would cause them all to not ring. Switching off
the ringer on the 5th phone fixed the problem. It had a REN of 3, but some
of my phones had a REN of below 1.

--
Steven BerkHolz
Send to Domain TESCOGroup dot com, username SB

Note: you may also want to know that you should never send mail to:
blacklist-my-ip@admins.ws
info@dautrap.uceprotect.net
listme@sorbs.net
spamtrap@sandes.dk
spamtrap@stop.mail-abuse.org
spamtrap@frankenbiker.de
spamtrap@blars.org
"Vox Humana" <vhumana@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:HovTd.10039$Sa6.2477@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>
> "Rick Merrill" <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:7t6dnYUVloCy6YPfRVn-pA@comcast.com...
>> Vox Humana wrote:
>>
>> > "Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
>> > news:3875u7F5jelt5U1@individual.net...
>> >
>> >>DevilsPGD wrote:
>> >>
>> >>>In message <XoSdnfGZK5Ri24PfRVn-gw@comcast.com> Rick Merrill
>> >>><rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>>Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of
>> >>>>Renting it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive
>> >>>>route.
>> >>>
>> >>>Because they don't want to be responsible when the customer tries to
>> >>>connect the ATA to their house's internal wiring, fries the adapter
>> >>>by not disconnecting the telco wiring.
>> >>
>> >>And why (or even how) would anyone even want to do that..? Do you plug
>> >>your table lamps into the phone socket..?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> > I am considering plugging my adaptor into the house phone wiring when I
>> > finally decide on a VOIP provider. Of course, I will disconnect the
> phone
>> > company's line where it enters the house. The reason for connecting
> that
>> > ATA to the home's phone wiring is to have a dial tone on existing
>> > phones
>> > instead of purchasing a half dozen wireless phones.
>>
>> re: existing phones: find out how many phones your TA will support (some
>> support "one" and some "3") and how many REN you have presently.
>>
>> > As for the how, that is
>> > relatively easy. You would just connect the ATA with to a wall jack
>> > with
> an
>> > extension cord. You could also just unplug the phone company's line
> from
>> > the service entry point box and plug in a line from the ATA.
>>
>> If you are in a duplex or apartment house especially make sure to label
>> the disconnected lines so no one else will reconnect them (for you)!
>>
>
> I don't live in a multi-unit dwelling so the reconnection issue shouldn't
> be
> a problem. Since I am new to this, I'm not sure I understand your point
> about how many phones the adapter will support. I keep reading that most
> have two jacks. I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that a unique phone number
> could be assigned to each jack, not that the adapter would support only
> two
> phones. I hadn't thought of looking at the RENS. I see that the closest
> ones say 0.0B, 0.1B. 0.7B. What is the "B" all about?
>
> Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they
> said
> that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA. I
> guess
> I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
> numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't
> press
> the issue.
>
>
 
G

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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Rick Merrill wrote:

>> Well How many posts do you see asking how to unlock ATA/Phone Xyz so I
>> can use another VOIP supplier? But still saying that some do, BT in
>> the UK do as do/did many of the US based suppliers. Remember many VOIP
>> companies are startups and dont have the capital to supply many ATA's
>> at little cost and also no chance of getting them back.
>>
>> Ian
>
>
> Let me rephrase that: why do they Give Away the TA instead of Renting
> it? In other words they have gone the capital intensive route.

Well, it's not so much a giveaway in many cases. They've actually
followed a route very similar to US cell phone companies, where the
equipment is actually subsidized to the user, and it just seems like it
was given away.

Take for instance, Packet8. They will give you a "free" router in the
mail, but you must pay for shipping (the cost of which is heavily
padded) and about $20 for "activation," which could have been justified
back in the day when humans actually had to do manual labor to get phone
service set up for an end user, but considering that in the age of VoIP,
the end user is now doing the installation of the device AS WELL AS
inputting all of the account info in a web form and activating the
account themselves over the web, this fee is really all profit and no
labor for the VoIP provider.

