Hello all,

(My background: end-user of a Strat CIX40 system with a little bit of experience with phone systems install/setup/admin)

In our conference room, our conference table is in the middle of the room. Power runs to it up through the floor, but no phone/data. In order to use our conference phone, we have to lay the wire across the floor to the wall jack (the wall jack is a single copper pair directly to the phone company...not an SLT ext through the CIX40, but I plan on putting an SLT ext in the same jack or split to another jack in the same wall plate so we can test and eventually migrate to the SLT and away from the phone line).

I thought about getting one of those Wireless Phone Jacks, so I can move the phone jack up under the conference table so we don't have to drape it across the floor. It appears that WFJs are on their way to becoming obsolete technology as no one seems to stock them...I have to buy online. If I buy it & it doesn't work, it is a pretty expensive test (losing shipping fees to & from).

If I do go the SLT route, can these WFJs handle an SLT ext just the same as a regular phone line?

As far as I can tell, most of the WPJs are not really wireless...they are power-line technology/just run the signal down the electrical wires in the wall.

Are any of these units truly wireless (not power-line)? We only have to go about 5 feet from the wall to under the table. I figure wireless would work pretty well.

The power-line version might work. We are the smallest suite (out of 4; I'm guessing 10% - 15% of this floor) on the 2nd floor of a 4 story corporate office building. I'm guessing that our breaker panel is 50 - 100 feet down the hall. If the floor outlet is on the same circuit as the wall outlet, we probably don't have an issue with a power-line phone jack. The signal would only have to travel 5 - 10 feet in the walls/floors to its destination...probably wouldn't pick up a lot of interference from other equipment. But if they are on different circuits, the signal would have to travel down the hall and back. I'll have to find out from the property manager if the 2 outlets are on the same circuit...but if they find out what I am trying to do, they might have issue with it.

Thank you for any help anyone can provide,

CTB

Why not look at Polycom SoundStation 2w, it is a DECT conference phone, runs on battery just like a cordless phone, so no wires to the conference table. Just a charging base station at the wall where you connect the phone line.

Justin

Thank you for the feedback Justin. That is not my call. I can float that by the decision makers and see.

We have the wired version of that phone. I didn't know about the wireless version. Our acquiring company just sent us this phone brand new about a year and a half ago. Unless they need to buy a conference phone for some other location in the company, I don't think they will be willing to spring for another $200 - $500 for another conference phone when there is nothing wrong with this one. If a WPJ will work, I might be able to make this change for as little as $20 - $30.

Thanks again,

CTB

It's all in the presentation. First send in a quote for a core bore to wire the existing phone. Then wait a couple of days and propose the 2W.

The reason they are becoming obsolete is they never were worth a damn. I sure wouldn't put one in a business for any reason.

Agree with the Polycom 2w. I installed one in an old mansion and it exceeded my expectations

First, the usual rant:

How many times have I argued (to no avail) with architects, designers, builders and customers, to allow me to run a conduit to the middle of a room, and install a floor pocket for both electric and voice/data? Too many times, and that's why I am not in this business in earnest any more.

Now a question for the OP: Have you contacted a professional telephone installer (yes, we still exist) to determine what obstacles might present themselves, were you to try to do it the right way? The right way, in this case, is to run the wire to the floor in the middle of the room.

@Arthur-

5-Star Comment

I just went through this exercise in a new conference room. They gutted the existing space, including existing cables in the floor. I couldn't get them to core bore for new cables while the contractors were on site. It would have cost less than $500.

Picture a beautiful new conference room with an 80" monitor for presentations, with the Polycom, power and HDMI cables running across the floor to wall plates.

I was going to say the same thing Arthur but didn't want to waste the energy to type it. It would cost more than the $20 or $30 his cheap ass boss wants to spend.

-Hal

Hal,

I repeat the message, as sort of an evangelical mission.

I remain the eternal optimist.

Also the eternal cynic and curmudgeon, I'm afraid.

But one must not abandoned one's principals in the face of adversity.

Has anyone noticed there is less resistance in getting floor pedestals in executive areas compared to general meeting areas.

Seems the E level and C level execs don't want to see or trip over telephone/computer cables at their desks or boardrooms but for the rest of the staff take the cabling from a wall jack and put a throw carpet over it seems to be all they want to pay for.

I have to agree with Arthur - Especially if they already planned the electric to the middle of the room, they should have at least pulled an empty conduit for phone / data at the same time.

Ran into this issue at my last job in the conference room...they wanted a nice new conference table with an IP speakerphone in the middle. We ran the wire under the carpet and it worked OK.
I think they finally ended up trenching out the floor (I left a year ago) to run the cables the right way.

I have in the past tried to advise customer to do floor boxes move voice data outlets from behind doors. It is such a struggle I just leave it now. If the is an outlet on the prints I put a cable there and fix it after the fact.Cabling an engineering company now and his words were we checked every office and all the outlets are in the right place. 10 or so are right behind the door. Go figure they are the smart ones??

Bad Planning.

I've found, in new building projects, the main concern of the owners is paint colors and carpeting.

According to the NEC, it's a violation of the code to install any cable, except type CMUC (with limiting provisions) under carpet. Table 800.154(a).

The ONLY method I use to take a cable from the wall to a table in the room is using an approved duct (aka threshold) from the wall to the table.

When installing rough wire outlets, it's always a good idea to find the carpenter framing the doors to point out which side is hinge side. I have gotten better direction from carpenters than any architect, owner or engineer. Be especially mindful of pocket doors. They will "mess" you day real fast.

Rcaman

Ah, pocket doors. I remember when I worked for the cable company, installers drilling through walls to come out behind the set. Customer calls a couple of days later saying that they can't move the pocket door to close it. That's because the idiot ran the cable right through it. Now somebody owes the customer a new door.

-Hal

One of these days I will will share a story that involved a new telephone installer, Columbia University's Lowe Library, a priceless, one-of-a-kind, solid mahogany, one-man private elevator installed by Otis for Teddy Roosevelt when he was CU's president, and an installation order to install a Trimline® in the pre-existing telephone niche in the elevator car.

Suffice it to say that the elevator door had a similar problem closing after I (oops...I mean "HE") finished screwing the phone to the elevator.

Storytime with Uncle Arthur!!

Ouch. The old long screw trick? Seen a similar install but the elevator door was a shiny stainless steel with the stick on protective sheet still on it. Door opened and when it closed holy crap what a scratch was left.

Arthur,

When you reach a "certain" age, the story changes. The word "I" is replaced with "Someone" and you are ALWAYS the hero of the story.

There HAS to be some advantage to getting past a "certain" age.

Rcaman

Seems like when we finally learn all the tricks and learn from all our mistakes it's time to retire.

-Hal

Amen to that!

Sam