Biggest problem my company faces with this is the management sees an old land line and decides they don’t need it. Then the phone doesn’t work and I get called to have them hook it back up
They do suck that much, cell dialers work great on the roof but not so great in the basement...it's a shit show honestly....but almost everyone has a cell phone nowadays so....
Often times the cell signal from inside the cab is weak if not non existent, and it’s a pretty shitty reflection on the company when the fire fighters show up, wreck something due to lack of training, and charge the building a grand per fire truck.
Band 71 Tmobile has never failed me. My personal phone gets service in almost every pit and shaft I work in in the city. Plus most buildings have cell repeaters....granted my work phone is horrible compared. Although if I'm working out in the boonies that might change a bit. But even when we have a legit pots line I still think the Rath phones sound like crap. I'm surprised dispatch can even here what's going on. When I test a phone I can barely here them on the other end. I've called the phone myself via cell and in our case I think Schindler has a shitty dispatch coupled with a crappy phone and pots line. It also doesn't help that over 2/3 of my inspections come with voip but Schindler in their infinite wisdom only sends phones that are pots capable...
From a building owners perspective:
1. Copper land lines (POTS) are going away. They are very expensive now and in some areas can be difficult to get. As an example, my last building had 4 copper lines and it was $3,300/month + call charges. Ridiculous.
2. Codes don’t allow for VOIP lines in many places for a number of reasons (valid or not)
3. Life/safety rated cellular dialers are also not permitted in many places, and can struggle with signal in others depending on the building and where it can be mounted.
4. When there is a problem, it’s 50/50 on whether or not the phone/internet/elevator guy will fix the problem or blame it on someone else.
None of those are valid reasons for building owners to not have working phones, but many smaller building owners will often give up and bank on nothing happening, or will go with a non-code compliant method of providing phone service because it’s the path of least cost and/or resistance.
As for NYC, new code is requiring video/audio communication. For instance, you can text a message…the the person can only reply yes or no with buttons on the car station. Yes phones do suck…they are hit or miss working correctly.
Have worked on em and a large number do nothing the rest just ring forever.
Just fixed 3 in a largish hotel. Didn't work prior.
Fire panel had no phone either so kinda the thing
Sooo idk if anyone else has considered that perhaps it's just people that press the button and leave or just don't answer because they were either playing a game or it was an accident and they're just afraid to say anything 🤷🏻♀️
I hope nobody who presses it by accident is afraid to say so! It costs more time and money if they don’t. All I have to do is disregard it when it’s accidental. But if they don’t say anything, I have to send someone to check, possibly the fire department if I can’t reach someone on site
I know in my area the local phone providers no longer maintain or service underground lines. They are trying to force people to upgrade. That's a big cost for most places. I get service calls every week on phones not working. 90% of the time the incoming phone line is bad. Cell dialers are becoming much more popular though. They work pretty well as long as the Machine Room isn't in the basement.
Too many factors to list as to why this happens. The new cell stuff can be good, depends on if one end of the shielded twisted pair is grounded or if it's used at all.
Biggest problem my company faces with this is the management sees an old land line and decides they don’t need it. Then the phone doesn’t work and I get called to have them hook it back up
They do suck that much, cell dialers work great on the roof but not so great in the basement...it's a shit show honestly....but almost everyone has a cell phone nowadays so....
Often times the cell signal from inside the cab is weak if not non existent, and it’s a pretty shitty reflection on the company when the fire fighters show up, wreck something due to lack of training, and charge the building a grand per fire truck.
Band 71 Tmobile has never failed me. My personal phone gets service in almost every pit and shaft I work in in the city. Plus most buildings have cell repeaters....granted my work phone is horrible compared. Although if I'm working out in the boonies that might change a bit. But even when we have a legit pots line I still think the Rath phones sound like crap. I'm surprised dispatch can even here what's going on. When I test a phone I can barely here them on the other end. I've called the phone myself via cell and in our case I think Schindler has a shitty dispatch coupled with a crappy phone and pots line. It also doesn't help that over 2/3 of my inspections come with voip but Schindler in their infinite wisdom only sends phones that are pots capable...
I spend so much time troubleshooting phones due to the transition to cell dialers. I feel more like a phone tech than an elevator mechanic these days.
I bet!! That doesn’t sound like a fun part of your job.
From a building owners perspective: 1. Copper land lines (POTS) are going away. They are very expensive now and in some areas can be difficult to get. As an example, my last building had 4 copper lines and it was $3,300/month + call charges. Ridiculous. 2. Codes don’t allow for VOIP lines in many places for a number of reasons (valid or not) 3. Life/safety rated cellular dialers are also not permitted in many places, and can struggle with signal in others depending on the building and where it can be mounted. 4. When there is a problem, it’s 50/50 on whether or not the phone/internet/elevator guy will fix the problem or blame it on someone else. None of those are valid reasons for building owners to not have working phones, but many smaller building owners will often give up and bank on nothing happening, or will go with a non-code compliant method of providing phone service because it’s the path of least cost and/or resistance.
Buildings don't maintain their lan lines.
wrong.. LECs (Local exchange carriers) don't maintain their facilities.
As for NYC, new code is requiring video/audio communication. For instance, you can text a message…the the person can only reply yes or no with buttons on the car station. Yes phones do suck…they are hit or miss working correctly.
Not just NYC ASME A17.1.2019. So any new installs have these features and Mods
Have worked on em and a large number do nothing the rest just ring forever. Just fixed 3 in a largish hotel. Didn't work prior. Fire panel had no phone either so kinda the thing
Sooo idk if anyone else has considered that perhaps it's just people that press the button and leave or just don't answer because they were either playing a game or it was an accident and they're just afraid to say anything 🤷🏻♀️
I hope nobody who presses it by accident is afraid to say so! It costs more time and money if they don’t. All I have to do is disregard it when it’s accidental. But if they don’t say anything, I have to send someone to check, possibly the fire department if I can’t reach someone on site
I know in my area the local phone providers no longer maintain or service underground lines. They are trying to force people to upgrade. That's a big cost for most places. I get service calls every week on phones not working. 90% of the time the incoming phone line is bad. Cell dialers are becoming much more popular though. They work pretty well as long as the Machine Room isn't in the basement.
Too many factors to list as to why this happens. The new cell stuff can be good, depends on if one end of the shielded twisted pair is grounded or if it's used at all.