Add to this the notion that in Packet8's case, the end user has
effectively agreed to commit to a year of service (it used to be six
months), or else they get charged a $59 termination fee when the account
is closed. You can bet this fee is to recoup the "loss" of their
device, and that they presume that after one year of paid service they
have garnered enough income to offset the cost of the equipment.

Other providers do things a bit differently. Vonage's retail operation
charges $50 for the adapter, but offers a $50 rebate. Vonage, just like
any other company that offers discounts through mail-in rebates, knows
that the actual follow-through rate of such rebate programs is very low.
While us savvy bargain hunters have no problems clipping UPC labels
and filling out forms *just so* such that they're not deemed ineligible,
most of the general public will either forget about the rebate, not
follow the instructions and get disqualified, or decide it's too much
work. And for those of us that DO claim our rebates (or orders online
directly through Vonage), Vonage still catches us with the activation
fee (which is again, free money).

In short, I wouldn't worry too much about VoIP providers going out of
business by giving away adapaters. Most of them partially recoup the
cost right away through other startup fees, and the rest is recovered in
the profits obtained through the monthly service fee over time (probably
about 3-5 months in reality).

--
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Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
 
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Rick Merrill wrote:

>> I am considering plugging my adaptor into the house phone wiring when I
>> finally decide on a VOIP provider. Of course, I will disconnect the
>> phone
>> company's line where it enters the house. The reason for connecting that
>> ATA to the home's phone wiring is to have a dial tone on existing phones
>> instead of purchasing a half dozen wireless phones.
>
>
> re: existing phones: find out how many phones your TA will support (some
> support "one" and some "3") and how many REN you have presently.

Some are now supportuing a REN of up to 5, such as the Linksys PAP2.


--
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Vox Humana wrote:


> Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they said
> that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA.

There appears to be a disconnect (pardon the pun)between you and the
VoIP provider over semantics. A "number" in VoIP doesn't necessarily
have to have its own separate phone line to operate.

What the VoIP provider is talking about are virtual numbers. Think of
these as numbers with a permanent call fowarding setting to your "real"
phone number. They don't have lines of their own and you can't call out
from one of these numbers, but if someone calls such a number, they will
cause your "real" phone line to ring.

What you are probably talking about are actual phone lines, each
assinged one number (and one only) and through which outgoing calls can
be made from. Generally, most ATA I've seen support only one or two
real phone lines.

> I guess
> I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
> numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't press
> the issue.

You should be fine then. You'll have a phone line with the phone number
you're porting, and then the 800 number will "ring to" that same line.

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"Rick Merrill" <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:3KidnQlCEudjgoLfRVn-ow@comcast.com...
> Vox Humana wrote:
> ... Since I am new to this, I'm not sure I understand your point
> > about how many phones the adapter will support. I keep reading that
most
> > have two jacks. I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that a unique phone
number
> > could be assigned to each jack, not that the adapter would support only
two
> > phones. I hadn't thought of looking at the RENS. I see that the
closest
> > ones say 0.0B, 0.1B. 0.7B. What is the "B" all about?
> >
> > Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they
said
> > that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA. I
guess
> > I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
> > numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't
press
> > the issue.
>
> The telephone adapter (TA) can only drive so many loads, usually fewer
> phones than the POTS (plain old telephone system) line could drive. Ask
> the prospective VoIP providers what REN they support and they probably
> do not know! They are told (usually) to tell you to buy a cordless phone
> with multiple handsets (i.e. have the TA drive one phone base).
>
> The VoIP providers can have several lines (phone numbers) go to a single
> TA.
>
> The two jacks are the equivalent of a two-line house: each drives one
> phone number to one (sometimes more) phones.
>
> Bottom line: choose a provider; disconnect ALL your incoming lines;
> attach a single phone to the AT (or ATA) and get it going; then you can
> hook it to your house hold wiring.

