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A telephone plug is a plug which allows a telephone to connect to the local telephone network. It plugs into a socket or jack fixed to the wall or baseboard. The standard for telephone plugs varies from country to country though the RJ11 has become by far the most common. Other types resembling the Registered jack series, used for Ethernet connectors, cause confusion when users don't know the difference. Such jacks are also seen on the body of phones.
Historically the telephone was often owned by the supplier and permanently wired in to the telephone line they supplied but as phone markets became more deregulated there was a need for a simple plug in interface that consumers could use. Many countries initially used their own connectors. For example Bell System companies in the 1960s used a round plug about 40mm in diameter with four prongs about 15mm apart. National connectors remain in service but few are used for new installations.
Sometimes the same connector is used by different countries but wired in different ways, for example telephones in the UK typically use a cord with a BT style plug on one end and a "RJ 11" 6P4C connected to the other but this connector is often wired in the same way as the BT plug rather than according to the RJ11 standard.
List of countries and territories, with the plugs they use
This list covers only single line telephone plugs commonly used in homes and other small installations. Special telephone sets use a variety of special plugs, for example micro ribbon for key telephone systems and the wide array of registered jacks.
Place
Plug or Plugs
Algeria
F-010
Argentina
RJ11
Australia
610 or RJ11
Austria
TDO
Barbados
RJ11
Belarus
RJ11 or Polish 5-pin WT-4 in older installations
Belgium
Tetrapolar
Bolivia
RJ11
Bosnia
RJ11, or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Botswana
BS 6312
Brazil
Telebr�s plug or RJ11
Canada
RJ11
Cayman Islands
RJ11
Chile
RJ11
China
RJ11
Colombia
RJ11
Costa Rica
RJ11
Croatia
RJ11 or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Cyprus
BS 6312 With RJ11 used for ADSL
Denmark
RJ11 in newer installations, but mainly the national 3-prong standard.
Ecuador
RJ11
Faroe Islands
RJ11
Finland
RJ11, 3-prong national standard in older installations.
France
F-010
Germany
TAE, or RJ45 for ISDN
Gibraltar
BS 6312
Greece
RJ11 although other types can also be found
Hong Kong
RJ11 in newer installations, or BS 6312
Hungary
RJ11
India
RJ11
Indonesia
RJ11
Iran
RJ11, older installations may be CEI 23-16/VII or CEE 7/16.
Ireland
RJ11, RJ45 for ISDN, Digital PBX and office systems
Israel
BS 6312 or RJ11
Italy
Tripolar plug or RJ11
Japan
RJ11
Lithuania
RJ11
Liechtenstein
Reichle-connectors (4-pin Swiss telephone plugs in old installations)
Luxembourg
RJ11 (sometimes older 4-pin luxembourgish telephone plug can be found)
Macedonia
RJ11, or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Malaysia
RJ11
Mexico
RJ11
Montenegro
RJ11, or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Morocco
F-010
Netherlands
RJ11 and the Dutch standard plug/socket
New Zealand
BS 6312
Norway
RJ11 in newer installations, 3-prong national standard in older installations
Philippines
RJ11
Poland
RJ11 or Polish national 5-pin (WT-4) coupled with RJ11 socket in older installations
Portugal
RJ11 (also known as R.I.T.A.)
Romania
RJ11, 3-pin triangular plug or 5-pin circular plug
Russia
RJ11
Serbia
RJ11, or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Singapore
RJ11
Slovenia
RJ11, or older 3-pin plug used in countries of former Yugoslavia
Slovakia
RJ11
South Africa
RJ11 or Protea, RJ45 used for ISDN
Spain
RJ11
Sri Lanka
RJ45
Sweden
SS 455 15 50 or RJ11
Switzerland
Reichle-connectors or older 4-pin plugs
Taiwan
RJ11
Thailand
RJ11
Turkey
RJ11
United Arab Emirates
BS 6312
United Kingdom
(431A and 631A) With RJ11 used for ADSL British Telephone Sockets
United States of America
RJ11
Venezuela
RJ11
Zimbabwe
BS 6312 or RJ11