Lift phones - Can they work on Wireless Broadband

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Harmul

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#312125 19-Mar-2024 16:48

Hey all, Sorry, not a very techo person here!

At our Rural Sports CLub, We had to get away from our old copper phone connection after Cyclone Gabrielle, and we have gone to wireless for our club phone and internet.

As our Building WOF has become due, weve just discovered our lift phones arent working - and need to get them sorted ASAP. Is this an easy fix?

Any help appreciated!

bj99

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#3208104 19-Mar-2024 16:55

It's highly likely to be possible if you use an ATA (analog telephone adapter) as long as you could identify the lift circuit.

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gregmcc

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#3208120 19-Mar-2024 17:49

I believe there is an out of the box solution specifically designed for lift phone to work over IP, can't recall the details, googling should help.

MaxineN

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#3208122 19-Mar-2024 17:56

IoT 4G SIM is another way of doing this. Just need to give it calling and since it would only be used in emergencies. Cost would be pretty low too, but this also means retrofitting the lift.

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#3208153 19-Mar-2024 19:40

In summary

You can use an ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter) to connect the lift phone to a VoIP provider. I assume the lift phone uses its own phone line, meaning you would have to subscribe to a VoIP service, connect the ATA to your router, configure the ATA to use the new VoIP and attach the phone lift to that.
There's a ready-to-use, wireless option by Schindler Schindler Ahead TeleAlarm - Elevator emergency phone system | Schindler Lifts NZ using a standard mobile connection

It's possible, but I recommend getting a telephony consultant to help.

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boosacnoodle

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#3208159 19-Mar-2024 20:06

I wouldn't recommend using a non-vendor approved VoIP solution. God forbid someone gets trapped and has no way to communicate with someone to get out.

saf

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#3208161 19-Mar-2024 20:17

Don't forget that depending on your locality, building and local council rules, you may also be required to ensure emergency communications is maintained in a power cut to comply with your BWOF.

This wouldn't just be backup power for an ATA or addon IP module, but also ensuring the network devices/equipment between it and the internet also being behind UPS etc.

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Harmul

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3208304 20-Mar-2024 08:10

Hey all, thanks for the prompt replies. A bit more info that might help:

Rural area - NO cell coverage for Sims etc

Power going off - Not a requirement to have the abiltiy to use when power goes off.

the lifts are both open ones, going from ground floor to first floor, and are both open, i.e., just a moving floor, so quite easy to just shout out if lift stops for some reason.

Very basic, just one phone line in back in the day.

Cheers

freitasm

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#3208315 20-Mar-2024 08:34

Ok. Can't it be just an extension of your phone? Not secure, in the sense that someone lifting the handset will listen to any on-going call.

If not, then the ATA with its own VoIP line then.

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nicmair

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#3208328 20-Mar-2024 09:09

I've been down this road with a Schindler lift at one of our sites, and the answer is, it will depend...

If the lift has a standard old analogue phone in it, then yes, any ATA will (likely) work, (which is what we do a 3 of our other sites). If however, the lift has an "integrated" phone, like our newer Schindler lift has, then maybe not... as despite hours of playing with various ATA's and every setting I could find, I was unable to get the integrated Schindler lift system to work on an ATA, on standard copper line, it works just fine, on an ATA, no.

Schindler has a solution, but at $3.5k plus installation, and then $1200 per year ongoing (these prices are from a rusty old memory so don't quote me) we seriously explored the ATA option, but it would just not work. The integrated Schindler systems seemed to expect some strange line voltages and then applied some even stranger hook flash techniques to drop/disconnect any existing calls so it could grab the line and make the call, the ATA's and settings we tried, (even hot dialing on any activity), just caused the Schindler system to see a line error and not make a call.

That said, if anyone has managed to get an integrated Schindler lift phone working on an ATA, I'd love to know the what and how, as while our site still has copper, I'm not sure for how long....

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#3208377 20-Mar-2024 09:14

The OP doesn't seem to need a sophisticated device like that, seeing as it's an open lift. I guess it calls a single, monitored number?

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nztim

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#3208380 20-Mar-2024 09:31

Lift phones should be taken very seriously and need to function when the power is off for a significant period of time.

Imagine been stuck in a lift after hours by yourself and your mobile is on 5%, you don't have your power back (because who carries that everywhere)

this was not an issue in the days of copper as it was fed form the line, our building has large UPSs managed and maintained by the lift company powering managed equipment and the fibre connection that feeds it.

In your case this is Wireless as you are outside the SFA but needs to be commercial grade not a B818 or similar from an RSP

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