Thanks. I looked at the documentation for the Lynksys ATA used by Teliax
and it says it has a REN of 5. Can I assume that if I add up the RENS of
all my phones, they need to be under 5? My plan is to get an 800 number and
get everything working. Then, I will have the home number ported over,
disconnect the phone company line where it enters the house, and replace it
with a line from the ATA.
 
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Vox Humana wrote:
> "Rick Merrill" <rick0.merrill@gmailNOSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:3KidnQlCEudjgoLfRVn-ow@comcast.com...
>
>>Vox Humana wrote:
>>... Since I am new to this, I'm not sure I understand your point
>>
>>>about how many phones the adapter will support. I keep reading that
>
> most
>
>>>have two jacks. I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) that a unique phone
>
> number
>
>>>could be assigned to each jack, not that the adapter would support only
>
> two
>
>>>phones. I hadn't thought of looking at the RENS. I see that the
>
> closest
>
>>>ones say 0.0B, 0.1B. 0.7B. What is the "B" all about?
>>>
>>>Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they
>
> said
>
>>>that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA. I
>
> guess
>
>>>I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
>>>numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't
>
> press
>
>>>the issue.
>>
>>The telephone adapter (TA) can only drive so many loads, usually fewer
>>phones than the POTS (plain old telephone system) line could drive. Ask
>>the prospective VoIP providers what REN they support and they probably
>>do not know! They are told (usually) to tell you to buy a cordless phone
>>with multiple handsets (i.e. have the TA drive one phone base).
>>
>>The VoIP providers can have several lines (phone numbers) go to a single
>>TA.
>>
>>The two jacks are the equivalent of a two-line house: each drives one
>>phone number to one (sometimes more) phones.
>>
>>Bottom line: choose a provider; disconnect ALL your incoming lines;
>>attach a single phone to the AT (or ATA) and get it going; then you can
>>hook it to your house hold wiring.
>
>
> Thanks. I looked at the documentation for the Lynksys ATA used by Teliax
> and it says it has a REN of 5. Can I assume that if I add up the RENS of
> all my phones, they need to be under 5?

That's right. As another mentioned, you can also turn off ringers.

> My plan is to get an 800 number and
> get everything working. Then, I will have the home number ported over,
> disconnect the phone company line where it enters the house, and replace it
> with a line from the ATA.

Sounds good.
 
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"BerkHolz, Steven" <spamtrap@Astrumtech.com> wrote in message
news:421f47a8@x-privat.org...
> The B is for Bell.
> Analog phones lines increase the current to trigger the ringer. The
ringer
> used to be a physical bell.
> Your 0.0B is most likely a cordless phone which uses house power to run,
so
> doesn't have a power draw when ringing.
> Also, if you turn off the ringer on a phone, you can disregard the REN.
> I used to use a 3Com ISDN TA for voice and it would only power 4 ringing
> phones. Adding a 5th phone would cause them all to not ring. Switching off
> the ringer on the 5th phone fixed the problem. It had a REN of 3, but
some
> of my phones had a REN of below 1.
>

Thanks. Yes, most of my phones are cordless and have very low RENs except
for the fax machine. Two already have the ringers turned off, so I think I
will be well below the 5REN specified in the ATA's documentation.
 
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"Isaiah Beard" <sacredpoet@sacredpoet.com> wrote in message
news:111v5m89quap820@corp.supernews.com...
> Vox Humana wrote:
>
>
> > Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they
said
> > that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA.
>
> There appears to be a disconnect (pardon the pun)between you and the
> VoIP provider over semantics. A "number" in VoIP doesn't necessarily
> have to have its own separate phone line to operate.
>
> What the VoIP provider is talking about are virtual numbers. Think of
> these as numbers with a permanent call fowarding setting to your "real"
> phone number. They don't have lines of their own and you can't call out
> from one of these numbers, but if someone calls such a number, they will
> cause your "real" phone line to ring.
>
> What you are probably talking about are actual phone lines, each
> assinged one number (and one only) and through which outgoing calls can
> be made from. Generally, most ATA I've seen support only one or two
> real phone lines.
>
> > I guess
> > I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
> > numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't
press
> > the issue.
>
> You should be fine then. You'll have a phone line with the phone number
> you're porting, and then the 800 number will "ring to" that same line.

