Venture Phone System & Vonage

Posts: 22 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 07, 2004 Posts: 22

Anyone else have problems with KSU-less phone systems when using Vonage?

I have a Nortel Venture Phone System that allows me to have multiple extensions with call-transfer, intercom, paging, shared directory, etc. between the stations. It is designed to work with typical home wiring, as the phones are smart themselves, so there is no central computer (KSU). It transmits data between the phones using upper frequencies on line 1.

If I hook up any ATA to line 1, the ring tones are VERY short (approx 300 ms), and the line appears to go dead between rings, so no CID info is ever received. If I move the ATA to line 2 or line 3, there are no problems at all. I also had no problem when a POTS line was on line 1.

Nortel says that they recommend that only POTS lines be used on line 1 of these phones, but I only have one POTS line left, and that's my DSL line. The low-pass filters would knock out communication between the phones.

Anyone else have any experience with this or any ideas?

Posts: 65 · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:50 pm Post subject:

What is the total REN count of all of your phones? Keep in mind that when you add up the REN on all of your phones it can not exceed 5. Most new phone systems will not get close to 5, but since you are having trouble with simply rings that makes things even more interesting.

Plus, it sounds a lot like line voltage issues, since you are fine on the POTS line but not with the Vonage line.

Posts: 22 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 07, 2004 Posts: 22

It's not the REN, as it works on lines 2 or 3, just not line 1. Also, I had this problem with only one phone hooked up. (I think the REN is .3 for a single phone).

Posts: 26 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Feb 12, 2004 Posts: 26

same problem here with a Siemens Gigaset 2420. Although I had not tried switching lines to see if that works. That would be an acceptable solution for me if it works. I have the ATA-186. Wonder if the Moto unit would have the same problems?

Posts: 22 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 07, 2004 Posts: 22

My problem is that my only POTS line has DSL on it, and the interphone communications won't get past the DSL filter.

That and the fact that that would make my lines:
Line 1 - Office Line 2
Line 2 - Office Line 1
Line 3 - Home Line

which is awkward, but it's the only way.

I'm going to try splitting the DSL out at the network interface so that I'll have the POTS line and DSL on two different jacks, even though they're the same line. That way I will only need the filter at the NDI, and the phones will have a clean line to use.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 12:14 pm Post subject:

Ok here is some new info on this Venture issue.

I justtalked to a second tier engineer @ Aastra. The issues lies in the fact that these decixes, such as the Linksys, appear to drop the idle line voltage to below 21v in between rings. THis makes the Venture set think an extension is in use, which is why it acts all hinky.

I am working with Vonage to try and figure out a way to keep a consisten idle line voltage between rings. So far, that isn't proving to be any easy task.

The PSTN delivers a constant 48volts for an idle line, and then "adds" additional voltage during a ring. These digital-to-analog Voip boxes appear to NOT do so. The key is the idl line voltage.

More as it happens!

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 31, 2005 Posts: 1

I've had a similar problem using Venture phones with Vonage adapters. I finally gave up and traded my Venture phones for the RCA Executive Series 4 line phones. The RCA phone works fine with Vonage, including things like Caller Id, Message Waiting Indicators, and so forth. Plus these newer phones can be expanded up to 16 stations, whereas the Venture phones max out at 8 stations.

The only thing missing is the "enhanced feature adapter" items - like music on hold, door locks, and a PA interface. However, you can "page" with the RCA phones so you don't total lose all your functionality.

I also tried the AT&T 955 phones and Casio SA-400 phones before I settled on the RCA. These phones worked OK with Vonage too - but I just didn't like their features and appearance as well as the RCA phone.

You should be able to "sell" your Venture phone for about $100 and replace it with a newer RCA phone for about $135 or so.

- Pojo

Posts: 3 · Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:56 pm Post subject: No need

I have Vonage, Cisco and Aastra (Nortel) all working it out.

As a business owner and consumer, it's not acceptable for me to have to change the equipment I invested in. It's the job of the provider and manufacturer to conform to widely used standards.

Granted the Nortels are picky, but that's their right lol!

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 03, 2005 Posts: 1

A few comments on the above posts. I eliminated any dsl problems by running a direct line to my router. All the phone jacks are free from DSL interference. The RCA phones are a piece of junk. Used Venture phones are selling for over $200.00 theses days. There seems to be lots of demand for them. Great product those venture phones. I am in no rush to move my business toward internet telephony as of yet. Too many problems to work out. In a few years I will revisit that option

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Nov 16, 2004 Posts: 5

I have a workaround I discovered yesterday. My CallerID is fine again on my Venture, with both Vonage lines. And I can reliably pickup on line 1 again.

The workaround is somewhat costly, between $40 and $80 dollars, and makes your wired Venture essentially a wireless phone on line 1. I'm simply using an RCA Wireless Modem/Phone Jack RC930 just for phone line 1:

http://terra.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=2620522

Got mine on eBay for $40 used. You'll want phone line 2 to pass straight to the phone (since the RC930 doesn't pass line 2 through).

Hope this helps others, especially if you happen to have a RC930 already. I know my wife is now happy the phone works normally again, with both Vonage lines.