FAQs

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1. Should I get an analog or digital phone system?
2. We have an older Panasonic analog system and want to upgrade to a new, bigger digital system. Can we use our present phones?
3. Can I connect an analog single-line phone to a digital system without using the XDP jack?
4. Can I connect an analog multi-line phone to a digital system?
5. Should I get the KX-T7885 or KX-TD7895 cordless phone?
6. What is the difference between the KX-TD7890 and KX-TCS970?
7. How can I make a single-line phone dial a number as soon as it is picked up?
8. How can I make a multi-line phone automatically choose an outside line when I pick up the handset?
9. How can I use a single-line phone to retrieve a call that was put on hold at another phone?
10. How can I use a single-line phone to join in a conversation?
11. How do I use Call Waiting in a digital system?
12. How can I make my phone automatically dial the 9 for Centrex calling?

more at Tips and our online manual.

(1) Should I get an analog or digital phone system?

Get digital.

We can't say that analog systems sound lousy or will fall apart quicker, but the undeniable trend in electronics in general, and certainly in phone systems, is to digital technology.

Since the introduction of Panasonic's Digital Super Hybrid phone systems in 1993, we have sold relatively few analog systems, but the new analog 624 could be a good choice for an inexpensive system with a lot of multi-line phones, or where you need maximum modem speed, through the phone system.

Depending on the number of phones and the mix of single-line and multi-line phones, a digital system can even cost less than analog.

Digital phones cost a bit more than analog; but they do much more than the analog phones, and you can choose from four different models, covering a wide price range.

If you have to stay within a tight budget, I urge you to cut back on something other than the KSU, so you can go digital. Create a modern infrastructure, with a digital KSU and proper wiring and jacks; and start with just a few digital phones if that's all you can afford. You can use analog single-line phones in some locations, and even analog multi-line phones if you need easy line selection and some -- but not lots -- of features...but make the system digital! You won't regret it.

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(2) We have an older Panasonic analog system and want to upgrade to a new, bigger digital system. Can we use our present phones?

Absolutely.

Part of the "magic" of Panasonic's digital super-hybrid phone systems is that they are backwards-compatible.

Just as a new Nikon camera can work with Nikon lenses made decades ago, a brand-new Panasonic KX-TD system, can work with Panasonic KX-T analog multi-line phones, even those made long ago.

Our own office system has some of the newest digital phones, plus THREE generations of analog multi-line phones, plus some analog single-line phones -- and they all get along, and work fine.

When connected to a new digital system, older phones will be able to perform many new tricks, for example:

• Old display phones can now show Caller ID info.
• Tone-pads will be live, even with the handset down; so you can just tap the "one" button to turn on background music, for example.

Chances are, you'll want some new digital phones to take advantage of some of their unique features -- such as the call log and Rolodex-style dialing index on the KX-T436 -- but you can make an orderly and gradual transition, as your needs and budget dictate.

And when you're ready to dispose of your analog control unit ("KSU") and phones, you can have a free ad on our Flea Market page.

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(3) Can I connect an analog phone to a digital system without using the XDP jack?

Sure.

First, some background...

Each phone jack in a Panasonic digital system has the usual green, red, black and yellow wires.

The black and yellow wires are considered the DATA PAIR, and carry power plus digitized voice and information that a digital phone needs for full functioning on all the lines connected to your phone system. A digital phone will work just fine with just two wires (one pair).

The green and red wires are considered the VOICE PAIR, and this pair is all that is needed for an ordinary single-line phone, or a modem, fax machine, credit-card terminal, answerer, etc. A single-line device can have access to all your lines, intercom, and most features.

When a digital phone is plugged into a 4-wire jack, the analog circuit from the green and red wires is passed through the body of the phone to the XDP jack on the back of the phone.

• Altho the jack is located on the phone, its circuit is distinct from this "host" phone, and anything plugged into the XDP can operate independently of it. For example, you can talk on one line with the phone, at the same time a modem, plugged into its XDP, is working on another line.
• You also have the option of letting the XDP and host phone share an extension number. This allows you to use a computer modem to dial your calls, and then you use the phone to talk. You can also connect an answerer or cordless, that will respond to calls that reach the host phone.

If you don't have a digital phone plugged into a particular 4-wire jack, you can plug in an analog phone or gadget, and it will connect to the proper green and red wires, and ignore the black and yellow data pair.

If you don't need to use the XDP on a particular digital phone, that analog circuit can be connected to another jack, even in another room.

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(4) Can I connect an analog multi-line phone to a digital system?

Two answers, and they're both "yes."

(A) If you're talking about a Panasonic multi-line phone designed to be used with a KX-T hybrid phone system, (phone models such as the KX-T61630 or KX-T7020) you can plug it right in and it will work fine, and even do some new tricks that it could not do with an analog system. Be aware, however, that the analog phone requires all four wires in a jack (the data AND voice pairs), and will not work if you have enabled the XDP function for a particular jack (program step #600).

(B) If you're talking about a self-contained two- or three-line phone, such as a Panasonic KX-T3175 (a phone that is NOT designed to work as part of a phone system with a central control unit), you have two choices:

• You can use only the Line-1 section of the phone, as if it was a single-line phone, but still have access to all your lines and intercom; or
• You can do a really cute trick, connecting the Line-1 and Line-2 parts of the phone, to TWO DIFFERENT "station ports" on the phone system, so Line-1 would have one intercom number and Line-2 another intercom number. With this setup, if you are talking on one line, another incoming call -- on any of your lines -- will come in on the Line-2 circuit. This is particularly useful with a two-line cordless. You could also put Line-1 call on hold, and switch to Line-2 to use intercom or paging.

