[VoIP] 4-Wire Telephones?

[John R. Covert]

>I also recall that my grandmother's house was originally wired
>with 4-wire telephone jacks

I assume you're referring to the standard four-prong pre-modular
phone jack: http://www6.covert.org/4-prong.jpg

These had nothing to do with four-wire phones.  Just like a modern
modular RJ-11 jack, which is also a four-wire (and occasionally
6-wire) jack, the old 4-prong jacks were used with two-wire phones.

Tip and ring were wired to the two pins that are farther apart.

I'm sure your grandmother's house did not have four-wire phones.

/john