BT phone socket question

Unclepetey

Hi there

We are about to move to a new house which has lots of BT phone sockets (there is a socket in most rooms), but only one phone line.

My question is whether it is possible to simply plug a phone into each socket or whether we need to buy one of the multi-handset packages where all the phones are linked to each other?

Thanks

dehaani

You're better with a set of cordless phone, they only use one phone socket but they allow you to transfer calls, page other phones etc.

Alternatively, you could use different phones plugged into each socket but you will be limited by REN values and I cannot see any benefit to having the separate phones anyway. All those extension sockets are the old way of doing things.

Bollotom

Should all be linked. However, I would phone BT as I am moving into a new flat with BT sockets and I have been told that they're installed but it will need an engineer to come out and do something to make them work (Can't remember the technical phrase they used) at a cost of £120. I'm going to Virgin. BT number if you don't have it 0800-800-150.:cool:

debitcardmayhem

If you have broadband then do not forget to put in a microfilter in each socket with a wired phone in it and your sky box too if you have one

kwikbreaks

I'm not sure what you mean by "linked phones" unless you mean a set of DECT wireless phones and with those only the base is connected to a phone socket. Any mix of wired phones can be connected (up to the REN limit as was mentioned).

If you are going to have ADSL broadband installed then all those extensions could be bad news - you'll either need to fit an iPlate or disconnect the ring wires to get the best performance from your line that it can deliver.

maxtweenie

Unclepetey wrote: »

Hi there

We are about to move to a new house which has lots of BT phone sockets (there is a socket in most rooms), but only one phone line.

My question is whether it is possible to simply plug a phone into each socket or whether we need to buy one of the multi-handset packages where all the phones are linked to each other?

Thanks

If it's anything like the experience I had with my daughter's new flat, only the master socket will be connected to the line, for which you will have to pay BT £125 to get a dial tone. The extension sockets won't be connected to the master box, but the wires will be just shoved loose into the socket. You'll have to take the faceplate off the master socket, and push the loose coloured wires into their appropriate slots. Google it, and you'll find a simple diagram. Then you'll have working sockets that you can plug individual phones into if you want to.

Bikertov

You should check HOW the phone sockets are wired up ....

When I did my last house, I wired 2 cables to each phone point to allow for 2 lines. Also, ran seperate cable runs upstairs to downstairs to be able to isolate if need be.

In my new house, I have run individual CAT6 cables everywhere for full flexibility.

So you need to understand how each socket is wired - eg each daisy-chained off the next or individual back to a single point ('star wired').

With regards plugging multiple phones into one line, most modern phones are now less than 1 REN (Ringer Equivalent Number) so you can often plug in 4 or 5 on one line without a problem. You can also switch off the ringer on any additional handsets over that number.

busenbust

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

If you have broadband then do not forget to put in a microfilter in each socket with a wired phone in it and your sky box too if you have one

Excellent advice DC:cool:

Bikertov

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

If you have broadband then do not forget to put in a microfilter in each socket with a wired phone in it and your sky box too if you have one

Actually, if you break out the ADSL from the BT Master Socket in the right way, with an ADSL faceplate, then you don't need to have individual microfilters