AT&T MLC-6 Guide

AT&T
AT&T 999-506-143
Comcode 10654341
Issue 2, April 1991
MLC-6 Cordless Telephone
Installation and Troubleshooting

Copyright © 1991 AT&T
All Rights Reserved
Printed in U.S.A.
AT&T 999-506-143
Issue 2
April 1991
Notice
Every effort was made to ensure that the information in this booklet was
complete and accurate at the time of printing. However, information is
subject to change.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Information
For details, see “FCC Information.”
Trademarks
PARTNER and MLS-6 are trademarks of AT&T.
Warranty
AT&T provides a limited warranty for this phone; see “AT&T Limited Warranty.”
Ordering Additional Booklets and Quick Reference Cards
The order number for this booklet is 999-506-143. The order number for
Quick Reference: Display and Controls is 999-506-146. To order additional
copies of these reference materials, call 1 800 432-6600 (in Canada 1 800
255-1242). To order parts and accessories, see ’’Ordering Replacement
Parts.”
Safety Information
Before installing the telephone, please read and understand the safety
instructions on pages 1–4. This booklet also contains instructions related to
safety labels on the product:
WARNING indicates the presence of a hazard that can cause severe
or fatal personal injury if the hazard is not avoided.
CAUTION indicates the presence of a hazard that will or can cause
minor personal injury or property damage if not avoided.
Support Telephone Numbers
AT&T provides a toll-free customer Helpline 24 hours a day if you need
assistance when installing, programming, or using your cordless phone:
U.S.A. 1 800 628-2888
Eastern Canada and Ottawa
1 800 363-1882
Central and Western Canada
1 800 663-9817
Ontario
1 800 387-4268

Contents
Important Safety Instructions
■ Safety Instructions for Installation Personnel
Introduction
■ Privacy Information
■ Automatic Security Coding
Telephone Components
Parts List
Installation
1
4
5
5
5
6
8
9
■ Positioning the Base
9
■ Installing the Base
11
■ Inserting the Battery Pack
13
■ Replacing the Battery Pack
14
■ Charging the Batteries
14
■ Installing the Flexible Antenna
15
■ Testing the Installation
15
■ Filling Out Labels
16
■ Programming Channels (More Than One Cordless Phone)
17
Using the Carrying Holster
18
Troubleshooting
19
Maintenance
21
Ordering Replacement Parts
22
AT&T Limited Warranty
23
Customer Support
25
■ Helplines
25
■ Post-Warranty Service
25
FCC Information
26
■ FCC Part 15 Rules
26
■ Hearing Aid Compatibility
26
Using the Wall Mount Template (inside back cover)

Important Safety Instructions
Follow these basic safety precautions when using your MLC-6
cordless phone.
WARNING: Risk of Electric Shock
Failure to properly ground this product will result in a risk of
electrical shock, which can cause serious personal injury. This
product requires a 3-prong AC power receptacle for safe
operation. You should have your receptacle checked by a
qualified electrician before connecting this equipment.
WARNING
Do not open or mutilate batteries. They contain caustic and
toxic chemicals. Do not dispose of in fires. The batteries may
explode and cause severe personal injury. Dispose of them in
accordance with the local sanitation codes.
■ Read and understand all instructions.
■ Follow all cautions, warnings, and instructions marked on the
product.
■ This product can be hazardous if immersed in water. To avoid
the possibility of electrical shock, do not use it while in the
bathtub or shower, or when you are wet. If you accidentally
drop it into water, do not retrieve it until you have first un-
plugged the power cord from the wall outlet and the line cord
from the modular wall jack. Refer service to qualified service
personnel.
■ If you suspect a gas leak, report it immediately, but use a
telephone away from the area in question. The telephone’s
electrical contacts could generate a tiny spark. While unlikely, it
is possible that this spark could ignite a heavy concentration of
gas. This product is not approved for use in areas labeled by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as
“explosive environments.” Only “Explosive Atmosphere Tele-
phones” may be used in such hazardous environments.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
1

