# Phone line sharing system

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 29, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608 "2002-06-29T21:23:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608/1 "2002-06-29T21:23:48Z")

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Saw ad on t.v. for this Switchboard Phone Line  
Sharing System for $40. Went to the web site to see if I could find out more, since it sounded too good to be true. Web site says this gadget “temporarily splits your phone signal into three separate lines.” Then this: “Get a quick phone call or fax while you are online.\*” The footnote says, “Length of time you can stay connected online varies with each ISP carrier.” So there’s the catch. Anyone have one of these things, or know, roughly, how much time one has before getting disconnected? (My ISP is erols, a division of Starpower.) Here’s the link to the web site:[http://www.greatbuyusa.com/product\_detail.asp?product\_id=PT55W-B&Source=1](http://www.greatbuyusa.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=PT55W-B&Source=1)

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608/2 "2002-06-29T22:11:15Z")

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It requires that you have one the greatest scourges of the modern era - call waiting. I saw a similar device on TV and read the small print. My wanted to me to get one. I said no. I HATE call waiting and I refuse to pay an extra $8/month for it.

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**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608/3 "2002-06-29T23:02:20Z")

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I agree.

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**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608/4 "2002-06-30T02:06:28Z")

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I’ve got something similar, an Actiontek call waiting modem. I love it. I run several businesses out of my home and need to be able for folks to get through. I used to have to limit my time on line to nighttime because the cost of an extra line was prohibitive.

In my case, I get cut off line almost immediately after I pick up the phone.

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**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-line-sharing-system/116608/5 "2002-06-30T03:02:09Z")

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I have Callwave on my pc now - it lets callers leave a message which I can hear while online. I think I’ll stick with that.