What is Ringer Equivalence Number (REN)?
The Ringer Equivalence Number (REN) is a standard measure that indicates how much power a telephone device (like a phone, fax machine, or alarm system) requires to ring. This is important because a phone line—or the phone port on a modern NBN modem—can only supply a limited amount of ringing power.
A standard analogue telephone typically has a REN of 1.
How to Use REN
The total REN of all devices connected to a single line should not exceed the line's capacity. For most Australian residential lines, including the phone ports on NBN modems, the total REN capacity is 4. To determine if your devices will work, simply add up the REN value of each item you want to connect. You can usually find the REN printed on the base of your telephone or other equipment.
Example Calculation
If you want to connect three devices to one phone line:
- Telephone 1: REN of 1.0
- Telephone 2: REN of 1.0
- Fax Machine: REN of 1.9
- Total REN = 3.9
Since the total of 3.9 is less than the typical maximum of 4, this combination of devices should ring correctly.
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