■ Never push objects of any kind into this telephone through
housing slots, since the objects may touch hazardous voltage
points or short out parts that could result in a risk of electric
shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the telephone.
■ To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not disassemble this
product. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Opening or
removing covers may expose you to hazardous voltages.
Incorrect reassembly can cause electric shock when the
telephone is subsequently used. If your telephone does not
work properly, refer to “Troubleshooting.”
■ Replace with specified batteries only and insert with the correct
polarity.
■ Do not place the base on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The
product may fall, causing severe damage to the product.
■ Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Unplug the
base from the wall outlet and remove the line cord from the
modular wall jack before cleaning.
■ Slots and openings in the housing and the back or bottom are
provided for ventilation. To protect the housing from overheat-
ing, these openings must not be blocked or covered. There-
fore, do not place the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other
similar surface. Also, do not place this product in an enclosed
installation unless proper ventilation is provided.
■ Never place this product near or over a radiator or heat
register.
■ Operate the base only from 120V AC power. If you are not sure
of the type of power supply to your home or business, consult
your dealer or local power company.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
2

■ This product is equipped with a three-wire grounding-type plug
with a third (grounding) prong. This plug will only fit into a
standard grounding-type power outlet. If you are unable to
insert the plug into the outlet, contact a qualified electrician to
replace your obsolete outlet. Do not cut or remove the ground-
ing prong, or use 2-wire extension cords or adapters to defeat
this safety feature of the product.
■ Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate
this product where the cord will be abused by persons walking
on it.
■ Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords, as this can
result in the risk of fire or electric shock.
■ Unplug this product from the wall outlet, remove the line cord
from the modular wall jack, and refer servicing to qualified
service personnel under the following conditions:
■ When the power supply cord or plug is damaged or frayed.
■ If liquid has been spilled on the product.
■ If the product has been exposed to rain or water.
■ If the product does not operate normally by following the
operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions because improper
adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will
often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to normal operation.
■ If the product has been dropped and the housing has been
damaged.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
3

Safety Instructions for
Installation Personnel
WARNING:
This product must be properly grounded. Failure to do so can
result in a risk of electrical shock, which may cause serious
personal injury. Before product installation, verify that you are
installing the equipment at a properly grounded 3-prong AC
receptacle. If not, stop the installation and contact a qualified
service technician.
■ Never install telephone wiring during a lightning storm.
■ Never install telephone jacks in wet locations unless the jack is
specifically designed for wet locations.
■ Never touch uninsulated telephone wires or terminals unless
the telephone line has been disconnected at the network
interface.
■ Use extreme caution when installing or modifying telephone
lines.
■ This AT&T equipment is designed for installation on
PARTNER™ and PARTNER Plus systems only.
■ All wiring that connects to this equipment and becomes part of
the building wiring must be a minimum of CLASS 2 or U.L.
Listed Communications cable.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
4

Introduction
The AT&T MLC-6 cordless telephone is compatible with your
PARTNER™ Plus or PARTNER Communications System. It gives
you the freedom of a cordless phone while providing the same
features as a corded MLS™-model telephone.
The MLC-6 cordless phone is functionally similar to the MLS-6™
corded phone.
The cordless phone can be programmed with
system features and dialing restrictions the same as any other
MLS-model phone.* For more information on how to program
the system, see the documentation provided with the system.
This booklet describes installation and troubleshooting procedures
for the MLC-6 cordless phone. Also included with the phone is a
card, Quick Reference: Display and Controls. After you have
installed your phone and understand its controls and displays,
follow call handling and programming instructions in Quick Refer-
ence for Users with MLS-Model Telephones to use the cordless
phone with your PARTNER Plus or PARTNER system. A supply of
Quick Reference cards is included with the system’s control unit.
Privacy Information
Commercial radio scanners can monitor voice conversations over
cordless phones. Privacy of communications cannot be guaran-
teed when using cordless telephones.
Automatic Security Coding
Your cordless telephone is provided with a digital security code
that is automatically changed every time you place the handset in
the base unit for 10 seconds or more. This code prevents un-
authorized use of your line and will also prevent a user with an-
other cordless handset from dialing calls on your line. However,
the security code cannot prevent unauthorized monitoring of your
telephone conversations by commercial radio scanners or similar
devices.
* System Password and Group Paging features are not available on the
MLC-6 cordless phone.
5

Telephone Components
BASE
6

HANDSET
7

Parts List
Along with this booklet, the box should contain the items shown on
this page. If it does not, call the AT&T Helpline at 1 800 628-2888.
8

