Telephones: Digital vs. Analog

Question: My telephone company says my home telephone has been upgraded to a digital telephone line; what will work with it?

Answer: There seems to be some confusion regarding what constitutes "digital" telephone lines due to some telephone service provider advertisements describing home telephone lines as digital. Usually, this simply means that the switching office uses a digital system. The lines to individual houses are still analog; while the digital switching system is an improvement, it does not constitute a "digital" telephone line in the sense of requiring non-standard telephones.

Unless the telephone company has changed all of the wiring between the switching office and your telephone (including your house wiring), it is still an analog telephone system, and standard telephones and telephone devices should work. Digital switching stations should not damage an analog telephone. If they have in fact run completely digital lines, then we do not sell any telephones or telephone equipment, which will work; however, we are not aware of any telephone company which has done this.

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Question: Does RadioShack sell a telephone or answering machine designed to work in a digital telephone system? Why not?

Answer: We do not sell a answering machine which will work on a digital telephone system. Normally, digital telephone systems are only found in business/office environments -- in this case, you would need to contact your Telecommunications for assistance in locating an answering system.

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Question: Why do some answering machines say they are digital when they won't work on a digital system?

Answer: When a RadioShack answering machine description includes the word "Digital", it is referring to the recording method ... it uses digital recording onto a chip rather than using an analog method such as tape. We do not sell a answering machine which will work on a digital telephone system.

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Question: What will happen if I use an analog telephone or answering machine on a digital system?

Answer: Digital telephone signals are sent at a higher voltage than analog signals; this higher voltage will damage an analog telephone or device.

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