US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc.
have not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will
be able to explain the problem.

regards


--
Tim Lamb

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"Tim Lamb" wrote in message
...
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and
beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when
plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc.
have not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel
or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here
will
be able to explain the problem.

regards


--
Tim Lamb

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

AWEM

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Tim Lamb wrote:
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc.
have not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will
be able to explain the problem.

regards


Should work if connected to the correct pins.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Tim Lamb wrote:
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc. have
not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will be
able to explain the problem.

regards


Should work if connected to the correct pins.

It might also have a seperate dc supply as well. She should have pinched the
transformer as well.

Adam

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 23 Jun, 08:57, Tim Lamb wrote:
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc.
have not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will
be able to explain the problem.

regards

--
Tim Lamb

Have you seen:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4gu1
and section on foreign phones:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/dkccd ?
I must say Peter Parry's WPP Ltd website (the above links) have helped
me out on more than one occasion with my phone wiring issues, and even
gave me the confidence to DIY it. Thanks!

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"Tim Lamb" wrote in message
...
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc. have
not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will be
able to explain the problem.


Normal US analog (sorry, analogue) phones will work in the UK, assuming you
have an adaptor to be able to plug them. However, as Peter Parry's site
says they will not actually ring, due to the ring voltage being applied to a
third pin which American phones simply do not have. A special adaptor will
fix this. Personally I've never noticed US phones sounding quiet on UK
lines.

If the phone doesn't work at all (eg, pickup handset, no dialtone) then she
probably doesn't have a normal US analog phone. It's probably using
propriety analog or digital signaling - if he phone is designed to work with
a PBX (so, a hotel phone might be a good example) then this is fairly
likely. Note that it may be possible to get it working if it is proprietary
analog phone - it may be that the signaling is the same, but the pins are
different. If it's digital you're screwed.

Caller ID is another story entirely (might work, might not depending on
phone - different signaling used in the US and UK.)

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

JohnW wrote:
The Natural Philosopher, in article 1182586782.48319.3
@demeter.uk.clara.net, says...
Tim Lamb wrote:
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc.
have not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will
be able to explain the problem.

regards


Should work if connected to the correct pins.

I disagree :-) Well, it may work, but maybe not as expected.
The phone may be polarity sensitive so there would be a need
to get the A and B wires the right way round.

"If conected to the right pins"

Also if the
phone is from the period of analogue networks, or designed to
that standard, the US telephone system used a different level
plan to the UK one. The US phone will sound "quiet" on UK
networks.

Yes. But that isn't 'not working'

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

Is there any plan to standardize on this throughout the universe?

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-06-23 13:01:44 +0100, Timothy Murphy said:

Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

Yes.

Some places in the Middle East, Carribean, I believe




Is there any plan to standardize on this throughout the universe?

It's called an RJ-11

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

In article ,
Timothy Murphy wrote:
Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

Is there any plan to standardize on this throughout the universe?

Given the plethora of mains plugs even in Europe, I doubt it.

--
*I'm planning to be spontaneous tomorrow *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Is there any plan to standardize on this throughout the universe?


No.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On Jun 23, 8:57 am, Tim Lamb wrote:

Hi,

Try a modem lead, if the lead works in a modem that only has the two
inner contacts in it's line socket it should be OK.

cheers,
Pete.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:43:04 +0100, Andy Hall wrote:

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe

Bahrain, or they did at Gulf War I time.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

In message , Piers
Finlayson writes

"Tim Lamb" wrote in message
...
Question from my daughter..... who, having acquired a *sit up and beg*
American push button telephone wonders why it does not work when plugged
into her UK domestic telephone socket.

Vague fatherly explanations such as different voltage/pins used/etc. have
not satisfied:-)

I don't know the actual origin of the unit: nicked from some hotel or
purchased for normal use over there but I am sure someone in here will be
able to explain the problem.


Normal US analog (sorry, analogue) phones will work in the UK, assuming you
have an adaptor to be able to plug them. However, as Peter Parry's site
says they will not actually ring, due to the ring voltage being applied to a
third pin which American phones simply do not have. A special adaptor will
fix this. Personally I've never noticed US phones sounding quiet on UK
lines.

If the phone doesn't work at all (eg, pickup handset, no dialtone) then she
probably doesn't have a normal US analog phone. It's probably using
propriety analog or digital signaling - if he phone is designed to work with
a PBX (so, a hotel phone might be a good example) then this is fairly
likely. Note that it may be possible to get it working if it is proprietary
analog phone - it may be that the signaling is the same, but the pins are
different. If it's digital you're screwed.

Caller ID is another story entirely (might work, might not depending on
phone - different signaling used in the US and UK.)

I knew this was going to get technical:-)

I will package up the various comments and pass them back to Son in Law
who is actually dealing with the issue.

It rather sounds as though *source* might be important so I will ask and
report back.

I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.

regards



--
Tim Lamb

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe


I stand by my statement ;-)

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-06-24 03:50:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe


I stand by my statement ;-)

Well I suppose if you consider that Tel Aviv has a street named after
General Allenby and New Zealand is like going back in time 13 hours and
30 years that's kind of true. Sheiks Khalifa and Mohanmmed are at
least anglophiles. OK, I'll buy that.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.

The way these US connecters on phones and modems are wired doesn't appear
to be standard, even with just the two wires of the line. Dunno why.

--
*I can see your point, but I still think you're full of ****.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

In article ,
"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.

The way these US connecters on phones and modems are wired doesn't appear
to be standard, even with just the two wires of the line. Dunno why.

