[geeks] U.K. telephone wiring RJ-45

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

Hi,

Tonight a business associate of mine is going to the U.K. on business.
He's taking an Apple powerbook purchased in Israel with him. I'm sending
him with a list of Wi-Fi hot spots in London so he may be able to get on
to the internet.

He's staying with family most of the time and will have to use his modem
instead most of the time, I found the wiring diagram for a U.K. phone
line to U.S (RJ-11) modem plug or I assume he can walk into any Apple
store and buy one.

Here in Israel the offical telephone plug is the same as the U.K. except
it is wired as if it were a U.S. plug (pins 3 and 4 are a two line
circut), but blank plugs and crimping tools are easy to get.

Now here is the part I am at a loss. When I was last in the U.K. the
hotel I stayed at (a service flat) had an ISDN connection. It did not
have a POTS (analog) line. The ISDN line was terminated in an RJ-45 (8
pin U.S.) plug.

Nosing around the the internet tonight I found several notes that POTS
service in the U.K. is now being moved to RJ-45 plugs especialy in hotels,
but also in newly wired homes.

Does anyone have know if this was typical internet misinformation? Should
it have read "... homes and hotels may be wired with ISDN lines which use
RJ-45 connectors, but these lines are not compatible with analog telephones"?

Or is it possible he will need an RJ-45 to RJ-11 adaptor to connect his
analog modem to an analog phone line? If so, how would it be wired?

I know from expereince when I worked at Bloomberg their offices were
wired using RJ-45 connectors worldwide, using the U.S, standard. However
I assume that he will not be in their office and would only see an RJ-45
jack if he is in a hotel or someone's home with one.

If you're still with me, I understand that in the U.K. there are ISPs that
are "free". When you dial them, BT skims a small charge off the top and passes
it on to them. Is that so, and can you recommend one? He'll only be in the
U.K. for five days, so opening an account seems like a waste of time and
money.

Thanks, Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, C.T.O. GW&T Ltd., Jerusalem Israel
gsm at mendelson.com gsm at gwandt.com
IL Voice: 972-544-608-069  IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838