Installation
Important:
Before beginning installation, please read and understand
“Important Safety Instructions” and “Safety Instructions for
Installation Personnel” at the beginning of this booklet.
Be sure the base is unplugged before you begin.
Positioning the Base
The MLC-6 cordless phone uses radio transmissions to communi-
cate. Its range depends on your particular operating environment,
and can be improved by placing the base in an optimal location.
The base can be placed on a desk or table or mounted on a wall,
preferably one that is not made of metal.
Before you install the phone, note the following considerations
regarding its location and use:
■ Mount the base near the center of the area in which the hand-
set will be used, but at least 20 feet away from the control unit.
■ Install the base within 6 feet of a properly grounded 3-prong
electrical outlet that is not controlled by an on/off switch.
■ The base should not share the same power line or be within 6
feet of electromagnetic equipment such as electric motors, or
equipment with microprocessors such as answering machines,
personal computers, and fax machines.
■ If your phone system uses an uninterruptable power supply,
such as a backup generator, be sure to connect the base for
the cordless phone to that power supply.
■ If other people in your area also use cordless phones, assign
different channels for their phones to help prevent interference.
Using different channels will not prevent monitoring by radio
scanners and similar devices, however. To assign different
channels to each cordless phone, follow the instructions in
“Programming Channels (More Than One Cordless Phone).”
■ If more than one cordless phone is being used, do not place a
handset from one cordless phone into the base of another. If
this accidentally occurs, place each handset in the correct
base for at least 10 seconds.
9

The handset does not need to be located with the base except for
charging. For best coverage, place the base in a central location,
away from concentrations of structural metal such as steel and
aluminum or reinforced concrete. Use the handset at another desk
or while moving about your work location.
For indoor use, place the base so that walls do not block the base
from the area where the handset will be used. (See the figure
below.) Intervening walls
will reduce the phone’s range.
Poor Base Location
(Indoor Use) Optimum Base Location
(Indoor Use)
For outdoor use, place the base near a window facing the outdoor
area where the handset will be used. (See the figure below.) Do
not install the base where it will be exposed to direct sunlight.
Optimum Base Location
(Outdoor Use)
If you have questions about the installation of your cordless
telephone or the location of the base, refer to “Troubleshooting” or
call the AT&T Helpline at 1 800 628-2888.
10

Installing the Base
If desk mounting, skip step 1 and steps 3–6.
If wall mounting, remove the Plug one end of the modular
four screws in the bottom of the
base. Turn the bottom of the base
180° as shown above, then screw it
back into place.
telephone cord into the jack on the
bottom of the base. Then route it
and the AC power cord along their
respective channels.
Reverse the handset hook. Mark screw locations using
Press the hook down and slide it up
out of its slot, then turn the hook
upside down and replace it in the
slot, with the top protruding so the
handset can hang from it.
the Wall Mount Template on the
inside back cover of this booklet.
Choose a location backed by a
wooden stud. (If no wooden stud is
available, use toggle bolts instead
of the wood screws provided.)
11

Install mounting sleeves and
Mount the base. Place the
screws. Lightly tap a nail into marks
on wall to start holes. Then slip each
screw into a mounting sleeve (with
screw head in wider barrel of sleeve
and screw securely into wall.
base over the screws, than slide it
downward slightly to lock it into
place.
Plug modular telephone cord
Plug power cord/adapter
into a modular wall jack. (Alterna-
tively, you can plug the cord
directly into a system 206 module,
but you must place the base at
least 20 feet from the 206 module.)
into a properly grounded 3-prong
wall outlet.
If the base is mounted on a flat surface, slide the Quick Reference
under the base. If the base is wall-mounted, place the Quick
Reference near the base.
12

Inserting the Battery Pack
Remove battery cover
If a battery pack is already in
from the handset by pressing down
on the raised dots and sliding the
cover towards you.
the compartment, first unplug the
battery cord from the handset and
remove the old battery pack.
Place the new battery pack in the
compartment with the battery cord
coming from the top left side of the
battery pack.
Plug the white plastic end of the cord attached to the battery pack
into the battery connector jack compartment. The battery contacts
should face down.
Replace the cover by sliding it forward until it snaps into place. Be careful
not to pinch the battery cord.
13

