[NTLUG:Discuss] Off-Topic - ISDN Phones

[Greg E]

I ordered the Single-Line ISDN for the Home service and I added the
bonded option to give me the 128K guaranteed.  The bonded option added
$6.50/mo totalling $65.33/mo.  With this I get unlimited access, call
waiting, caller ID, 2 numbers (I can keep my old #), and 64K + 64K
bandwidth-on-demand.

The last conversation I had with GTE I asked if this would require a 
4-wire line and they said that it did.  They would run a new line from
the post to my outter wall and tag the line for the $50 install.  That's
when I decided to go ahead and convert the whole house rather than have
to reroute in the attic.  Apparently (according to the sales people) they
can't run both my analog on 1 pair and ISDN on a second pair with my
current 4-wire line.  I had  thought their ISDN was 2-wire so that's where
I'm confused with their sales people.  My gut feeling is that they simply
don't know.

All in all it's cheaper per month to convert the whole house than have
both services.  Yes I'll have to layout about $350 for new phones but
I'll recover that in about 10 months.

Greg E



Kevin Brannen wrote:
> 
> Greg E wrote:
> >
> > Eric,
> >
> > What I was planning on running was the ISDN (4 wire as installed by
> 
> Actually, that's a 2 wire line.  I have one from GTE. :-)
> 
> > GTE) into the house and throughout.  1 jack would have a Pipeline 75
> > UBRI NI1 router connected to a Linux server, 1 analog phone, and maybe
> > 1 fax.  2 jacks connected to ISDN phones.  All 3 jacks will be RJ45.
> > As I understand all the ins and outs this will give me 2 spins and I'm
> 
> Thats "SPIDs", but yes, 1 for each B channel.
> 
> > having them bonded so I can do Bandwidth-On-Demand.  The phones will
> > give me 1 spin so that anytime I connect the 2nd spin will renegotiate
> > down to 64K until the phone is dropped and then back upto 128K.
> 
> My 3Com does this.  Depending on the level of service you get from GTE,
> this may or may not be easy.  I have the basic "$29" (100 hr base) a
> month service.  The second B channel for 128K service is not guaranteed,
> but is usually available.  I was told it has to do with their
> equipment.  When the 2nd B-channel goes to connect, if it can attach to
> the same "block" (I think that was their word), then they (the 2 B
> channels) can connect and you get 128K; if they can't, you stay at 64K.
> GTE also said that if you try to connect with both channels and fail,
> hangup and try again; you'll probably get it within a "few" tries.  They
> have higher levels of service that will guarantee this, but you also pay
> for it too. :-)
> 
> >
> > As I understand it I can also have more numbers added on the same
> > circuit (upto 5 total) and the phones and T/A can be configured to
> > differentiate between the number called.
> 
> I haven't heard about extra numbers, but I suppose it's possible.  It's
> a CAT3 line they run to your house, so there are multiple twisted pairs
> in the cable.  They just hook up 2 of them for normal service.  I
> suppose they could just hook up a few more to the block on your house
> and in their cabinet, if you router can handle the extra input.  But
> this is all a guess on my part.
> 
> Kevin
>