Could I benefit from VOIP at my little motel

[archmotel]

I have been reading about packet8, skype, and other phone services. Also I have been having a lot of problems with my Partner Plus Phone system, and looking for alternative phone systems. But I am not fully understanding the concept of VOIP working at our motel. We need 20 extensions to go to our rooms, and I dont really want to buy new phones for all the rooms, either. Would upgrading to a VOIP system be beneficial for me and also what type of equipment would i need to purchase to make this work for me?

Thanks in advance for everyone's help

 

[LkEErie]

Don't confuse problems with a phone system and voip. The first thing you want to do is figure out what's wrong with your phones. In today's climate, a 24 extension Partner system is really inexpensive, about 1/3 the price of a new VoIP system and you already own at least 50% of a working Partner. It may be that you just need a single part to repair it. You may also look into a different phone system that uses standard phones. Don't let your present phones be the deciding factor, new speakerphones with message waiting are only $35 each. We have several accounts with Panasonic TDA-100 and 200 systems that have all the features but PMS and that can be added at any time via an external program.

Now, the VoIP carriers may be useful in giving you flat rate or low-cost long distance. You might benefit from installing VoIP or alternative lines for calling...provided you have a way of billing for the additional expense. You're not going to slap 4 or 8 VoIP lines on a 128K up DSL and expect quality, but two lines might work and it would be all you'd ever need for 20 rooms.

Above all else, keep in mind that it will always be cheaper to repair than replace. I never ask what type of phone system a motel has. I ask about the Internet. I stay in motels about 8 nights a month and I can't even remember the last time I used the phone in a room. But, as I sit in a Super8 answering this post, I surely can tell you where the wireless access points are.

Hope this helps.

LkEErie

 

[Dexman]

If you were to upgrade to an Avaya Partner ACS, you would be able to keep your existing telephones.

If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[kurthansen]

Also the Partner ACS has a feature where you can install a backup card and replaceable batteries. Partner Plus if you loose power and the internal battery is dead you loose programming. So you should only have to program it once do a backup and if anything happens you can always restore to a replacement ACS.

 

[archmotel]

can i plug a partner ACS card into my current system? In my current system, I have one line that constantly burns out every 6 months or so, and my VM card went dead just recently, so the Automated Attendant is not working currently.

 

[Dexman]

If you go the Partner ACS route, it might be worth changing the 5 position module holder with the latest version. The new model spaces the modules out a bit more than the old version and that helps keep things cooler.

If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[skip555]

you would be well served by calling in a tech to do the changes for you and set things up

its really beyond the scope of a DIY project

 

[ronromano]

After hearing about your phone problems, I have so many questions I want to ask you about your motel. MAybe some other time.

 

[phonesaz]

With regard to your original question about VoIP in a hotel; there is a company in Wash that has been very successful using a combination of VoIP phones and full data T1's with their voice mail/PMS package and say the combination saves their clients a ton of money on outbound calling and usually cost-justifies itself. While I agree with every posting above about the reliability/usefulness of the Partner, I might check them out just to get another point of view. The company is called duvoice. Their hotel guru is (I believe) a member of this site so he may see this and chime it.

My feeling on the whole IP subject is while it is premature for 90% of embedded systems to change just for the sake of VoIP, anyone considering a system change should at least check out the applications in their industry and see if there is a cost-justifiable benefit that makes sense.

 

[aarenot]

A few questions.

How long has your system been around, and when did it start having issues? Was that long enough to satisfy your expectations of the longevity of a system?

Would you be satisfied with a similar longevity with a greatly increased feature set?

Would you also like a system that has support for the fancy multiple line phones, or the home type analog phones on every ext port?

If so, stick with the same manufacturer, and see what the newer options are. You may find that there are a few more feature set options that have come out in the last two decades.