That makes sense. The virtual numbers would all go to one actual physical
connection and ring on the same phone. Since the ATA has two phone jacks,
I assume that I could have one line assigned to each jack and theoretically
carry on two simultaneous conversations, and perhaps conference the two
lines. Does that seem right?
 
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Vox Humana wrote:
> "Isaiah Beard" <sacredpoet@sacredpoet.com> wrote in message
> news:111v5m89quap820@corp.supernews.com...
>
>>Vox Humana wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Also, I called the VOIP provider that I was most interested in and they
>
> said
>
>>>that they could assign as many number as I wanted to a single ATA.
>>
>>There appears to be a disconnect (pardon the pun)between you and the
>>VoIP provider over semantics. A "number" in VoIP doesn't necessarily
>>have to have its own separate phone line to operate.
>>
>>What the VoIP provider is talking about are virtual numbers. Think of
>>these as numbers with a permanent call fowarding setting to your "real"
>>phone number. They don't have lines of their own and you can't call out
>>from one of these numbers, but if someone calls such a number, they will
>>cause your "real" phone line to ring.
>>
>>What you are probably talking about are actual phone lines, each
>>assinged one number (and one only) and through which outgoing calls can
>>be made from. Generally, most ATA I've seen support only one or two
>>real phone lines.
>>
>>
>>>I guess
>>>I don't understand how that works. Since I am only interested in two
>>>numbers - my local number being ported over and a 800 number, I didn't
>
> press
>
>>>the issue.
>>
>>You should be fine then. You'll have a phone line with the phone number
>>you're porting, and then the 800 number will "ring to" that same line.
>
>
> That makes sense. The virtual numbers would all go to one actual physical
> connection and ring on the same phone. Since the ATA has two phone jacks,
> I assume that I could have one line assigned to each jack and theoretically
> carry on two simultaneous conversations, and perhaps conference the two
> lines. Does that seem right?
>
>
That will depend on the software of TA and the VOIP service provider.
 
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Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

Yaser Doleh wrote:
> Vox Humana wrote:

[snip]

>> That makes sense. The virtual numbers would all go to one actual
>> physical connection and ring on the same phone. Since the ATA
>> has two phone jacks, I assume that I could have one line assigned
>> to each jack and theoretically carry on two simultaneous
>> conversations, and perhaps conference the two lines. Does that
>> seem right?
> That will depend on the software of TA and the VOIP service
> provider.

I don't know of an ATA that will allow conferencing of the two phone
ports. However a 2-line phone such as the BT Converse 2025 will do this.

See www.shop.bt.com/invt/caw112

Ivor
 
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"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:389s3bF5kkqjnU1@individual.net...
> Yaser Doleh wrote:
> > Vox Humana wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> >> That makes sense. The virtual numbers would all go to one actual
> >> physical connection and ring on the same phone. Since the ATA
> >> has two phone jacks, I assume that I could have one line assigned
> >> to each jack and theoretically carry on two simultaneous
> >> conversations, and perhaps conference the two lines. Does that
> >> seem right?
> > That will depend on the software of TA and the VOIP service
> > provider.
>
> I don't know of an ATA that will allow conferencing of the two phone
> ports. However a 2-line phone such as the BT Converse 2025 will do this.
>
> See www.shop.bt.com/invt/caw112
>

Yes. I was thinking about using a 2 line phone to conference the lines.
It's really not something that I would do often, but if I had the
capability, I might use it. Looking at the Linksys PAP2 ATA, the
documentations say that unique numbers can be assigned to each phone jack.
Never having dealt with this, it is hard to understand exactly what you can
and can't do. What really pisses me off is that the ATAs are locked to a
particular VOIP provider. I think if I purchase a device, it should be
useable on any compatible service. I can't imagine that this won't be
challenged. It in no different than when the phone company compelled you to
buy (or lease) equipment exclusively from them.