Replacing the Battery Pack
When the power in the battery pack for the MLC-6 phone is
low, the message BATT appears in the handset display. The life of
the battery pack is approximately two years. To order a replace-
ment battery pack, see “Ordering Replacement Parts.”
To install a new battery pack, see “Inserting the Battery Pack.” Be
sure to properly dispose of the old battery.
WARNING:
Do not open or mutilate batteries. They contain caustic and
toxic chemicals. Do not dispose of in fires. The batteries can
explode and cause severe personal injury. Dispose of batter-
ies in accordance with the local sanitation codes.
Charging the Batteries
Charge the batteries before using the cordless phone for the first
time. To charge, simply place the handset on the base, making
sure the base is plugged into an AC outlet. The Charge Indicator
on the base lights up to show that the handset is seated properly
and the batteries are charging. (If the battery is completely
drained, you will hear a brief high-pitched sound when you place
the handset in the base.)
It takes approximately eight hours to fully charge a drained battery.
If the handset is turned on for four hours or more a day, it is a good
practice to recharge the batteries at least once daily.
14

Installing the Flexible Antenna
The handset comes with a rigid telescoping antenna installed.
Normal operation of the cordless phone requires you to manually
extend this antenna when making a call. If you prefer, you can use
the flexible antenna, which does not need to be extended or
retracted.
To install the flexible antenna:
1.
2.
Remove the telescoping antenna from the handset by
unscrewing it counterclockwise.
Insert the end of the flexible antenna into the handset and
screw it in clockwise until it is firmly seated.
Testing the Installation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
NOTE:
Before testing the installation, be sure that the phone cord on
the base is plugged into the modular wall jack and the power
cord is plugged into a wall outlet. Also, verify that you have
charged the battery (see “Charging the Batteries”) and that the
antennas on the base and the handset are fully extended.
After charging the battery, remove the handset from the base.
Turn the handset on by pressing [ On/Off ].
ON will appear in the handset display.
On the base, hold down both Ringer Volume controls
([ ∨ ] and [ ∧ ]) simultaneously for at least three seconds.
The handset will beep twice and status indicators will appear on the
display.
Release the Ringer Volume buttons.
The handset and base ringers will sound, and the handset will return
to the “On" state.
Press [ Status ] to test the channel indicator.
The CH # indicator will appear on the display.
If the ringers do not sound or the indicators do not appear, call the
AT&T Helpline at 1 800 628-2888.
15

Filling Out Labels
Using a ball-point pen or pencil only, write the following
information on the erasable labels and directory card:
On the labels above and below the
handset display, first peel off
the protective plastic overlay,
then write line numbers or
programmed features assigned to
each of the outside line/pro-
grammable buttons. See the above
illustration and Quick Reference:
Controls and Displays.
On the directory card, write any
important phone numbers, exten-
sion numbers, or Speed Dial
numbers you may want to have as
a reference. The directory card is
beneath the cover that contains
user instructions, on the top back
of the handset (behind the an-
tenna). To open the cover, push up
on the dots on the cover until the
cover locks into place.
On the handset extension label
(below the mouthpiece) and on the
base extension label, write the
phone's extension number.
NOTE:
If you use a pencil or ball-point pen on these labels, you will be
able to erase the information later. Do not use felt-tip or other
types of non-erasable markers. Also, do not remove the labels.
16

Programming Channels (More
Than One Cordless Phone)
Channels 0-9 are available to MLC-6 cordless phones. If you use
more than one cordless phone, you should program each one to
operate on different channels to avoid channel interference.
To program channels:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Verify that the antennas on the base and handset are fully
extended.
While the handset is turned off, press [ Feat ] and then press
the Channel button.
CH C appears on the display to indicate that the phone is in channel
program mode and
ON flashes on the display.
Use the numeric dialpad keys to enter a digit for each channel
(0-9) to be allocated to the handset. For example, if you have
two MLC-6 cordless phones, assign channels 0-4 to the first
phone and channels 5-9 to the second.
CH C disappears from the display and is replaced by whatever digit
you enter. Wait for the digit to appear before entering the next one.
When you are finished, press the Channel button again.
To verify the channels you programmed:
1. Press the Channel button.
The first channel number programmed appears in the display.
2. Press the Channel button again.
If you programmed more than one channel, the second channel
number appears on the display.
3. Continue pressing the Channel button to verify the rest of the
channels programmed.
NOTE:
If you accidentally place a cordless handset in the wrong base,
you will not be able to make or answer calls on the original
handset. To solve the problem, replace each handset in its
correct base for at least 10 seconds.
17