Two cautions:

• Make sure that the Line-2 circuit (black and yellow in a four-wire jack) DOES NOT feed a data circuit into a 2-line phone.
• Be aware that the hold button on a conventional 2-line phone holds calls within that phone, but does not hold a call within the entire system, or prepare the call for transferring. If you want to use system-wide functions, use the flash button.

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(5) Should I get the KX-T7885 or KX-TD7895 cordless phone?

It depends on what's important to you.

• The KX-T7885 is an analog 900MHz cordless, and you can have a dozen or more in one location.
•  The KX-TD7895 is digital spread spectrum, with longer range, quieter operation and higher security...but you shouldn't use more than four in the same area.

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(6) What is the difference between the KX-TD7890 and KX-TCS970?

Both of these digital spread-spectrum cordless phones use the same handset.

The 7890 is a three-piece system. The handset goes on a small cradle for charging, and the cradle just needs AC power -- it does not need a phone jack. The third part of the system is a base with two antennas, that connects to a phone jack and an electric outlet. The handset never has to go near it, and it can be mounted in a phone closet, or up high in a building for maximum range.

The KX-TCS970 was discontinued in the Spring of 1998. It was a more conventional two-piece system. The handset had to be returned to its base for charging, and the base had a speakerphone and touch-tone dialing pad.

The 7890 comes with two rechargeable battery packs, the 970 came with one.

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(7)  How can I make a single-line phone dial a number as soon as it is picked up?

This feature can be very useful if you want to program a single-line phone to call 911 or another important number, and it can also make a modem or fax choose a specific line, or even any available line, before dialing out. Look in the large User Manual, in the section called SLT Features, for "Pickup Dialing (Hot Line)".

Programming this is a two step process. First you program the phone number that you want to dial, or a code such as 9 or 83), and then you activate the feature.

If you want to program a jack that will be used by a modem, temporarily put a single-line phone into the jack, for programming.

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(9) How can I make a multi-line phone automatically choose an outside line when I pick up the handset?

The best way to make a call with a Panasonic proprietary multi-line phone, is to simply tap an unused "CO" line button, and immediately start dialing the number. You don't even have to wait for dialtone. In a digital system, you can tap a button programmed for automatic dialing, and it will choose a line, turn on the speaker and microphone, and dial the call. In an analog system, you first tap a line button or the SP-PHONE button, and then tap the programmed button.

The default programming in Panasonic systems is to connect you to the intercom when you pick up the handset. This setup encourages you to dial with the speakerphone instead of the handset -- a very sensible timesaver, since there is a good chance that your call won't be answered or you'll be put on hold for awhile before you get to talk.

However, there are some people who insist on making calls the old-fashioned way, and the thoughtful folks at Panasonic have provided a way for you to grab an outside line when you pick-up the handset. The procedure is called Auto CO Hunting in analog systems and Preferred Line Assignment - Outgoing in digital systems. The instructions are in the User Manuals.

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(10) How can I use a single-line phone to retrieve a call that was put on hold at another phone?

With a digital system: You can get a call that was put on hold elsewhere, by dialing 51 plus the intercom number where the call was put on hold. You can also dial 53 plus the line number, with two digits (e.g.: dial 5302 for line #2). 

With an analog 308 or 616 system: You can get a call that was put on hold elsewhere, by dialing 5 plus the intercom number where the call was put on hold.

With the analog 616 system: You can also dial 58 plus the line number, with one digit (e.g.: dial 582 for line #2).

With the analog 1232 system: You can get a call that was put on hold elsewhere, by dialing 5 plus the intercom number (three digits) where the call was put on hold. You can also dial 53 plus the line number, with two digits (e.g.: dial 5302 for line #2). 

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(11) How can I use a single-line phone to join in a conversation?

With a digital system: dial the intercom number of one of the phones that is in use, hear a busy signal, and then dial 2 (within 10 seconds). (The phone that is joining a conversation must be programmed for "executive override.")

There is no way to do this with an analog system. One of the other people has to set up a conference call to include you.

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(12) How do I use Call Waiting in a digital system?

If you are using a display phone, you should see "EFA" in the display just above the center/bottom button. EFA stands for External Feature Access, and you can use this button to alternate between calls when you get a Call Waiting signal from the phone company.

If you are using a non-display phone, you should program your FLASH button to activate Call Waiting. Look in the Installation Manual for program number 990, field 3.

If you are using a single-line phone, press FLASH (or hang-up briefly) then dial 6.

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(13) How can I make my phone automatically dial the 9 for Centrex calling?

Programming this is a two step process. First you program the phone to dial 99, (or 9 PAUSE 9, if 99 doesn't work), and then you activate the feature. Look in the large User Manual, for "Pickup Dialing (Hot Line)".

When you press the SP-PHONE button or pick up the handset, the phone will dial 9 to get the first available line, and then dial 9 to break Centrex dialtone and give you a dialtone you can use to make a normal call.

If you want to make an intercom call, you can press the INTERCOM button after the phone has selected an outside ("CO") line.

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