Smart Hub 2 - REN value

[yorkley]

Hi

A simple question that is not in the specification and nobody appears to know the answer.

What is the REN of the telephone port on the rear of the Smart Hub 2?

If nobody knows a definitive answer can BT Tech support please find out.

Cheers

[Keith_Beddoe]

People have connected existing extensions with multiple phones, without any issues. Most modern phones need very little ringing current.

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/REN-values-on-Digital-Voice/m-p/2312672

[yorkley]

Very sorry, but that link does not answer the question.  The people in the link are using adaptors or REN boosters.

This is a simple question - what is the REN of telephone socket on the rear of the Smart Hub 2.

It should be in the spec, but isn't.

[iniltous]

Surely the REN is attributed to the device plugged into the SH2 , not the SH2 itself , and it’s only if  you intend to use  voice re injection and a ‘network’ of wired extensions , each with a device connected , that the cumulative REN may be needed to be observed.

 If the total REN is not to be  exceeded ( so you can be confident each device will ‘ring’ when an incoming call is received )  the maximum REN number for the UK networks is ( was ) 4 , that could be 4 devices each with a REN of 1 , or 2 devices with a REN of 2 etc ( generally a wired telephone has a REN of 1 ) .

TBH , unless you have a myriad of ‘old school’ devices with a electro mechanical bell sets connected, instead of ‘modern’ devices with electronic ‘ringers’  , it’s unlikely the SH2 won’t be able to handle the ringing current requirements of the devices  hard wired to it , in that respect REN is a somewhat redundant term , and what’s more, if you connect too many devices and encounter ‘ringing’ issues , that’s your problem not your providers 

[yorkley]

You hit the nail on the head.

REN 4 for the UK networks.

This is a Smart Hub 2 and not the UK network.  This device provides the ringing and therefore has a maximum REN.

This would have be stipulated in the specification.

Can you please advise on the REN the device will support.

[licquorice]

This is a customer to customer forum, nobody here can answer that question. BT don't provide any specifications for the hub, you will just have to use trial and error.

You will not get a definitive answer however many times you ask.

[yorkley]

Thank you for the answer.

With that in mind, how can I contact BT technical Support to ask them this question.

I can find no easy access to that group.

[licquorice]

Which part of 'you will not get a definitive answer' was it that you didn't understand.

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

You didn’t know the specifications of the line card of the ‘exchange’ that delivered ‘ringing’ to your telephone instruments prior to the change to DV , so it’s not likely you will be given any information regarding the specs of the SH2 ringing current  just because you want it , but more importantly, what do you want this information for ?
You can have a reasonable expectation that 4 wired devices each with a REN of 1 will not present an issue .

Have tried 4 devices ? is ringing compromised, is it that your ‘setup’ is fine with 3 devices, but fails with 4 (hence your question) ? , even in that case , it still falls into the realms of your problem, as the telephone instruments are your property , and it’s unverified if they have  a REN number , or even if they do ,  are they  within ‘spec’ .

TBH , if this is some sort of academic exercise or idle curiosity, no residential ISP is likely going to indulge you and provide information that is not relevant to you using the service they provide.

[yorkley]

Put it this way.  If I bought a car with no indication of seating capacity I would ask.

I would not try to see how many people I could squeeze in!

Some sort of question but different product.