HOLY CRAP on the Grandstream 502!

[christcorp]

Sorry for the title, but I "Accidentally" discovered something that totally freaked me out. Being an "EX-MA BELL" tech. But still very deep into the telecom industry. I've always like telephones. I have 10 telephones wired in my house. I have some modern day phones as well as a 1957 Chrome Payphone I got our of the Fisherman's Warf restaurant in San Francisco and a 1910 Country Junction (Candle Stick phone with a rotary dial pad). I use to use these all the time when I had Qwest Ma'Bell telephone service. Ma'Bell system didn't care if you had touch tone or rotary dial.

Since moving to voip; numerous providers; almost 4 years ago, I still had these phones wired into my voip adapter, but I knew I could only use them to ring and to answer the phone calls. Couldn't really dial out with a rotary. The other 8 phones were pretty much all modern touch tone phones. All voip providers acted pretty much the same. Well, since converting to the 286 adapter, one thing I had a problem with was using the payphone and the 1910 country junction phone. It drew too much current and wouldn't hold a dial tone. They worked fine for ringing and answering calls with the packet8 adapter as well as my various linksys models. But with the 286, it wouldn't hold a dial tone. Anyway, Tim let me try out the 502.

Immediately, the two phones were able to hold a dial tone and I could once again let them be used for their bells and to answer calls. I was happy. A few minutes ago, I was holding the candle stick phone to my ear to hear the dial tone to ensure it was still working. Normally if you dial with a rotary dial, you still keep the dial tone. I turned the rotary dial, and I LOST THE DIAL TONE?? Oh crap, what did I do? I hung up and picked up the receiver and got back the dial tone. Cool. I didn't break anything. I dialed a number again, and lost the dial tone? Then I thought; "NO WAY, BUT LET'S TRY IT". I dialed my cell phone using the 1910 rotary candlestick country phone. After a slight pause, I heard in the receiver it ringing, and my cell phone started ringing?? WTF I answered the cell phone and the call connected. I hung up and went to the payphone. I dialed, it broke dial tone, and the call went through to my cell phone.

TOTALLY ORGASMIC!!!!! Now, maybe it's possible that other ATA's can handle rotary dial tones, but I never had one that would.. This is AWESOME. I am in 7th heaven. I can use my antique phones 100%. I'm not sure what settings in the 502 allow for this. Not sure if those settings are available in the various linksys models. It definitely wasn't available in the numerous packet8 adapters. Either way, I'm excited. Maybe some of you already knew this was possible, so it's no big deal for you. But for me, I'm like a little kid with a new toy!!!!! For anyone who didn't know, "Because voip traditionally doesn't seem to work this way"; you might like it if you've got an old rotary type phone. For me, it's great! Anyway, just wanting to share my excitement. later mike....

P.S. FWIW; I have 10 phones connected, but I only keep about 4 of the ringers on. Scattered throughout the house, I can always hear the phone ring. I just don't want to try and draw too much ring current. I've done this with all voip services. Plus, I REFUSE TO EVER have a cordless phone. I hate them. Even the cheapest corded phone is usually better sound than some of the best cordless I've tried in my 30 years. But that's just my opinion. But having the rotary phones work 100% is great. later... mike...

[burris]

In my house, I'm the antique..

Do you have a setting for me?

[usa2k]

If I had a time machine, I'd test it on the 286 - maybe they all can do it?

[christcorp]

I specifically remember it not working on the 286. Unless the one I had was defective.

Don't get me wrong; I don't really use either the 1957 payphone or the 1910 country phone as a primary phone to make/receive calls. But the novelty of them; especially when having parties; is pretty cool. Especially because I have the payphone mounted on the wall near my bar. People can sit at the bar and have a drink. They actually have to put money into the payphone to make a call.

It's just nice to have it working like this. The payphone seems to work outgoing calls so far about 9 of 10 times. The 1 time it got a fast busy. The 1910 phone is about 50/50. I haven't really had much time to play with it. It could be a system such as how FAST or SLOW the numbers are dialed. Anyway, I never saw and ATA that could do rotary dial. Was wondering if anyone else had. later... mike.....
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[chpalmer]

Ive been impressed with the 502 every step of the way so far. It not only lights the vmwi on my Nortel but it changed the time on the display yesterday as daylight savings ended and I didnt have to receive a call to get it updated. Any other ata Ive used would only correct the time after an incoming call. I was actually confused for a while as to what the time was...

Rotary dial capability is very cool in a nostalgic sort of way!

[N9MD]

In my house, I'm the antique..

Do you have a setting for me?

My candlestick phone is from 1947 .... it doesn't even have a dial. In fact, I sometimes hold the horn to my ear for hours waiting for the Operator to come on the line and chant "Number pullease!"

I tried it with my PAP2-NA ... without success ... confirming that the PAP2 does not have voice activated dialing capabilities.