They are often designed for a 1-1 IDC connection to a UK-BT plug,
which is the wrong pair for a US socket. I've often found this to
be the case outside the UK too, so this doesn't appear to be a
UK-only phenomina.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.

The way these US connecters on phones and modems are wired doesn't appear
to be standard,

They are standard in the USA. What a dumbo.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

In article ews.net,
Doctor Drivel wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.

The way these US connecters on phones and modems are wired doesn't
appear to be standard,

They are standard in the USA. What a dumbo.

An expert on telecoms now. Where did you buy that qualification?

For your information they are used as input sockets on some phones and
modems in the UK too and anyone with the slightest experience would know
they aren't always wired the same. I wonder how many you've thrown away as
faulty after swopping leads...

--
*Someday, we'll look back on this, laugh nervously and change the subject

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ews.net,
Doctor Drivel wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I think the connector is the same as the 4 pin line input on our BT
answer phone but there was no dial tone when this was tried.
The way these US connecters on phones and modems are wired doesn't
appear to be standard,

They are standard in the USA. What a dumbo.

An expert on telecoms now. Where did you buy that qualification?

For your information they are used as input sockets on some phones and
modems in the UK too and anyone with the slightest experience would know
they aren't always wired the same. I wonder how many you've thrown away as
faulty after swopping leads...

Yup. The dreaded modem with RJ11 to BT wire.. we ended up making up a
load of leads in both configs that we could identify, and always
carrying a few of each..

Almost as much fun as the great RS232 'standard' on D type plugs.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-24 03:50:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe


I stand by my statement ;-)

Well I suppose if you consider that Tel Aviv has a street named after
General Allenby and New Zealand is like going back in time 13 hours and 30
years that's kind of true. Sheiks Khalifa and Mohanmmed are at least
anglophiles. OK, I'll buy that.

I saw a 15A 3 pin socket in Jerusalem once. Relic of the British Mandate I
suppose.

--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-06-30 23:54:51 +0100, "Graham." said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-24 03:50:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe


I stand by my statement ;-)

Well I suppose if you consider that Tel Aviv has a street named after
General Allenby and New Zealand is like going back in time 13 hours and 30
years that's kind of true. Sheiks Khalifa and Mohanmmed are at least
anglophiles. OK, I'll buy that.

I saw a 15A 3 pin socket in Jerusalem once. Relic of the British Mandate I
suppose.

There are still a few around. They are the standard thing in South
Africa and there are the 5A ones as well.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On Sun, 1 Jul 2007 08:42:49 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On 2007-06-30 23:54:51 +0100, "Graham." said:


I saw a 15A 3 pin socket in Jerusalem once. Relic of the British Mandate I
suppose.

There are still a few around. They are the standard thing in South
Africa and there are the 5A ones as well.

There are still a *lot* around. They're a standard used for stage
lighting in theatres, even for new work. Normally single radial
circuits from a dimmer pack.

--
Frank Erskine

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-07-01 10:31:15 +0100, Frank Erskine
said:

On Sun, 1 Jul 2007 08:42:49 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On 2007-06-30 23:54:51 +0100, "Graham." said:


I saw a 15A 3 pin socket in Jerusalem once. Relic of the British Mandate I
suppose.

There are still a few around. They are the standard thing in South
Africa and there are the 5A ones as well.

There are still a *lot* around. They're a standard used for stage
lighting in theatres, even for new work. Normally single radial
circuits from a dimmer pack.

True. I was talking about Israel though.

The main standard there is something similar to the European Schuko connector.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-30 23:54:51 +0100, "Graham." said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-24 03:50:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe


I stand by my statement ;-)

Well I suppose if you consider that Tel Aviv has a street named after
General Allenby and New Zealand is like going back in time 13 hours
and 30
years that's kind of true. Sheiks Khalifa and Mohanmmed are at least
anglophiles. OK, I'll buy that.

I saw a 15A 3 pin socket in Jerusalem once. Relic of the British
Mandate I
suppose.

There are still a few around. They are the standard thing in South
Africa and there are the 5A ones as well.


5A is a standard in the UK as well. All my lights run on them

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe



Andy,

Would you care to speculate whether or not phones from countries that use UK
plugs are likely to have a similar electrical interface too?
I would like to use something that works on the UK system in Cyprus and
don't want to have a problem when I get there.

TIA

Bob

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

Bob Minchin wrote:
"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?
As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.
Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe



Andy,

Would you care to speculate whether or not phones from countries that use UK
plugs are likely to have a similar electrical interface too?
I would like to use something that works on the UK system in Cyprus and
don't want to have a problem when I get there.

TIA

Bob


Almost certainly UK stuff will work.

US/UK telephone compatibility
 

On 2007-07-01 13:54:36 +0100, "Bob Minchin"
said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-06-23 13:57:23 +0100, The Natural Philosopher said:

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Andrew Mawson wrote:

Well at a very basic level, the plugs are different so perhaps it
isn't actually connected ?

As a matter of interest, does anyone in the world outside the UK
use UK phone plugs?

No.

Channel Islands, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, UAE, Zimbabwe



Andy,

Would you care to speculate whether or not phones from countries that use UK
plugs are likely to have a similar electrical interface too?
I would like to use something that works on the UK system in Cyprus and
don't want to have a problem when I get there.

TIA

Bob

I don't take phones around any longer (at least not fixed line ones),
but I have never run into electrical interface problems.

I used to carry a set of phone adaptors and a screwdriver so that come
what may, I could get a connection unless the phone system was digital
of some kind.