OBI-110 Line Port explanation

[Shrewsbury]

Does anyone have a better explanation (for dummies) on the different intended use for OBI-110 Phone-Port versus Line-Port. Examples, visuals, detail explanation with out acronyms ? 

I did look at the OBIhai website and got their technical description, but I am still not sure what the function is of the PSTN as they have it pictured.

[Shale]

Line connects to the phone company.

Phone connects to the local phone(s).

[MurrayB]

PSTN stands for Public Switched Telephone Network. In other words the phone company like Verizon or cable company like Comcast that supplies land line service. This is where the line port connects. This port is on the Ob110 not the Obi100 or 200.

[RFord]

You can also connect another ATA device directly to the Line Port.  Such device includes Ooma, a PAP2T-NA configured to a VOIP Provider, Cable Provider telephone Device, Magic Jack Line, etc.  You could place outgoing and receiving incoming calls via the Line Port from these Devices connected to the Line Port.

[Clive]

OK, on the OBi110 (or any OBi for that matter), the PHONE socket is simply to plug in a telephone handset that you make telephone calls from. As long as it has an rj11 plug on the end and is capable of tone dialling (most modern push button phones tone dial - you can play a tune on the number buttons).

The LINE socket connects to your landline phone jack on the wall if you have a service such as AT&T (USA) or BT (UK) or any other telephone company you care to mention.

Additionally, (as RFord points out) if you had another voip supplier who had given you one of their phone adapters - lets say they gave you an OBi100 (this is where it gets a little weird) - you could connect the PHONE socket of the OBi100 to the LINE socket of the OBi110.

In essence, it's exactly the same as the Telco example because the OBi100 IS your current phone service in the same way as the phone jack on the wall. It's the socket you currently plug your telephone into.

It's all about forgetting the restrictions we've been programmed to accept as normal. Thinking digital instead of analogue.

[Lavarock7]

Decades ago, (I think it was MCI rather than Sprint) had a solution to eliminate the cost of long distance through the "phone company". They came into your office and inserted a box between your phone and the wires going to the phone company. The box was smart and if you dialed a long distance number (more than 7 digits), it dialed a special number instead. When that number answered, the box dumped your dialed digits to the machine that answered and your call was completed using their equipment rather than the phone companys equipment. They charged less for their call than the phone company.

The Obi110 is similar to that device. If you do not connect it to a wired phone provider, the calls are routed through the internet using a provider of your choice. If you do have a wired provider (or other service that looks like a wired provider) you can insert an Obi110 between your phone and that provider. By configuring the Obi, you tell it which calls to route through which provider.

[giqcass]

Decades ago, (I think it was MCI rather than Sprint) had a solution to eliminate the cost of long distance through the "phone company". They came into your office and inserted a box between your phone and the wires going to the phone company. The box was smart and if you dialed a long distance number (more than 7 digits), it dialed a special number instead. When that number answered, the box dumped your dialed digits to the machine that answered and your call was completed using their equipment rather than the phone companys equipment. They charged less for their call than the phone company.

I have one of those devices.  Mine was from a company called Chatterbug and I bought it from Kmart.  I paid a monthly fee for unlimited long distance.  Aside from a small delay it worked just like normal telephone dialing.

The OBi110 line port can also be useful for connecting to the new Cellular based home phones as well.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-Wireless-Home-Phone/22084643
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/sprint-phone-connect-2-tries-to-replace-your-landline-on-oct-14/