Originally Posted by
roder
Yes, it's access to an analog phone line. Most hotel (and business) phone systems are digital will fry a modem if you plug directly into it. Plugging into the phone instead of plugging into the wall was the solution.
I have almost never seen the data port being used for ethernet.
This is my experience, as well. I have never seen an ethernet port on a hotel phone; they are always phone jacks leading to analog lines, for use by those with dial-up connections.