sundance-communications.com Forums Telephony Discussion Phone & VoIP Systems NEC Telephones & Systems ETW - 8

Our company has a NEC phone system, its getting a little old - but still handles our needs. I need to hook up a few extensions with headsets. How would I go about this? Do I need some analog card(s), with which to use POTS type stuff? I don't want to damage the switch, but I don't have any of the books or other materials which came with it. ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi;

Not too sure as to what model system you have, but there are two options.

1/. If the system is old, as you say, then you can attach headsets to the phones (analog or digital) without the need for extra PBX hardware. What you will need is the get a headset, as well as an external amplifier. (Some analog phones do have headset connections built in.)

2/. If the system isnt too old, the NEC digital phones actually have an amplifier of sorts built in, with a special RJ 11 jack in the base of the phone to accomodate a headpiece only.

Both options would require some key data programming as well, but as mentioned, no new PBX hardware will be required.

Thanks.

judging by the phone model number (etw8) it sounds like you have a level 1 (pro1. do you have a little white plastic phone system cabinet?) or level 2(120 or pro2. usually a tan colored metal cabinet).

for an etw to have a headset you can either use the handset port or if i remember right there is a daughter board that fits in the bottom of the phone that will give you a headset jack.

on the level 1 analog ports are had by using a digital to analog station port converter (called a slt(f)). you've got to have a free digital port in order to use one and then it has to be programmed in the system.

level 2's can use a slt(? can't remember off hand the letter). again you'd need a free digital port & some programming.

OR you can have a sli(8) card in the system. sli8 will give you 8 analog ports without using adapters. you'd need a free slot in the cabinet though as well as the associated programming.

neither analog solution is going to be cheap as these systems aren't new