How to transfer calls across two wired phones?

[e-class]

Need help solving a phone problem, please!

 

A small primary school has a single phone line. It has two buildings which are in a sort of 'L' shape with the playground in between.

 

One end of the building has the BT master socket and has a phone. We have wired in another phone socket around the 'L' shape so that the other end of the building can also get to a phone. We did this as we couldn't get any sort of good reception with a cordless phone. Excellent we thought both ends of the school are happy! Well they aint!

 

The problem is, now when one end of the school gets a call, they cannot transfer to the other end of the school, as the two phones are not cordless and cannot therefore transfer calls. Both sides are complaining about fielding calls for the other office and the inability to transfer the call on.

 

So I have been given a deadline of until the end of half-term to try and sort out, except I haven't got the foggiest as to how to do this. I've asked and someone has said you need to get a PBX(???) or sommat similar. I've looked on the internet and am even more confused.

 

So, how do I get each side to able to transfer calls to the other without breaking the bank?

 

Thanks in advance.

[steveg]

With your current setup, you can't. You will need a pbx - essentially a small internal phone exchange for this to work, each phone would then be a seperate extension, and therefore have its own internal number. However for just 2 phones this wont be a very cost effective solution.

 

Steve

[richard.thomas]

I suppose you could go back to cordless handset solution using a 'repeater' to extend the signal. I'm not sure how practical it is to do this or the costs involved. I'm sure it's possible though.

[powdarrmonkey]

(PBX: Private Branch Exchange.)

[tom_newton]

One alternative to a PBX is a second BT line, and then use yac.com or similar to redirect the numbers accordingly. Their "business lite" package will do that OK. We use Yac, but only as a provider for our NGNs, all transfers are done "in house" on our PBX, so I can't say how well it works.

[TechMonkey]

Surely if it is just an extension then if someone picks up the other phone it will be transferred? Or are you meaning you want the other phone to ring to let someone know you want them to pick it up?

 

A series of pullies and wires with a bell on the end? BE an interesting project for the kids

[Andrew_C]

I thought that I'd be giving you a link to a Maplin page here, but all the PABXs seem to have disappeared. Nothing on MPS, CPC or RS... Has Busby changed the rules so we can't buy them anymore?

 

I've fitted a couple of two line to ten extension systems in the past, and it is really easy.

[tom_newton]

Loads of PBXs on eBay

[CHR1S]

Surely if it is just an extension then if someone picks up the other phone it will be transferred? Or are you meaning you want the other phone to ring to let someone know you want them to pick it up?

 

A series of pullies and wires with a bell on the end? BE an interesting project for the kids

 

A very cheap alternative would be 2 bells from B&Q and a length of long wire, one at each point A and B. If call is taken at A and its for B right the doorbell and someone comes and answers it.... crude but effective

[e-class]

Thanks for all the replies especially the 'pullies and bells' one, I'll be sure to mention that one to the office staff ... from a distance of course!

 

Looks like a PBX or sommat ... just to tranfer calls.

 

Just thought of one other thing that might help.

Both the offices also have PCs which are networked to each other (RJ45 rather than wireless 'cos that don't work either) for access to the internet via a router.

I guess I could give them a quick script on the PC that would send a beep/ring to say 'Pick up the phone now ... its for you!!!' or even just give them chat access to each other or something similar? Maybe, even mic up the two PCs?

Any ideas, on the best approach on getting this sorted using the LAN connection maybe?

 

Thanks again

[localzuk]

How about one of these: Grandstream GXE5024 IP PBX

 

You'd plug the phone line into it, and then the 2 extensions into that, set up the phones as individual extensions and voila.

 

Should be perfect for what you want really.

 

Or this: Siemens Gigaset SX762 IP PBX