Overhead paging-Local and Remote

[justingoldberg]

So the SPA3000 goes off-hook automatically and you speak and you're paging the remote site? That's a great idea. I never thought about using what is essentially an ATA for that purpose.

[doom1701]

Yup, with a caveat--you have to dial a digit for the 3000's dialplan to kick in. But since the Valcom 2001A paging units we use require you to press 1 before you speak, there's actually no change for the users. Dial the extension, dial 1, and the SPA3000 outpulses that one (since the dialplan is setup to kick in after one digit) to the Valcom.

Just be careful of your device choice--you need to plug into an FXO port, so something like the SPA3000 or SPA3002 is required, not just one of the 1 or 2 port analog devices.

[ronaround]

I was referring to remote phones at a far end site. customer has 10 phones at remote site no server. 24x at home office.
we needed to page thru an exist page amp in the plant from home office and 2 other site w/o servers. We did tap an 9202 phone in data room to the amp. it works perfectly.just intercom from far end or within building and the PA works.
So would a Linksys FXO adapter still fit the bill? if so explain to me a little more to go about it.

thanks!!

[doom1701]

Depends on the paging amp; if the paging amp connects to a line/FXO port (ie, the port on the paging amp provides "battery"), then the Linksys would work. The Valcoms I've seen work this way; the Bogens that I've worked with tend to be a mix. What kind of paging amp is at the remote site?

[ronaround]

i like working with Valcom and have for 20 years. this unit was existing when they bought the building so as usual they want to salvage it.
its an older Bogen 70volt with only a 600 ohm tel. input. The cost of a Linksys FXO that you use cost about how much? Do i need a FXO at both ends.

thanks!

[doom1701]

The SPA3000 is just an extension--you only need it at the remote end to hook to the paging unit.

I totally understand about wanting to keep the Bogen around and kicking; I have one site that I decided to do that with, and so we got another Bogen box (can't remember the model #, but it provides the line out with input for line in, FXO or FXS) and hooked a Linksys SPA to it. I've got a quote to turn another Bogen site into a Valcom site--around $800, including the Valcom 2001 and the "unique" power for the speakers. They've decided to do away with overhead paging at that location, but in the future (and most likely at some point with the first site I mentioned), I know that changing over is an affordable option.

[ronaround]

DOOM
Thanks for all your input.
just to be clear..the SPA is connected to the remote site, Then how is the Allworx connecting to page,Thur an analog port at the server?

I'm going to check out the unit and get myself familiar with it. every days brings new opportunities and i want to be prepared.

[doom1701]

SPA is at the remote site, the FXO port on it is configured with an extension on the 48X. The only connectivity is IP over the WAN.

To page, we simply dial the extension we've assigned to the FXO port on the SPA.

[ronaround]

you have been very helpful. I appreciate all your input. this will be the next way I do the paging or if this other way ends up bad.

THANKS!

[liftow]

doom1701 - can you page to both the AllWork IP sets and the Valcom ext at the remote site at the same time? You didn't mention sets, and I'm just assuming there are phone there and not just a paging system.

ronaround - with your 9202E hack, I'm assuming your overhead paging can be part of the normal x*46# paging groups along with handsets? That's what I'm looking for. Any tips or tutorials available to take apart the 9202E?

I currently have an Algo 8180 SIP Paging Device that we are testing at a remote WAN site. Seems to work fine, but we can either page all the sets or the Algo, not both.