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I have a few questions about home phone service

lavalamps
I plan to stick around

1 - Can I use my cordless handset base unit or does it have to be a regular old fashioned phone

 

2 -Can I  still use my 2 cordless handsets as well?

 

2- Can I use my stand alone fax machine to send and receive faxes?

 

Thanks in advance,

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Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

Gdkitty
Resident Expert
Resident Expert
Short answer for all 3 is yes.

Assuming the tech installs it properly, it should be connected into the same demark point as a bell line would, usually by your elec panel, and therefor give you access to any outlet, (covers question 2)
You can use any phone.
Fax will work just as on a bell phone line..

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Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

Gdkitty
Resident Expert
Resident Expert
Short answer for all 3 is yes.

Assuming the tech installs it properly, it should be connected into the same demark point as a bell line would, usually by your elec panel, and therefor give you access to any outlet, (covers question 2)
You can use any phone.
Fax will work just as on a bell phone line..

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

lavalamps
I plan to stick around

Thanks for the quick response. I am looking at switching but couldn't find this information on the Rogers site.

 

Since I still use my Fax machine quite a bit it is quite important.

 

Nice that I can also use my cordless phones.

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

How do you use your  fax?  Just manually receive?

 

Rogers does support getting things like distictive ring, etc as well. (i used to run this when i needed a fax running)

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

Pauly
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

a fax works the same way on rogers as it did on bell canada.  the only thing changing is the phone provider. you can both send and receive, no difference

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

lavalamps
I plan to stick around

I mainly use it to send faxes, but the odd time I need to receive I am always here to do a manual receive.

 

As long as it works like good old POTS I will be happy.

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

halldorr
I plan to stick around

Am I correct in understanding that it doesn't use the old phone jacks around the house like Bell used to use? if this uses the internet, how is the quality? I stopped using Vonage as the quality was shaky sometimes so now I redirect that number to my cell phone instead. Finally, I had asked before but why is the reason they can't transfer my number from Vonage to Rogers?

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

For doing the number transfer.. i beleive rogers only has access to TRADITIONAL lines to be able to transfer from, etc.. Bell, etc are likely the same.

While the rogers home phone, is a 'internet' transfer of sorts.. its not the same as Vonnage.

Vonnage travels over your regular internet.. and is then tied to how fast your connection is, what else is using your internet at the time, etc... can all have an effect onit.


Rogers home phone.. while it uses a type of internet protocol to communicate.. it does it differently.
It has its own modem device, directly connected to the cable line, talking right back to rogers.  They even use a different freqency, so stuff effecting TV, internet, etc wont necessarily interfear with the phone.

 

If its set up correctly, YES it does use the jacks in your house.

Normally, say with bell, etc.. the line comes into the house, then to a splitter/demarcation box usually by the elec pannel... from there out to all the outlets.
What should be done when the rogers home phone is set up.. is to set up the phone modem by the elec box.. and on the back is a phone jack.  This is then connected into the demarcation box, which should then send it out to all the rest of the house.

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

sghai00
I've been here awhile

I just signed up for Rogers Home Phone, with the tech coming on Thursday.  But, now I'm thinking how it will be set up.  I live in a condo, with the one phone jack I can find located in the kitchen.  Does the phone have to be plugged in directly with the home phone modem that they're bringing in?  Or will the tech simply be flipping a switch in some maintenance room located in the building?  I'm dreading the thought of a wire running from my cable jack by the TV (presumably where the phone modem will be plugged in) all the way to the kitchen.

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

@sghai00, there probably is a structured wiring cabinet in your condo storage or utility room where the cable and phone cables are located.  The Home Phone runs off of its own cable modem.  That cable modem uses the incoming cable to provide data services to it, and the modem output it connected into the condo's phone system.  Normally in a residential building, there is a 66 block in that wiring cabinet which is used to connect all of the phones in the residence to the incoming phone cable (previously Bell for example).  That incoming phone cable is disconnected and the Home Phone modem output is connected in its place, running all of the phones in the residence.  The modem would normally be located within the cabinet, out of sight and there wouldn't be any change in how you connect to, or use the existing phone jack .  So, the question at this point is where is that wiring cabinet located in or for your condo? 

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

sghai00
I've been here awhile
That, I wouldn't know. I assume somewhere on the main floor, or the floor below that.

I know there's also a panel inside our coat closet at the front of our unit that the technician popped open when setting up our cable TV hookup. Not sure what's in there. Haven't looked into it since.

The home modem itself...where would that be hooked up in the my specific unit?

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

If you looked inside that panel, you will probably find both cable and phone wiring.  That sounds like the structured wiring panel for your condo.  The question is, is there enough space for a phone modem and is there a plug to provide power to the modem.  That is something that the tech will have to determine.  In a worst case scenario, the phone modem itself can go anywhere that has a cable port on a wallplate and a nearby power source. 

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

sghai00
I've been here awhile
I'll take a look later today and tell you what I find. If there is space, the modem would be mounted on the wall/inside that panel itself? I just assumed it would be where the cable TV/internet is.

All I want is to just plug my phone into the wall. No hassle, no mess 😐

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

If there is space and power, I imagine that the tech will park the modem inside the panel.  That is where my Home Phone modem has been for the last 10 years or so.  And .... you plug your phone into the phone jack, no hassle, no mess.  But, it all depends on what the tech determines when he or she opens the panel.  No guarantees on that one.

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

sghai00
I've been here awhile
So you were right. They came yesterday and inserted the modem in the cable box found in our coat closet in our condo. Took them a while to get it up and running, but after one day, so far so good. And yes, no hassle, no mess. I'm happy 🙂

Thanks for calming me down a little lol

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

mhm45
I'm here a lot

new phone

 

I may need to buy a new phone. Will any phone (wireless or landline) have access to the Rogers answering service?

 

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

gp-se
I'm an advisor

@mhm45 wrote:

new phone

 

I may need to buy a new phone. Will any phone (wireless or landline) have access to the Rogers answering service?

 


@mhm45

They should work fine, I use Panasonic Cordless phones and they work with Rogers Voicemail.

 

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

mhm45
I'm here a lot

To go-se

Thank you. That’s what I’m looking for. To get a model that flashes a signal when there is a message waiting, do I have to purchase one with an answering machine built in?

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

57
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@mhm45wrote:

To get a model that flashes a signal when there is a message waiting, do I have to purchase one with an answering machine built in?


If you're going to be using Rogers voicemail, you don't need an answering machine. I also use Panasonic Cordless phones and recommend them.  Make sure it has the features you want and it should flash the "message waiting" light when there is a message on Rogers Voicemail.  On mine I also get an indication on the LCD display regarding a missed call and/or voicemail

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

mhm45
I'm here a lot

Thank you. I think I’ll look at the Panasonic phones!

Re: I have a few questions about home phone service

mhm45
I'm here a lot

Which Panasonic model do you have that Flashes a message light?

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