My manager is asking me to identify any unused POTS lines in my Boston office (this is my busy office today). I am (again) confused as to whether POTS lines have anything to do with the PBX or not. If Verizon installs POTS lines how are they tied in with the PBX? The bottom line is, how can I determine if they have any unused ones? Thank you so much in advance for your assistance.
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POTS lines thru switch or not?
- Thread starter coniglio
- Start date
McGruff753
MIS
Hoo boy, get ready for a lot of legwork. POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service), or as some people call them 1MB's (One Measured Business) lines, are just like your home phone. They are analog lines that has it's own punch down block called an RJ21. This block generally will have an orange swing cover on it and, hopefully, each individual phone number listed on it.
I have gone through my entire center and created a spreadsheet that has each POTS line and it's final destination, unless it's available. Then I mark it as OPEN.
Example:
Frame Number Seat
35-1 363-4879 468A
35-2 363-8749 OPEN
Just because there may be a cross connection on it, it may no longer be in use. You should follow each connection from frame to seat to see if it is still in use or if you can reclaim it. It's a lot of work in the beginning, but it will save you time in the end when you need to find something. Good luck.
I have gone through my entire center and created a spreadsheet that has each POTS line and it's final destination, unless it's available. Then I mark it as OPEN.
Example:
Frame Number Seat
35-1 363-4879 468A
35-2 363-8749 OPEN
Just because there may be a cross connection on it, it may no longer be in use. You should follow each connection from frame to seat to see if it is still in use or if you can reclaim it. It's a lot of work in the beginning, but it will save you time in the end when you need to find something. Good luck.
- Thread starter
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you weren't kidding about the legwork part. In fact, in this case that would be literal, as I am in NY and it WOULD take a lot of legwork to walk to my Boston office and do this! Should I have the Boston office manager hire a tech to find out for her whether or not she has an unused POTS line? thanks for your help. PS: what did you mean by this?
have gone through my entire center and created a spreadsheet that has each POTS line and it's final destination, unless it's available. (UNLESS WHAT'S AVAILABLE??) Then I mark it as OPEN.
have gone through my entire center and created a spreadsheet that has each POTS line and it's final destination, unless it's available. (UNLESS WHAT'S AVAILABLE??) Then I mark it as OPEN.
More often than not these POTS lines are used for alarm circuits or a maintenance modem into your PBX. Most vendors that monitor systems require the site event buffer be on a POTS line instead of a DID. I am afraid you will have to have some one trace them back through the building.
Jim
Jim
Hi, There!
You also made a question:
I use POTS like alternate outgoing route, if you have technical problems, if your T1s are full, or even if you want to give priority to some outgoing traffic.
POTS lines are tied to Meridian thru Trunk Cards (Universal trunk, XUT, EXUT,...). You need to wire from demarc to MDF, 2 wires per line and it's important to pay attention to polarity.
You also made a question:
I use POTS like alternate outgoing route, if you have technical problems, if your T1s are full, or even if you want to give priority to some outgoing traffic.
POTS lines are tied to Meridian thru Trunk Cards (Universal trunk, XUT, EXUT,...). You need to wire from demarc to MDF, 2 wires per line and it's important to pay attention to polarity.
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