Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!texbell!chinacat!telecom-gateway From: lars@salt.acc.com (Lars J Poulsen) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Phone Wiring and Voltage Levels in Britain/Ireland Message-ID: Date: 28 Nov 89 17:11:14 GMT Sender: news@chinacat.Lonestar.ORG Reply-To: Lars J Poulsen Organization: Advanced Computer Communications, Santa Barbara, California Lines: 58 Approved: telecom-request@chinacat.lonestar.org X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 535, message 5 of 7 In article pat@cs.cornell.edu writes: >I'm thinking of taking a cordless phone from the US to my parents in >Dublin, Ireland. > 1) Will it work (ie are signal levels compatible) Undoubtedly. Telephone systems are pretty universal; actually they may be the most standard technology around. The biggest question is pulse dialing: - UK uses a different dial layout from the rest of Europe and the USA. I would expect Ireland to follow England in this respect. In the US, a "1" is a single pulse, and "0" is ten pulses. In the UK, a "0" is a single pulse, "1" is two pulses, and so on, until "9" which is ten pulses. To find out the status of this, ask your parents to look at the dials on rotary telephones. If "0" is to the left of "9" rather than to the right of "1", then dialling in pulse mode may require translation of the keys. This is usually not convenient for older people. - Tone dialing is the same. But Ireland may not have universal tone service. (UK has a large percentage of pulse-only lines; would expect Ireland to be in the same boat.) > 2) How do I connect it? My parents do not have modular sockets. The >phone line is terminated in a black box about 3" by 3" by 1". The >cord from the P&T supplied telephone terminates in what looks like an >oversize headphone jack that is plugged into this black box. It >appears to carry 4 connections (three signals and ground, I presume). >(I'm pretty sure that the Irish phone system will use the same signal >levels, etc. as the British one.) Probably the lines are two-wire service. The third non-ground is probably only used on feature-rich business lines. What I have done in a similar situation a few years ago was to buy a modular phone extension cord (cord and coupler) and buy a extension cord; then cut both in the middle and splice with a soldering iron and electrician's tape. Wherever the phone company has a monopoly on Customer premise Equipment, this is the only simple and legal way to get a connector. >Any advice or hints that people have to offer would be appreciated. >PS Yes, I realise that I'll need a 220->110 transformer. I would try to discourage you from doing this. A cordless phone includes two radio transmitters, and all European PTTs take a VERY dim view of unlicensed broadcasting. If a cop picks your parents' phone up on a scanner and tracks them down, they would be liable to a fine of about $2500 to $5000 and forfeiture of the equipment. Plus the phone company might decide to terminate their service. Does the Irish PTT offer cordless phones ? If so, there would be much less danger of being caught. / Lars Poulsen (800) 222-7308 or (805) 963-9431 ext 358 ACC Customer Service Affiliation stated for identification only My employer probably would not agree if he knew what I said !!