Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: 12 Apr 91 09:47:00 CDT From: JOHN WINSLADE Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: My New Toy: Call Forwarder From Radio Shack Message-ID: Organization: TELECOM Digest Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 287, Message 4 of 10 Lines: 43 In a recent article, Patrick writes: > Over the weekend I bought a CPS-200 Call Forwarding System from Radio > Shack. At the local store here, they had one left, marked down to > $29.95, and I thought that price alone made it worthwhile. > This unit does require two actual phone lines; one to accept calls, > and the other to forward the call. Since I have 'genuine' call > forwarding from Illinois Bell, I won't need it a lot, but one good use > came to mind: I'll use it to remotely turn on call forwarding on my > main line! That's a very interesting use for the unit. Am I correct to assume that the reason it is being closed out is that it is almost useless as a 'real' call diverter because (among other things) it simply bridges the two lines which results in the acoustic efficiency close to that of tin cans and string? I have yet to see, but would like to find a call diverter and a 'conference' phone that makes some kind of attempt to equalize and amplify the link between the end connections so that the parties involved do not have to shout. The so-called conference phones usually bridge the lines and are about as useful as the proverbial screen door on the submarine. I realize that balancing the line from the subscriber end is very messy, but I would have thought by now that someone would have figured out a way to do it. Good day! JSW [Moderator's Note: I think the reason they are being closed out is because most people would not buy it when they realized that unlike the telco version, it requires two actual phone lines. In fact, the manager of the Radio Shack promptly mentioned that to me when I expressed interest in this unit. I only used it a couple times as it was intended, and I did not notice any audio degredation. This version came out a few years ago when telco custom calling was less common in many areas of the country. I think most people now prefer to use the telco version when possible. PAT]