ACS low signal level (volume) on external calls 1

[jlshelton]

Comparted to internal calls, the sound level for external calls on our ACS R6 system seems low. If we have two parties internally on a call to someone externally, the inside people hear each other far too well compared to the external person.

Just replaced a Merlin system at this location, which had no such problem, so it doesn't appear to be line quality. Problem is equally present on all three CO lines.

Any idea on boosting external call volume?

=John=

 

[skip555]

is it all calls externally or only confrence calls ?

if only confrence is it equally bad with two outside and one inside or only the two inside and one outside that you describe ?

 

[jlshelton]

Conf calls make no difference.
We primarily notice this on calls with a single inside party and single outside party via any of the 3 CO lines.
It's easier to notice the problem with 2 inside parties, because one inside party can easily compare the volume of the other inside vs the outside party. Ouch!

 

[392]

Check your voltage and current levels on your CO lines. You may have a weak talk battery, translating into low audio volume. Normally, the ACS has a booming CO line level, so there's something amiss on your system.

 

[jlshelton]

CO voltage (checked on 2 of 3 lines) is
46v idle
6v in use

Loop current (checked on 2 of 3 lines) is 23-24 mA.

Are these figures reasonable?
I am about 20 kfeet from CO, but I don't know what's between me and the CO.

=John=

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi jlshelton,
Your loop current seems on the low side. I normally measure 30 - 35 mA. You are about 20' away from the demarc. The CO (Central Office) is where the bigger phone switch is that we get stuck behind. In Canada we call the CO Bell Canada. 392 is correct. The Partner can't be accused of low volume.
-Chris

 

[jlshelton]

20 kfeet (from my previous post) = 20,000 feet. But you are also right, that my Partner is about 20 feet from the demarc, too!

As I am on residential lines, I'll probably not get any cooperation from SBC/PacBell. (Though the Partner ACS is sold by Avaya for residential use.)

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi jlshelton,
Oops, I see that I didn't read the k. Sorry. Check your line with a regular phone and complain about that. They will have to respond to that test. They can measure the loss and you will find that the expected loop current is a big secret. Also, how does a modem connection fair? Low transfer speeds and dropped connections are expected with low loop current.
-Chris

 

[skip555]

like chris said try it with a 2500 set direct to the co

http://www.sandman.com/loopcur.html

scroll down on this page and he has some info on volume I think he also sells some stuff to help correct low volume

 

[jlshelton]

Well, Sandman reports that Loop Current from 23 - 27 mA is "Good", and only worry if it drops below 22 mA.

Merlin system on same lines behaves OK. Single line phone on same lines behaves OK. So perhaps I do have a problem with the Partner.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi jlshelton,
Anything is possible. I am useing a Partner R6 as a home system with a Partner Mail R1.8. I have installed a few in homes and lots in small businesses. I have not yet had one with low volume on an external call. I will say that the dial tone is really loud. If you set your volume level on that, everything else will be low.
I normally measure 30 mA or higher in Canada. It does sound like your line levels are okay though.
-Chris

 

[392]

That 22 mA is borderline, and the 46 VDC talk battery is low as well. The 46 should be 47-51, 51.8 off a SLC. On a dial-up modem, I'd be surprised to see better than a 9600 connect.

True enough, PacBell is reluctant to correct "voice quality" lines. Unless a life issue is at stake (medical condition, medical monitoring equipment, etc.) they will not address your facilities issues. I had to go to the extreme, in one case, of ordering a second line and cancelling the first afterwards in order to get "new" facilities. You didn't say if you were rural or urban, but urban can mean fewer available spare pairs, rural can mean older, lower quality facilities.

You can do a few things to maybe influence the situation. Look very closely at the demarc for poor connection points, corrosion, bad drop or entry wires. Temporarily disconnect any lightning protection and retest. Then take the raw drop and test from it.

If you cannot influence the readings, it's facilities and you'll have a tough time getting anyone to swap pairs without a battle. You can talk to a PacBell facilities engineer, they will eventually return your call. Once in a while you'll get one that will assist. Maybe line 2 is in order?

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi jlshelton,
You mentioned that two of your lines were running at 22-23 mA. How is the other line? Also, 392 has a good suggestion. I have run into lightning protestors that are "leaky" to ground. Eliminate them to test if they exist. Don't forget about the carbon protectors at the demarc. They just unscrew to take them out of circuit. They look like a big brass slot head screw.
-Chris

 

[gene1]

See if your telco has a dial up 1k hertz test line, if so use a DB meter and see what level is coming in at the demarc, if it's high, check the tariffs for your state, telco has to deliver a certain level even for pots lines.
Sounds like your levels are good if a 2500 or the merlin sounds good, and forget conference calls, outside call has loss from loop to start,so you can't compare to internal calls.

 

[jlshelton]

One more thought here. I bought a few of the "HongKong Telecom" Partner-18 sets available via eBay. Some users think it may be those sets that have the lower volume. Has anyone else had experience with the HKT versions of the Partner phones? Could they possibly be built for a different line voltage?

 

[392]

Rated voltage in Hong Kong is 220VAC at 50Hz. Would I suspect the sets? Definitely.

Best way to verify is make a call on a HKT set, verify low volume, put the caller on hold, swap sets with a US market set (swap reusing the line cord!) and pickup the call again. If the volume is still low, it's not the sets, more likely line quality.

 

[skip555]

Rated voltage in Hong Kong is 220VAC at 50Hz. Would I suspect the sets? Definitely.


wouldnt the voltage that the partner system puts out to the sets be the same regardless if the partner is running on 110 60 hz or 220 50hz ?

 

[392]

The sets plug into a cabinet at a slower cycling frequency, therefore the sampling clock cycle is different, possibly affecting volume.

The 48VDC that drives the sets should be the same, but the data circuitry could be different. That could cause a set not designed for 50Hz power to pick up weird harmonics and worse. Kind of like: would you plug your expensive server directly into a cheap Coleman generator during a power failure? If you did, the possiblity of the modified sine wave damaging or failing to properly excite the electronic circuitry is fair to good. Same principle here.

If it worked okay, no problem. If you've got a problem, be suspicious of the non-UL rated devices working on equipment not designed to operate those devices first. It's simple enough to check using known good devices.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi jlshelton,
Just a thought. If the Hong Kong sets were at fault I would expect intercom calls to be affected the same as outside calls. The switch isolates them from the co when not talking on the co. If you suspect that those sets are causing a fault, you would have to remove all of them and test the result. I somehow would be surprised if they caused your problem but that is not impossible.
Normally, co volume on a Partner is not an issue. Either try another processor or try the system at another location with a couple phones plugged directly in. Another test would be to loop a station port in to the co ports. Call the extension and compare the volume with the co volume.
-Chris

 

[mrpeabody]

Plug the 2500 set into a station port and compare volume.