How to use office phones for home use?

[domenic__@hotmail.com]

I have always wondered whether networked office phones can be converted
to regular phones for use at home. Please advise.

Thanks.

[BruceR]

It depends on the make and model of phone. If they're proprietary
"digital" phones they will only work with the KSU or PBX they were
intended for so you would need that too. Even if a particular office
phone could be connected directly to your home phone line it may not
have any feature operations without the benefit of the KSU or PBX
central equipment. Do you have a specific phone in mind?

From:domenic__@hotmail.com
domenic__@hotmail.com

> I have always wondered whether networked office phones can be
> converted to regular phones for use at home. Please advise.
>
> Thanks.

[wkearney99]

> I have always wondered whether networked office phones can be converted
> to regular phones for use at home. Please advise.

Most office phones only work with a phone switch (pbx) from that same
manufacturer. So unless you install a PBX switch in your house (and some
folks like Panasonic units for this) then you can't use most office phones
at home.

Also bear in mind that many digital phones can be damaged by plugging them
into analog phone lines. The ring signalling used for POTS lines (your
average 'plain old telephone service' line) is 90 volts AC. This can fry
many PBX handsets.

Also note that most office phones are incompatible with each other. They're
designed to work, and only to work, with the PBX from the same vendor. Thus
a Nortel phone has very little likelihood of working with, say, a Panasonic
switch (and vice versa).

So the short answer is no and be careful about 'trying' it.

[domenic__@hotmail.com]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for the insight. I have access to a bunch of T7316 Nortel
phones and was hoping to take advantage of its features....


wkearney99 wrote:
> > I have always wondered whether networked office phones can be
converted
> > to regular phones for use at home. Please advise.
>
> Most office phones only work with a phone switch (pbx) from that same
> manufacturer. So unless you install a PBX switch in your house (and
some
> folks like Panasonic units for this) then you can't use most office
phones
> at home.
>
> Also bear in mind that many digital phones can be damaged by plugging
them
> into analog phone lines. The ring signalling used for POTS lines
(your
> average 'plain old telephone service' line) is 90 volts AC. This can
fry
> many PBX handsets.
>
> Also note that most office phones are incompatible with each other.
They're
> designed to work, and only to work, with the PBX from the same
vendor. Thus
> a Nortel phone has very little likelihood of working with, say, a
Panasonic
> switch (and vice versa).
>
> So the short answer is no and be careful about 'trying' it.

[BruceR]

You'll need a Norstar ICS KSU to make them work.

From:domenic__@hotmail.com
domenic__@hotmail.com

> Gentlemen,
>
> Thank you for the insight. I have access to a bunch of T7316 Nortel
> phones and was hoping to take advantage of its features....
>
>
> wkearney99 wrote:
>>> I have always wondered whether networked office phones can be
>>> converted to regular phones for use at home. Please advise.
>>
>> Most office phones only work with a phone switch (pbx) from that same
>> manufacturer. So unless you install a PBX switch in your house (and
>> some folks like Panasonic units for this) then you can't use most
>> office phones at home.
>>
>> Also bear in mind that many digital phones can be damaged by
>> plugging them into analog phone lines. The ring signalling used for
>> POTS lines (your average 'plain old telephone service' line) is 90
>> volts AC. This can fry many PBX handsets.
>>
>> Also note that most office phones are incompatible with each other.
>> They're designed to work, and only to work, with the PBX from the
>> same vendor. Thus a Nortel phone has very little likelihood of
>> working with, say, a Panasonic switch (and vice versa).
>>
>> So the short answer is no and be careful about 'trying' it.