How to Upgrade Old Phones to Modular

Rotary phones have dialing mechanisms that are round plastic plates, with 10 holes in them, placed on top of the phone. Rotary phones are obsolete, but are still sometimes used as decorations or conversation pieces. Analog telephones, such as rotary phones and newer touch tone phones, both use the same telephone wiring system as the system was not changed even after rotary phones were replaced with touch tone phones. This enables you to upgrade an old phone to modular.

• 1

  Turn off power from the telephone line by unplugging the modular connector inside the Network Interface Device, or NID. The NID is a junction box installed by the phone company inside your property line. It is typically mounted on walls close to the telephone utility pole.

• 2

  Cut the tip of the old telephone cable flush using diagonal pliers. Strip off 2 inches of the cable's outer cover using diagonal pliers, and strip off 1/2 inch from the inner wires using a wire stripper. Note the color of the wires and keep in mind that old telephones use the same two-wire system that telephone companies still use today.

• 3

  Unscrew the faceplate of your existing modular telephone jack, and loosen the red and green terminal screws behind it. Hook the red and green wires clockwise around their matching color-coded terminal screws, hook the yellow wire around the green terminal screw, and tighten the screws to secure the connections.

• 4

  Replace the faceplate into the wall outlet box. Replug the modular jack inside the NID to turn on power to the telephone line. Lift the handset of your old telephone and listen for a dial tone.