What’s the difference between FXS and FXO?
Many businesses today are implementing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems in their office, to replace traditional phone lines - and for good reason. VoIP provides significant advantages, including the ability to make and receive calls from anywhere and at any time, cost savings, a more reliable signal, and more. But before you start implementing VoIP, you need to understand the difference between FXS and FXO ports. We’ll help you get started.
FXS and FXO are the interfaces for analog telephony, also called POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service). Using these interfaces enables a call to be established - the ports provide the necessary electricity, dial tone, and call signal.
What is an FXS port?
FXS stands for Foreign Exchange Subscriber, a port that connects the router or access server to end-user equipment such as office phones, fax machines, or modems. In other words, it is a plug on the wall that delivers dial battery, loop current, and ringing voltage to the device, so that the analog signal can be transmitted.
What is an FXO port?
FXO stands for Foreign Exchange Office, a port on the end communication device, such as an office phone or fax machine. The FXO connects the device to the FXS port, as well as to the outside telephone line, requesting the dial tone needed to initiate a call.
How the connection works
In order for a call to work, a telecommunication line from an FXO port must be connected to an FXS port, and vice versa. The process for making calls is simple: when your FXS and FXO ports are connected, you will receive a signal from the telephone company through the FXS port in the wall. This signal is then transmitted to the FXO port connected to the device so that, when you pick up the phone, you hear the dial tone. Then you dial the phone number, which is passed as Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) digits to the FXS port, allowing you to make the call.
When you’re receiving an inbound call, on the other hand, the FXS port receives the call, then sends a ring voltage through the FXO port to your end device. The phone will ring, and you can pick it up to answer the call.
FXS, FXO and VoIP
The signal transmission process becomes more complex when you implement an additional network element, such as VoIP gateway. You need an FXS gateway to connect one or more lines to a VoIP system or provider. You’ll also need an FXO gateway to connect the VoIP system with analog phone lines, and to translate the analog phone line to a VoIP call.
In summary...
FXS is a plug on the wall, and FXO is a plug on the phone
FXS provides the dial tone, and FXO requests it
FXS is a port that receives a call; FXO is a port that initiates it
Want to learn more about FXS, FXO, or VoIP? Give us a call and our telephony experts will be happy to help.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
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