Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!apple!sun-barr!newstop!texsun!texbell!chinacat!telecom-gateway From: weston@ayov27.enet.dec.com (John Weston) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Phone Wiring and Voltage levels in Britain/Ireland Message-ID: Date: 29 Nov 89 17:35:33 GMT Sender: news@chinacat.Lonestar.ORG Lines: 112 Approved: telecom-request@chinacat.lonestar.org X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 539, message 1 of 4 Referring to item in Digest, Vol 9 issue 535 Response to item by: Lars J Poulsen >>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 >dialling: I must disagree. There are differences in signal level and telephone performance parameters between the UK/Ireland telephone networks and those in the USA. Typically US phones will appear to have a low level. You may also find the ringer doesn't work. > - 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. Again, I must disagree. Have you checked your facts? The UK/Ireland pulse dial is identical to the USA and to the "rest of Europe" , with 1 pulse for 1 through to 10 pulses for 0, arranged 1 through 0. It has always been that way, having been based on the Strowger system. The only common systems where there is a mismatch between number and pulses is where the pulses are regenerated, as in countries having long subscriber loops. In these, 1 pulse will cause the regenerator to step in 1 and output 10 pulses, 2 outputs 9, etc. Think of it as an 11 position uniselector. In these systems, the dial appears backward. > - Tone dialling 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.) Here, I do agree. There was to be a different tone system but, thanks to international standards work, this was changed, before it hit the market, to the Bell system. Also, due to the installed base of pulse based systems that have still some life left, you will not find the same proportion of tone dialling installations as in the USA. However, it is coming up fast, in both countries. >> 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 choice> 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. The answer simply is don't. Even though the jack plug (4-way) is quite straightforward to wire, especially for a single phone, (No, there are no "feature rich business lines" using this jack - the other poles are used for simple ringer continuity) you will quite definitely incur the wrath of the P&T. They, or a designated test house, have to test and approve all instruments types as meeting the *country* standards before they can be connected to the country network. Such approved instruments can then be rented or purchased locally. Note also that, in many areas in Ireland, they have replaced the jack with what looks like the USA style modular jack. Don't think this allows the simple connection of US phones. Some will work, most don't. There are European wide standards (NETs) being introduced that are producing a European (at least EEC) wide telecommunications equipment environment. There was no goal in drafting these to harmonise Europe with the USA. We just take what is best and ignore the quirks :-) >>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. This is sound advice. Do not try to use US equipment using inbuilt transmitters as they may interfere with local emergency services, etc.. Europe uses different frequency allocations, although there are moves towards harmonisation, at least within Europe. If you go ahead and your parents get caught, the authorities will throw the book at them. Also, the Customs authorities have been briefed to look out for, and confiscate unapproved electronic equipment when you try to import it. I believe locally available, approved devices can be obtained that can be serviced locally. They may be more expensive, due to the relative market size, but it isn't worth the hassle trying to save a few dollars. Why not phone Telecom Eireann in Dublin and ask them for their recommendations? John