There seems to be some misunderstanding here.
This is probably the best way to understand a local loop:
The local loop is the pair of copper wires that run between your
premises and the Central Office, through which the carrier delivers a
service. The carriers generally refer to all this collective copper
infrastructure as the Outside Plant. I suppose a local loop could be
fibre as well, but I think most people would be best to think of a local
loop as a copper connection. It is pretty much pair of wires that run
from your premise to the circuit terminating equipment provided by your
carrier (there may be some cross-connects along the way, but that loop
is dedicated to your premises).
- If they connect your local loop up to an analogue card, you get an
analogue line.
- If they connect your local loop up to a DSLAM, you get DSL.
- If they connect your local loop up to an HDSL unit such as a PairGain,
you get a T1.
- If they connect your local loop up to some other thing, you get . . .
um . . . some other thing (I'm thinking mostly of old services that
nobody ever orders anymore).
Traditionally the carriers would--by default--connect copper loops to
analogue circuit packs, and then simply program the circuit up if you
want dial tone. This is why a dead line will often have battery (which
means there is voltage on the line and you can hear sidetone, but no
dial tone). A 'dry loop' refers to a loop that has been disconnected
from the analogue circuit, and not provisioned for any traditional
carrier services. If memory serves correctly, it's called 'dry' because
it's disconnected from the batteries (which are 'wet'). It's really more
of a pricing and tariff thing than a technical thing, since they may not
bother actually disconnecting the wires. The point of a 'dry loop' is
that you are having DSL delivered on a line that would typically also
have an analog circuit on it.
Does that help?
Note: Local Link is a bundle of features that are delivered on an analog
circuit. "Link" refers to the fact that you can press the "Link" button
on old Nortel phones to perform a hookswitch flash. Local Link service
offers all sorts of features that you access via the "Link" button.
Since Bell and Nortel were once the same company, Bell uses a lot of
Nortel-speak. You can also get "Link" type features on your home phone.
Bell just doesn't call that "Local Link" even though it might be very
similar or even identical from a technical perspective.
Clear as mud?
Jim
Dean Yorke wrote:
Hi All,
I know that this might be a little off topic but.......
Wondering if someone can help me understand the difference between an
analogue line and a local loop line from bell.
we have a couple pieces of equipment, (pitney bowes mail machine and
personal install alarm system) that are having issues communicating on
these lines.
Thanks
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
--
--
Jim Van Meggelen
[email protected]
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/2177
"A child is the ultimate startup, and I have three.
This makes me rich."
Guy Kawasaki
--
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
