OBi 110: how to call from landline abroad?

[ryoanji]

Hello,

I admit I am a complete noob at the moment when it comes to configuring and troubleshooting Obitalk. I am using Obi110 in Ukraine at the moment.  My landline is connected to LINE port and phone to PHONE port.  My problem is that I can't place a call using my landline.  I have to power down Obi, then it works.  I can receive landline calls on Obi just fine. 

Things I tried:
"#" - i can hear some noises for a few seconds, but no dialtone
"**8" - nothing, same Obi dialtone. 

I tried looking for a solution, but I can't find much on using Obi abroad.  Thanks!

[ianobi]

It looks like the OBi110 is having trouble seizing the PSTN line. I wonder if you are on a very long line, a low voltage line or other devices are connected in parallel with your OBi110 Line Port?

When no call is ongoing, what does Status > PHONE & LINE Status > Line Port Status > TipRingVoltage show? It should be around 45v.

This should be set to the minimum 10mA, which is the default:
Physical Interfaces > LINE Port > Port Settings > MinOperationalLoopCurrent

You could try a lower setting here:
Physical Interfaces > LINE Port > Port Settings > TipRingVoltageAdjust

[ryoanji]

Thank you so much.  That was very helpful.  The settings are indeed 45v and 10mA.  Lowering the TipRingVoltageAdjust to 3.2 or 3.1 seems to do the trick - after "#" and 5 sec silence I can get a dialtone on the outside line.  Unfortunately, this dialtone only "works" for about 5-7 sec, after that it goes into a busy signal which will not go away.  It makes no difference if you place a phone is "onhook" and then dial "#" again - it will still be busy, until for instance you adjust TipRingVoltageAdjust.

P.S.  Yes, it might be a long line and there is another phone hooked up in parallel with OBi.

Thank you!

[ianobi]

It looks to me as if the problem is more likely to be your telephone line or house wiring and not the OBi110.

As a test is it possible to connect the OBi110 close to where the telephone line enters your home and disconnect it from all other internal wiring and parallel phones?

If you do get dial tone, then try increasing Physical Interfaces > LINE Port > DialDelay from 500 to 1000. This increases the time taken after the OBi110 seizes the PSTN line to one second before it sends out DTMF digits. This gives the PSTN line time to settle and gives the local exchange equipment more time to be ready to receive the digits.

Another possible issue concerns your local telephone exchange. If you make a call from a telephone that works, does it send out tones as you dial? Some old telephone exchanges will only accept loop/disconnect pulses. The OBi only sends out DTMF tones.

[ryoanji]

Thanks once again.  Unfortunately, plugging OBi as close as possible to line entering the apartment.  I did disconnect the second phone and it seemed to help.  I could get a dialtone even without adjusting voltage to 3.2.  But still after few seconds the dialtone disappears and after a brief silence all I can hear is busy signal that will no go away.  Changing dialdelay to 1000 or to 2000 had no effect.  So, it is probably an unsolvable problem relating to our local exchange

[ianobi]

I suspect that you are correct. However, it does seem odd that you can receive incoming calls ok on the landline.

It might be worth trying the OBi110 at another location - friends or family homes maybe. The land line does not need an internet connection to make it work, so it's just a question of plugging it in to a phone socket and providing power.

[Lavarock7]

Normally here in the US if you pick up a phone line, you get dialtone and if you don't dial anything the dialtone changes to a beep beep reorder type tone. It is fast-busy here in the US.

If you do dial a digit (of the phone company THINKS) you dialed a digit, you will hear silence until the reorder tone.

Certain noise on the line or the chatter of a relay or switchhook (like a flash) can make the phone company think a digit was dialed, thus breaking dialtone.

In your last message you appear to be able to bring up the line but your touchtones are not going through. Perhaps there is an adjustment you can try for volume on inband (DTMF) tones on the phone configuration in the Obi.

I have done a number of searches for "parameters" and "standards" for your landline connections there, but see nothing online.  I was wondering if standars US phones work there, ring voltage, impedance, polarity, etc.