atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Other Telephones & Systems ITT-CORTELCO 2202 SINGLE LINE PHONES

Hi,
I just purchased 5 ITT- Cortelco 2202 single line phones. I got them for a blow out price, $5. I had planned on just flipping them on Ebay, because I am really not that interested in them, they were made in 2007. The problem I am having is, there is a clicking sound that can be heard on my end, and the party I call, can hear it also. It sounds almost like a repeater of some sort, a constant tic, tic, tic... Now the interesting part. The clicking goes away, if I move the phone away from my computer desk. I turned off the puter and printer, but the sound can still be heard when next to them. Is this phone picking up interference from the power cords? If it is, how do I stop it? All 5 phones do this. Otherwise, they work fine. They have a switch on the back, that says, "flash", that can be set to 100, 300, or 600. What is this for? Were these phones connected to a PBX? Any ideas how to stop this? shouldn't there be a CAP in these phones, to filter out interference?

Bob

That's 100, 300, or 600 milliseconds, depicting how long the phone will disconnect, or "flash" the line for, usually to trigger a CO or PBX feature like call waiting or call transfer.

As for the ticking sound, interference sounds like a good guess, especially since you said it stops when you move the phones away from the computer desk.

Perhaps adding a ferrite bead to the line cord might solve your problem? https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Ferrite-Cores-24AWG-Cable/dp/B003KQ62SA

These filter out high frequency noise, which could be what you are hearing... but this is just a guess.

I have to agree with Scott. It's definitely interference. The fact that is goes away when you move them farther from the desk is a dead giveaway. I've noticed all sorts of weird interference issues around my computers. Whether it was from the computer to the phone, or my cell phone to my computer speakers, computer desks are a rats nest of things that cause interference. Just because you turned off the computer, does not mean that it's off. The power supply is still on and still supplying limited power to the motherboard for things like keeping the CMOS battery from going dead and whatnot. Routers are notorious for all sorts of noise, especially WIFI routers. I had to make a category 5 phone cord, yes of all stupid things, to connect my system to the phone modem/gateway thing the cable company provides. With a flat silver satin cord the noise on the phones was unbearable, and with a cat-3 it was better but still not silent. My point is, the power supplies in just about everything are still on and working even when the device is "off" The phones are probably fine, they just aren't playing nice with whatever is on your desk. Try a line cord that's twisted pair and see if that helps.

Thanks for the info!!!
Oh. I forgot to mention, these phones are attached to a VOIP system. So, the WIFI router, could be the problem, with the Cortelco phones. Because doesn't VOIP come into the house as a frequency, and the router/modem, converts it to dial tone?

I tried a ferrite bead on the line cord, didn't help. I know I have a few old twisted pair line cords somewhere, just have to find them. I have an old ATT 944 4 line business phone near the computer desk, and it works fine, no interference, also a ATT 210 phone, sitting on the computer desk, and it works fine also. Both satin line cords. Maybe these Cortelco phones are just more sensitive. Also have a '61 Northen Electric, in the computer room, Canada's version of WE 554, but nothing bothers that old dog:). Gonna try the twisted pair. I don't think ill be selling these on Ebay, probably get nothing but complaints about the noise on the line. I have the ringers turned off on the 944 and 210, just love to hear the ringer in the 554!!!!

Bob

Voip comes into your house as data packets over the internet, just like netflix, or web surfing or whatever. Voip is a little more complicated, just to preserve quality, but essentially it's just a bunch of data packets. It shouldn't matter that it's a Voip line, as long as the handoff to you is basically a POTS line, usually an Rj 11 on the back of the thing. I have nothing but Voip lines at my house, some 15 or so and I have them supplying dial tone to a Partner ACS and a 6 line 1A2 KSU. The only time I had interference was when I moved the cable company's router. Originally I had it wired with twisted pair, it was dangling in a closet with a piece of cat-3 IW going to it with a mod plug crimped on it. When I moved it, I thought i would do it right and I put a keystone plate with 4 8p8c jacks and two 6p6c jacks and run patch cords. It is now in an upstairs bedroom, so the keystones were the best approach I could think of. Well when I did that, I didn't have any twisted pair rj11 cords so in went a piece of silver satin and the noise was awful. In a desperate move I crimped some 6p4c plugs on a piece of cat-5e, only using the blue and orange pairs and clipping off the others. All my noise went away. The other thing is, I don't have any equipment near that thing. The phone itself (rather than the cord) may be picking up all the junk coming off your equipment.

Before you think I am completely nuts, 13 of my 15 lines are off my asterisk box, which is connected to C*net. I only have two PSTN lines.

Edit: I too love the sound of my old 1A2 phones ringing. I especially love the WE 2852 9 line cuckoo clock ringer. (Thank you Uncle Arthur!)

Ok. Well im gonna try the twisted pair. It could just be the phone itself, picking up junk, like you say. Either way, looks like im stuck with 5 cheap Cortelco phones, because selling them on ebay now, wouldn't be an option. Alittle off subject, besides the 2 500 sets, and one 554 set, I also have an old Campbell's soup clock, that proudly plays the Campbell's soup song, every hour!!! I love this old stuff! I never stop learning about this stuff! Great forum! A lot of knowledge here!!!

Bob

I wouldn't give up on trying to sell them. If they work with twisted pair, you'll be in business. Not only that, but not everyone is going to put them next to routers and computers and whatnot. Plenty of people out there that still have landlines looking for a cheap extension phone. The fact that they work ok when you move them away from that stuff is promising.

Uh oh.....

AT&T 944.....

That phone is a "no-KSU" model. It is designed to be used in a closed system that contains only other 944's as well as AT&T 955's and/or 964's. All of these models were manufactured by VTech (the maker of at&t branded consumer telephone equipment since 2000) and they all have been off the market for years.

These phones communicate with each other by constantly sending a signal via line #1. The signal sounds like a faint high pitched whine. So all of the acceptable no-KSU phones in the system (up to 12 total) must all be actively connected to line #1.

I think that this topic would be a better fit for the "Other Systems" forum, so, I will move it there.

Paul, the post was originally about some cortelco single line phones. That was just a list of some of the other phones the OP owns.