Absolutly not, the IROB was designed as lightning protection for all phones. Maybe the Merlin phones were first to have IROBS. Yet, you need Primary protection, then you need secondary protection at least on the equipment end. You can use a 146D protector or a 146C made by towermax for AVAYA. If lightning were to hit the exterior cable and travel through without IROBS, at least the port would be shot, maybe the card, maybe the system. We just got hammered with thunderstorms all last week, even with IROBS I had a port go bad on a TDL card. Imagine without the IROB.