If I buy a really cheap landline with a UK BT plug, can I use it on FreePBX somehow? Is there an ethernet adapter I can use or do I need to spend extra money on a real IP phone?
This is what the plug looks like:
You would need a analog to SIP gateway to convert an analog line to SIP and back. Grandstream makes some. Not sure what models are meant for the UK.
Thanks, but is there any smaller ones? Theyre all rackmount and I’m just doing this as a hobby project, not a massive business.
Some routers have an ATA built in, alternatively this is probably a good option. Grandstream HandyTone HT801 ATA https://amzn.eu/d/04y0T4Q
FreePBX is built on top of Asterisk, and Asterisk is an analogue and ISDN PABX with SIP bolted on, so, with the right hardware, you can directly use analogue phones on FreePBX with no use of SIP in sight. IP is needed, but only for the GUI.
Other answers assume that you are trying to do this on hardware with IP support, but not analogue phone support.
You will not be able to use all four wires, but then most phones don’t use bell common, either.
I’m also in the UK and my FreePBX installation is on a VPS in the cloud but I have done something similar with a Grandstream HT812, although out of the box, the ATA was set to give a North American dial tone however that is adjustable.
If you’re going to use an ATA for this with that connector, you’ll probably also need an RJ11 to BT adapter though as most ATA use RJ11 connectors.
Another thing is that if you want to use an analogue phone from the UK more than 20 or 30 years old, you’ll either need to look for an adapter that includes a ring capacitor or connect the phone to one of those broadband microfilters first or else the phone won’t ring.
The ATA will not help you, you need to get a FXO gateway. I guess it’s much cheaper to subscribe to DID service.
I can help on both options if you need.
I don’t think he actually means line, he mentioned instead of buying an IP phone. There is little point in FXO gateways now as PSTN is pretty much stop sell in the UK in a large number of Exchange areas.
You are right if the UK landline phone refers to an analog phone 
Just buy an IP phone- they’re not expensive.
I have a bunch of Mitel phones (5320, 5320e & 5330e) that work perfectly with FreePBX if you’re interested?
Have a search on eBay.
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