Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!killer!vector!telecom-gateway From: thomas@mvac23.uucp (Thomas Lapp) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Two apartments on one telephone line Message-ID: Date: 24 Jun 89 03:19:19 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Reply-To: mvac23!thomas@udel.edu Lines: 37 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 211, message 2 of 7 Here is an interesting situation which I have never heard of before. It occurred to my co-worker who is in the process of moving from one apartment to another one about 8 miles away. She has a roommate who is staying in the old apartment for a short time longer than my co-worker. My co-worker asked for the phone in the new apartment to be connected as soon as possible (the number is to stay the same). I have not asked her, but I assume that she also requested that the old number be disconnected at some date which was later than the request for the new line. The end result is that the new line was connected and the old location is also still connected resulting in two phones in two physically separate locations having the same phone number and both ringing when a call is received. Just thought it was interesting to note, since I didn't know the telco could do that. I just assumed it was one number per line. - tom ============================================================================== uucp: ...!udel!mvac23!thomas ! Internet: mvac23!thomas@udel.edu Location: Newark, DE, USA ! or mvac23%thomas@udel.edu ============================================================================== [Moderator's Note: An 'extension phone' can be hooked up anywhere in the loop. Two or more wire pairs can be wired in parallel from the central office as easily as they can be in your home. What you are describing is how 'answering services' have always been wired. A wire pair to the answering service is attached to your pair in the phone office; you both get the same calls. If you pick up first, the ringing stops on their end. I might add this is how the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CIA also listen to you (assuming authorized taps, of course). When telco is served with a court order to apply a tap to your line, they tie another pair on your line in the office and send it through a coil and off to the FBI. **And they charge both YOU and the FBI for the price of the line!!** No smiley given here. PT]