sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Name that connector - Part II

Hi everyone,

That connector puts me in mind of the old octal tube base, except it has more pins of course.

Over here in the U.K. we used variations of 1/4-inch jacks and plugs in the old days, just with more contacts than the standard tip/ring/sleeve. 4- and 5-way plugs were commonly used on extension plans which involved portable phones, like this one:

Paul:

That sure seems awfully easy to inadvertently unplug. Was that a problem with those connectors?

Ed,

I've never found it to be a problem on the ones I've used. The contacts would usually hold the plugs fairly firmly. Also, the wall jacks were designed so that the plug was inserted from the side of the unit rather than the front, so that helped restrict directions from which a tug on the cord would actually pull the plug out.

I'd say that our modern modular-style plugs (introduced early 1980s) are actually more prone to accidental disconnection when the side latches become weak or -- as is often the case -- break off entirely.