atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Telecom Service & Providers Testing Line Signal Strength

Hey JWRacedog, thanks for the tests results. They appear to be very similar to mine. I also had volume=-3dBm on all C.O. lines. That's very discouraging...I thought I was on to something.

Anyway, to answer your question as to what I', trying to accomplish..

I'm using the system the same way you are...to ring my cell phone when I'm out of the office. I have set the "away" prescence to accomplish this and the call routing works perfectly. When a call comes in and the prescence is set to "away" may cell phone rings 6 times before going to voice mail. Also, I can answer my cell phone and the connection is made between my cell phone and the caller. However, the volume is so low, that the first thing out of the caller mouth is "I can barely hear you" and guess what...I can barely hear them also. I've runs test with several cell phones and cell phone carriers, and get the same results. So, what can I do to increase the volume on both ends? Oh, I do have the volume turned up all the way on all the cell phones I've tested.

A common problem seen by most call forwarding issues where you are tying two lines (one in, one out) together. Low volume input to the cell phone system equals low volume on the call.

When you go "remote" have the calls call forwarded by the Centrex feature (if you are assigned a direct number) and use your cell VM.

Good Luck.

I can say for sure you’re NOT going to get a +10 dB from at&t. That’s out of specs HOT for a Telco. A line that hot would probably induce cross-talk on other lines. You’ll also get a bill from at&t for testing as -3dB (if at the demarc) is within specs and would really be considered an ideal level at the interface.

This whole “return loss” phrase is bothering me a little too on your testing/diagnoses… The term “return loss” is typically used when talking about “echo control” rather than signal strength. Are you sure that’s not a HARD setting you can change or adjust in order to control excessive echo talk-back on a line? … Or maybe it’s just a misnomer from Allworx.

Can you… (JWRaceDog maybe) … or anybody, say EXACTLY where in the signal path the Allworx system is taking that, “Four Wire Return Loss Measurement" reading at?

Here at the shop we have a Frac T-1 coming in from PAETEC with 5 lines and Internet. The "Away" prescence (going to a cell phone) works every time--quite flawlessly. The quality is really good & volume is good. Customers state all the time that they can't tell if we're in the office or on the cell phone. We didn't really do anything special.

Now, on the other hand, a customer of ours has a PRI with PAETEC and the Conferencing of lines is very bad. They have the outside parties not hearing one another, whereas before they got the PRI---they had PAETEC POTS lines (centrex features) and the conferencing worked flawlessly for 5 years. They have a Comdial DX-120. Go figure.

Your solution may be what KLD suggested. Use the "Transfer" feature of the Centrex (hookflash, dial the number, hang up). You may have to put those keystrokes in a speed dial bin. You may have to call Allworx support to get the right keystrokes, pauses, etc. in there to make it work right. I haven't ever done it for a customer. Good Luck.

This is a common problem for all systems that just bridge two lines together. The volume is always going to be low and blaming that on the telco just shows lack of knowledge.

Apparently the "test" Allworx uses sends a tone of some reference level on one line, calls another line and measures what comes back. Then they tell you to bitch to the TELCO if the results aren't within their specs.

The RIGHT way would be for Allworx to include some variable gain/AGC in the loop. That would automatically take care of the problem.

-Hal

What Hal said.

Usually most systems allow you to conference multiple lines but they suggest that you don't bridge more then 2 outside lines.

Even so, the system should be able to handle two conferenced trunks.

Some questions:

1- Can you do a three party conference with the trunks and if so can both outside parties hear each other well? If they can, there should be no reason that a transfer to a cell phone doesn't work.

2- Is the problem consistent across all the trunks or just across some of them? Try different combinations and see if you can pinpoint a "killer" trunk or maybe just one pair that works well. Try to troubleshoot from there.

Sam

I'm not too sure about some of these diagnostics. I just looked in my training book about "4 wire loss measurement" and I have notated in ink "db levels of 16-25 good". It doesn't really make any sense, though.

Who did you buy the system from? We usually call our supplier. They are another source of support for us, and sometimes we get more "field" information from them rather than "book" information from Allworx.

CnGRacin: I'll try to find out where they are taking this measurement. In the instructions they mention that it will take about 15 seconds, but that if the port has a call---then the measurements will not be valid.

Tom:
What Version is your Allworx?? You know, they just came out with 7.0 and have more diagnostic features. Are you a dealer? Have you applied & gotten portal access? We keep our system here updated to the latest version.

The 16-25 on return loss is good the more loss the better. I don't see how this can be a true return loss test, as state this test is for a 4wire to 2wire conversion and is measured from the 4wire point it is the only place return loss occurs other than end user equipment. If your Allworx is telling you that you have a R/L of -3 it's nuts because you'd have so much echo you couldn't talk on it.

I know nothing of Allworx, but I do know how R/L is measured and it's effect.

Actually it does make perfect sense, that is what a “return loss” measurement should be… I had to look this up… But 20dB “return loss” is the stated minimum acceptable measurement.

“Return loss” kills echo… and really does not have anything to do with audible levels.

I'm with Bill. Running loop tests to the milliwatt source in the C.O., if you read a level of -3, the line(s) will AT LEAST whistle on the spoken letter 'S'. Probably squeal like a banshee and be useless! If you were getting a true 'return loss' reading of -3, that would indicate a line (or lines) hotter than hades! Probably super high current, burning out trunk/line ports, sqealing continously, and useless. It's interesting how the meaning of words change, depending on who uses them! "That depends on what 'NO' means" John C.