Andrew Mercer
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A rotary phone dials with pulse dialing. It interrupts the line's DC loop current once per pulse, about 10 times per second (see Automatic switching and the rotary dial). Modern lines expect DTMF tones (see The digital network). Whether a rotary phone can still make calls depends on whether something along the line can still recognize those pulses.

Status as of October 2026.

What it's called

The service is pulse dialing, also called rotary dial service. For decades the opposite feature, Touch-Tone, was billed separately in Canada, and some people kept their lines on pulse just to avoid the fee. Bell Canada removed the Touch-Tone fee in 2015. As early as 2007, pulse-only service in Bell Canada territory was reported as grandfathered: existing lines kept it, but it could not be ordered for moves, adds, or changes.

Does the phone company still support it?

On a legacy copper line: usually, yes. Most central office switches still support rotary phones, because the original telephone network was built to stay backward compatible. On copper, the simplest test is to plug the phone in and dial.

On a fibre or VoIP "home phone": maybe not. The phone plugs into a port on the carrier's modem or fibre terminal, which is effectively an ATA. Whether that port recognizes pulses depends on the device, and carriers generally don't document it. As one forum user summed it up, an old copper line should still work, but on a discount VoIP-style line it's anyone's guess.

The trend is clear. Carriers are retiring copper (see VoIP and the retirement of copper). Plan on a setup that doesn't depend on the carrier supporting pulse dialing.

Option 1: An ATA with native pulse-dialing support

The cleanest approach is a VoIP analog telephone adapter that decodes pulses itself.

  • Grandstream HandyTone HT801 (1 port) and HT802 (2 ports) are the common choices. The two-port HT812 also supports pulse dialing (see the HT812 guides). The HT801 datasheet lists both DTMF and pulse as supported dial methods. Pulse dialing has to be enabled in the FXS port settings in the web interface.
  • Other Grandstream HandyTone models generally support pulse dialing too, as do some older ATAs. Check the specific model before buying. Many popular ATAs do not support pulse.
  • One documented build used a garage-sale rotary phone and an HT801 for about $50 in hardware, plus about $2 per month for VoIP service.

Service options

  • A SIP provider: any standard SIP provider will work (see SIP providers). Canadian providers offer local numbers, 911 service, and per-minute or unlimited plans.
  • A self-hosted PBX: Asterisk or FreePBX (see PBX software) on a home server or VM, with the ATA registered as an extension and a SIP trunk for outside calls. This adds internal extensions, voicemail-to-email, and custom dial plans. For example, a short code dialed on the rotary phone could trigger an automation or play a recording.

Wiring the whole house

An ATA can feed every phone jack in the home:

  1. Disconnect the carrier's wiring at the demarcation point (the network interface, usually in the basement or outside wall) first. Otherwise the ATA's line voltage goes back out toward the street and the carrier's ring voltage can damage the ATA.
  2. Test the phone plugged directly into the ATA.
  3. Connect the ATA's line output to the house wiring at the demarc.
  4. Plug phones into any jack.

Option 2: A pulse-to-tone converter

A converter sits between the rotary phone and the line. It counts the pulses and plays the matching DTMF tones. It's useful when:

  • the line or device only accepts tones (many carrier modems, cheap ATAs, cell-to-landline bridges), or
  • the phone needs to dial * and #, or navigate automated menus ("press 1"). Pulses don't travel through a connected call. Tones do.

Common options:

  • Dialgizmo: an external box that plugs in between the phone and the jack. It needs no batteries or external power, supports * and #, and adds six speed-dial memories plus last-number redial. * and # are sent with a "dial-hold" trick. For example, holding the dial at 2 for about two seconds sends a star instead of a 2.
  • Rotatone (Oldphoneworks): a module installed inside the phone. It supports * and #, but installing it takes some technical skill. Oldphoneworks also sells an external converter box.
  • DIY: hobbyist microcontroller boards (such as PIC-based kits) do the same conversion and can be mounted inside the phone.

Important: converters only work if the dial is fully functional and produces correctly spaced pulses. A dial that hasn't been serviced may need cleaning and adjustment first.

A pulse-capable ATA and a converter can be used together. The ATA handles dialing, and the converter adds * and # and in-call tones.

Restoring and connecting a vintage set

  • Cords and plugs: older Canadian and U.S. phones may be hardwired or use the old 4-prong plug. Converting to a modular RJ11 line cord is a simple, common job.
  • Dial speed: the target is about 10 pulses per second with roughly a 60/40 break/make ratio. A dial running fast or slow causes wrong numbers. Cleaning the governor (without oil on the governor shoes) usually fixes it.
  • Ringing: mechanical bells need proper ring voltage, about 90 V AC at 20 Hz. Most ATAs ring one vintage phone well. Several old bells on one port may only ring faintly. The ATA's ringer equivalence number (REN) rating sets the limit.
  • Ring cadence: many ATAs let you set ring cadence and frequency to match the classic North American pattern of a 2-second ring followed by 4 seconds of silence.
  • Network/induction coil: a crackly or faint handset is often caused by a dirty hook switch or an old carbon transmitter. Replacement transmitters and electret drop-ins are easy to find.
  1. If the home still has a working copper line, try the phone directly. It will probably work.
  2. Otherwise, use a pulse-capable ATA (for example, a Grandstream HT80x) with a SIP provider or a self-hosted Asterisk/FreePBX system.
  3. Add a pulse-to-tone converter if you need * and #, automated menus, or a device that only accepts tones.
  4. Don't count on a carrier's fibre modem phone port to accept pulse dialing unless you've tested it yourself.

Sources