Number of phones connected at once

[Tricky]

Might be a daft question but here goes:

Is there a limit to the number of devices I can have connected to a Single NTL phone line. I have 4 phone sockets in my house, I have a standard phone plugged into two of them and in the 3rd I have an extension cable which has the following connected:

A dodgy SKY extension cable with a double socket into which I have a cordless digital phone and the other end of the extension goes into a SKY+ box. If I unplug double socket and put the phone into the extension into the phone wall socket I have a dial tone, if the sky+ extension is also in I don't have one.

1}-----Phone
2}-----Phone
3}---------------{{---Cordless Phone
{--------------------SKY+
4}-----Empty

I think I probably need to call SKY and get them to come and fix the cable between the SKY+ box and my extension - But there again do I just leave it disconnected and wait for them to complain to me? What happens if you disconnect your SKY/SKY+ box within the 12 months contract?

[Paul]

Is there a limit to the number of devices I can have connected to a Single NTL phone line. I have 4 phone sockets in my house, I have a standard phone plugged into two of them and in the 3rd I have an extension cable which has the following connected:Simple answer - yes.

The devices should have a REN number on them- the maximum a line can handle depends on many things but 3 to 4 is a good guide.


I think I probably need to call SKY and get them to come and fix the cable between the SKY+ box and my extension - But there again do I just leave it disconnected and wait for them to complain to me? What happens if you disconnect your SKY/SKY+ box within the 12 months contract?
In most cases nothing happens, ocasionally they do test it and if the tests fail two or three times you will get a letter. It has no effect on the working of the box (other than stopping interactive services that rely on phone calls of course).

[MetaWraith]

a standard BT line can take a maximum REN (Ringer Equivalence Number) load of 4, safer to limit yourself to 3 though.

Some devices have REN values greater than one. The exact value should be found on a sticker on the equipment and in the manual.

[Tricky]

Cheers all, all these years in IT and Telecoms and I've never heard of REN values! Goes in search of labels etc.

[handyman]

Sorry for the late reply.

Both BT and Ntl have a ren of 4. It safe to load right to this although for diagnosis purposes if you have a fault I prefer to get it well under to make sure its not a issue.

Phone, Ansa phone = 1 ren
Fax = 1-1.5 ren
Sky = 1.5 - 2.5 ren
Factor in a wee bit extra if you have long extensions as well.

[Pritch]

Not entirely sure what you mean in the third paragraph, do you mean that you get no dialtone whenever you have the double adaptor in?

If you want my opinion (hey, even if you don't) double adaptors are the spawn of satan and should all be burned. A lot of the no dialtone issues I get to deal with on a day to day basis are tracked down to double adaptors. They're usually extrememly cheaply made and meet their deaths through crossed pins and the all-too familiar being kicked to death by inattentive people with large feet.

As for the number of devices, the REN (Ringer Equivalance Number) is really just a guide as to how much ringing current the line can supply. Most pieces of equipment have a REN of 1-1.5, so the most I'd really recommend shoving on a line is three to be honest. Four is usually alright and five will work with a favourable tailwind. Having an excessive number of pieces of equipment on the line wouldn't normally cause you to lose dialtone.

[zoombini]

Of course, you dont need them all to ring at once, so AGAIKR if you turn the ringer off on all but 4 you can have more.

Someone will correct me if I'm remembering wrong.

[handyman]

If you want my opinion (hey, even if you don't) double adaptors are the spawn of satan and should all be burned. A lot of the no dialtone issues I get to deal with on a day to day basis are tracked down to double adaptors. They're usually extrememly cheaply made and meet their deaths through crossed pins and the all-too familiar being kicked to death by inattentive people with large feet.

They are very very bad, you forgot to mention the PLO/Parked they are one of the major causes of. Basically they either dont drop the line or open the line. The switch knows the line is not on a call so after a period of time cuts the line, leaving no tone in the house and a engaged tone (or straight to vm if set up).

Had one customer kicking off even after we proved it was her equipment causing the fault, wanted to know why we had not let her know her phone was off the hook :spin:. She seriously thought we would have sent a tech round to tell her.

[Lord Nikon]

I seem to remember BT had some line boosters at one point you could buy if you wanted to extend the maximum number of phones you could put on a line.

[Pritch]

I seem to remember BT had some line boosters at one point you could buy if you wanted to extend the maximum number of phones you could put on a line.

Yeah, they boost it to about 11, I think.

Not so popular now that multi-handset cordless phones are commonplace.