Connecting 60 stations to 2 COs for an Analog PBX

[Ash4Pres]

Customer has a hostel. It’s in Africa – 60 rooms. They have 2 CO’s.

What if all phone lines to those rooms were ‘home run’ back to a patch panel – or multiple linked patch panels for that matter, for I’m not sure if there is such a beast as a 60-port patch panel (simple 66 block ought to suffice if they are used there...). Then somehow, those patch panels were to be connected to another panel with 4 ports (via amphenol?). Those four ports would then be connected to the 4 station ports in an analog PBX (RJ-11 to RJ-11 patch cords - or dongled off the 66). This analog PBX is a 2x4.

Two phone lines are then normally connected to the 2 analog CO ports in this analog PBX (again, RJ-11s patch cords).

Also, would need a power converter from 22V to 110.

Is this architecture viable/possible? Is there another scenario to connect 60 rooms to 2 analog lines? I sincerely appreciate your time!! Ash

 

[buitenhek]

Just a quick note: I have done what you are asking many years ago. The customer wanted separate phone/data lines and wanted to send both to separate patch panels. This way they could configure each station via jumpers from the data panel or voice 66.

I am assuming that the CO line is voice grade and that it could support low speed modem (data) traffic, again old school. We used CAT3 for voice and CAT5 for data back then, but CAT3 can handle low speed data (<1mbps) very easily. So not only will you have voice from each CO but data capability.

Since the phones take RJ11 and the panels will be RJ45, you can also use splitters, if necessary for a meeting room, to take advantage of all 4 pair to get 2 phones per 4 pair CAT3 cable. Make your wall jacks RJ45 also.

There are 96 port panels but the jumper cable management gets very sloppy. Try utilizing a 48 and 24 port panel.

In the US, if average cable length is 152’, material cost ~$4426, sell at $6883 for a 35.7% GPM. In Africa?

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

 

[kmefford]

The biggest problem I see with this idea is all phone systems (including the phone company) has a limit on how many devices can ring on a single circuit.

60 phones divided by 4 is still a lot to expect of any phone system.

 

[Ash4Pres]

I completely agree - and actually it's 60 phones and 2 lines! But like I said, it's a hostel - so, the usage will be very, very light.

 

[telnettech]

when you are saying hostel, do you mean a hotel? if that is the case than the rule of thumb for CO lines in a hotel is 1 CO trunk for every 8 rooms. I would think that the site, no matter if the use is very light, is under trunked for 60 rooms.

Brian

To error is human.....if the machine doesnt work, then KICK IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Infinity306]

Hostels are more similar to Bed And Breakfasts on a budget then Hotels I would think.. usually the Bathrooms kitchesn and such are shared.. popular throughout Europe

 

[aarenot]

if the office wants a private extension, that leaves three exts for the rooms.
4 total pbx extensions - 1 pbx ext if office needs a private ext= 3 pbx exts for rooms. this one phone on one ext will probably be the only one which will actually ring with an incoming, or internal call, considering ren requirements.

60 rooms/3 remaining pbx exts=20 rooms per pbx ext

calling one of the exts, or transferring a call to one of the exts will ring 20 rooms if the ren is sufficient to even ring the phones at all.

each group of 20 rooms will have a 'party' ext meaning they will barge in on any ongoing call within that group of 20 phones sharing a pbx ext.

better option, given the figures that buithek gave of 4426 for the cable alone. add in the labor to do all the wiring, about 2 hours per cable run. then the pbx install.

sell them an engenius type wireless analog phone system. plug the co's in, and the power, and however many handset the system can handle, or they can afford,up to 36 i think is the limit. program the handsets to link with the base, which has voicemail built in. calls can be transferred from handset to handset, each handset is an ext, can make and recieve calls private. could be programmed in a few hours, and not days worth of labor to wire the place up.

first so many guests get a phone, one in the lobby for the rest. no wire, no wiring labor or materials, one day labor to program. all the money is in the equipment, and a day to program. set it up, rebox it, ship it. have them plug it in, done deal.