I installed a new SBX yesterday, only to find that I can't get dialtone. When you push the line button, you hear 2 clicks, then busy. I had only done some basic programming at this point. Putting my butt-set across the CO, when I access the line, I hear 3 clicks, then dial tone. My line voltage is 48 on-hook, and have 25 ma off-hook.

Pulled the cabinet back to the shop, and it is fine here. Went back out today, and tried messing with the timers, trying to get it to hold dialtone. I haven't found any setting that I can change to allow me to get dialtone. Yesterday, they were using line 1 on old phones, and when I accessed Line 1, I butted into their call, as I expected.

Seems like the problem is whatever the 3 clicks are from the Telco. Seems like I need to disable the CO disconnect setting, or change the timer, but can't find anything that works. Just get clicks, then busy, and all 3 of their lines act the same.

About a year ago, VZN did move them to a remote, and began offering DSL in that area. They are located about 1/4 mile from the remote. Prior to that, they were fed directly out of the switch, which is located about 9 miles up the road.

Had anyone seen anything like this before? It is really driving me nuts.

The SBX is not a passive system it looks for a certain co voltage, however it seems you are inside the range. I used to test my SBXs by running slt dialtone from the system back into a co port. The tree clicks bothers me, the SBX does not know the line is being seized or vice versa, I would dial a number from the SBX after going off hook and see if the line seizes even if you don't hear dialtone first.

I don't know what the clicks are either, I took an analog meter there today to see if I could see a reversal or drop when going off hook, and the meter did drop very quickly a bit on going off-hook.

I had a customer several years ago (feed by the same CO) that I had to modify a timer on a DX80, kind of did the same thing, heard click then hung up. Changed the disconnect timer and problem went away.

Today, I took along a spare DX80, and I put the same timers in it that I looked up in my backups for the other system that gave me issues, plugged it in, hooked up a CO line, and it works. Then just for kicks, I defaulted the cabinet, tried again at default, and it still works.

This one really baffles me.

Try reversing the CO polarity, that is if they are all the same, if anyone is different I don't think it will help any.

CO attributes II has a co open loop detect timer that defaults at 100msecs (setting 00) which can be changed up to 200 msecs. There is also a long/short line telco setting. I never needed to change them but you never know.

Try PGM 160, button 14 and enable immediate CO line connect. This is normally used to provide an immediate talk path for CO lines that are connected to third party paging units, door boxes, etc.

Ed, I missed (or forgot) about that option, I bet it will do the trick. This is from the SBX 3.5 pro and op manual:

Voice Path Connect -- if value is set to IMM
(immediate), voice path is connected immediately for
CO outgoing calls; otherwise, calls are connected after
dialing digits.
PGM 160 + FLEX 14 + 0
(DGT) + [HOLD/SAVE]
VALUES --
0 = DGT
1 = IMM

Not trying to be a smart-alec, but: Tell the Telco to fix it.

Thanks for the options. I talked to the customer yesterday, and was almost to the point of getting a DX-120 to put in there. I will go back on Tues, and try these one last time, along with anything else that gets posted until then.

I did try the open loop detect timer, and that didn't seem to do anything. I wish there was a way to simulate the scenario here so that I could test it. I never knew what PGM 160 - 14 did. Never had to deal with it. There is still a lot of the wording that doesn't make sense to me. Coming from Comdial, things seemed to be called what they were, at least made sense.

I did ask Toni one day if there was a "dictionary" for this thing. But you know, after you install a bunch of these, you get comfortable with it, and the stuff you never change, you just pass over.

Thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll keep you informed.

I have seen this before (the clicks on the line), but with a Panasonic system. It turned out that Verizon installed their new service using FiOS, but punched the jumpers down right on top of the existing positions where the copper lines were. The copper pairs were not dead, but there was battery on them.

I know it's a stretch, but it might be worth looking into if there is FiOS in the area. Verizon seems to think of that as the magic solution to the telecom industry.

The SBX or ipldk60 as LG calls it is a workhorse, and it doesn't tolerate Telco miswiring or improper line voltages.

I was out to the site on Tuesday. Tried the Immediate voice connect, set all the disconnect timers to either off or as long a possible, nothing worked.

There isn't any FIOS here anywhere. The closest I know of is in Harrisburg. The remotes are fiber-fed from the CO 8 miles away.

Also took along a DX120, connected it up, had one phone, didn't program it at all, Lines work, even called a number from it, used the flash, that works, put the other party on hold, and I told them that several seconds after I did, they should hang up, line disconnected.

So I gave up. After 4 trips to the site, (37 miles one-way), I talked the buyer into letting me get a DX120 and change to that equipment. Stuff should be here Monday, and I'm going to install next week.

Beats the **** out of me.

Final thought, VZN says all is OK. Don't know what to ask them to fix. Have a friend who works the offices here in my county, he called the girl who runs the switch where I am trying to install this, and she says she doesn't see anything wrong.

Thanks though for all your suggestions.

CASE CLOSED (I hope!)

The mention of "three clicks" sounds like dial tone from a 5ESS switch, but I don't think they are really clicks, as in the line actually going open momentarily. I think they are just sounds heard when seizing a line. Regardless, that shouldn't have any effect on the SBX. I will say that I don't know if any of our installed SBX customers are directly connected to a 5E office. They are either behind FiOS or pair gain equipment, which masks those click sounds.

I'd be curious to know if your customer's lines or the test dial tone you used on the bench was coming from a 5E line. There are a lot of international settings in the SBX that reference European standards, such as pulse metering, etc. I wouldn't be at all surprised if one of these settings is your culprit.

Most CO switches, cable EMTAs or lines on pair gain return instant dial tone when going off-hook. The 5E is the only one that I know of that does not.