Just for a laff or two, what is the oldest phone system you have worked on recently? A small amount of our cutomers still have the 6X16 KSU and a mini Startalk Flash v/m. Have seen some old 8X24's with DR3 s/w and others still using the old Startalk A,B,or C v/m's.. (could never figure the diff between those three...lol).
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Old phone systems...
- Thread starter bigcat919
- Start date
grumpyone60
Technical User
believe it or not, we have an old step switch still working in one of our buildings. click, click, click, click, click
We only use it for making intercom calls inside the building, it works, we use it.
We only use it for making intercom calls inside the building, it works, we use it.
just removed a Panther last week to a new CICS, and have a client with a MICS version 1, but at our end we have 3 616 and 2 824 copper which we rent out to candidates during election time, sure worth keeping them at our end, just work like a charm with those 7310.
LOL
LOL
Back in August, we removed our 6x16 DR1 (non-VM) and replaced it with a BCM50. The 6x16 was installed back in 1990 when our office building was built, and was still working fine. The reason we upgraded to the BCM50 is we FINALLY ran out of ports and wanted to utilize VoIP for our teleworkers.
I was 5 when the office was built, so figuring out how that system worked is what triggered my interest regarding networking and telecommunications (I remember in grade 5 trying **config at our school haha...... probably not the best idea BUT I didn't change any settings!)
Funny thing is that aside from the receptionists (using T7316e's now), almost all of the employees are still using the same M7208's as before and I think 3 of the phones date back to 1990 when the system was initially installed! Those phones are still working fine and will probably last another 18 years!
I was 5 when the office was built, so figuring out how that system worked is what triggered my interest regarding networking and telecommunications (I remember in grade 5 trying **config at our school haha...... probably not the best idea BUT I didn't change any settings!)
Funny thing is that aside from the receptionists (using T7316e's now), almost all of the employees are still using the same M7208's as before and I think 3 of the phones date back to 1990 when the system was initially installed! Those phones are still working fine and will probably last another 18 years!
I still maintain several Nortel ST PBX's installed in late 80's as well as a 616 that i worked on in 80's and it came back around to me a year or so ago was shocked to see it working. The ST's sure are amazing replaced many rectifiers over the years. I still recall 1A2 yellow/slate for ringing and yellow/orange for IC. The 10 keys with a 50 pr were tons of fun.
I hung a Merlin in a NEW single-wide temporary branch for a bank less than a year ago (not my idea...they had it and wanted to use it). I think it was an 820. Easiest system I ever installed...I just plugged lines and phones into it and said "here you go". No VM, no AA, just about 6 phones. All my jacks ran back to a CAT5 patch panel, so all they have to do to move an extension is to move a patch cable...at least the installation was nice. 
FuturistechComm
Vendor
- Dec 28, 2004
- 26
Just reprogrammed an old InterTel GLX - it lost power and lost all programming. Luckily not much to change but the ringing assignments. Customer said they've had it for 18 years. I'll be suggesting an upgrade to a CICS.
Jason Foulds
Futuristech Communications
Jason Foulds
Futuristech Communications
jerryreeve
Vendor
had a customer that had about 10 of the old 2500 series phones with a second line switch on them. problem was in troubleshooting; all of the phones were terminal wired in place not jacked, so when one phone went bad (dirt in the switch useually) it could take an hour just to find out which phone was in trouble.
the predecessor of KSU-less systems and I still hate them.
----------------------------
JerryReeve
Communication Systems Int'l
com-sys.com
the predecessor of KSU-less systems and I still hate them.
----------------------------
JerryReeve
Communication Systems Int'l
com-sys.com
RikRodgers
Vendor
Nope. The last TIE I worked on was the little blue cabinet- about 10 yrs ago. Are they still around?
I remember the GRAY Whales! The old TIE 10S, we had some black whales too! I worked on some of those back in the 1980s. Along with the TIE 2050, and the E300, TIE's first attempt at an electronic key system.
Did you know that the "electronic ringing" on the TIE 10S was copied by Western Electric for the COMKEY KTS?
....JIM....
Did you know that the "electronic ringing" on the TIE 10S was copied by Western Electric for the COMKEY KTS?
....JIM....
If you buy a new Nortel system, the manuals will come with. I would recommend CICS for a small office, 2-8 lines, less than 16 users, and a CallPilot 100. I would recommend MICS for an mid-sized office of 8-64 lines (using a T1/PRI) and about 16-96 users, and you could possibly add in DIDs and a CallPilot 150. Anything over that and I would say go to a Meridian1 PBX with DID and Meridian Mail.
The reason many people are going for Nortel these days is because of the end user's ease-of-use. They are also very robust systems, can be widely expanded (though there is a limit I recommend), and the equipment can be used for long periods of time before needing upgrades.
You might also check out the BCM line of systems. The BCM line uses just about all of the same equipment as a MICS, CICS, and the rest of the Norstar line.
John Panzer
The reason many people are going for Nortel these days is because of the end user's ease-of-use. They are also very robust systems, can be widely expanded (though there is a limit I recommend), and the equipment can be used for long periods of time before needing upgrades.
You might also check out the BCM line of systems. The BCM line uses just about all of the same equipment as a MICS, CICS, and the rest of the Norstar line.
John Panzer
Advantage of a BCM over the MICS/CICS is the vmail is built in (no additional hardware). All you require is a keycode for the number of mailboxes needed.
BCM50 is good for a small office. Main Cabinet comes w/ 4 trunk ports, 4 analog stn ports,12 digital ports, and voicemail.
BCM50 is good for a small office. Main Cabinet comes w/ 4 trunk ports, 4 analog stn ports,12 digital ports, and voicemail.
digitalbandit
Technical User
IA2 couple of years ago at a hospital programmed it with my screwdriver....
Johnthephoneguy
Technical User
I loved the old stepper switches, listening to them was awesome sometimes!
JohnThePhoneGuy
"If I can't fix it, it's not broke!
JohnThePhoneGuy
"If I can't fix it, it's not broke!
stevethephoneman
Vendor
On the EKS realm, I got to finally pull out an Eagle.
About time!!!
I've kept 5 spare systems for parts just in case.
I should of just replaced it with an 8x24 to bring them up to last century. Of course the Eagles only came out in 83'.
About time!!!
I've kept 5 spare systems for parts just in case.
I should of just replaced it with an 8x24 to bring them up to last century. Of course the Eagles only came out in 83'.
I know you are all going to scream at the fix, but the oldest I ever worked on was a 1A2. Ended up realizing the fuse was blow . . . err bent paperclip worked! hahahaha
Yes I know it isn't the right way, but when you are military and they have nothing else what do you do?
As far as I know that 1A2 is still in use as it was being used for Multi line STU's at the location I was at.
Yes I know it isn't the right way, but when you are military and they have nothing else what do you do?
As far as I know that 1A2 is still in use as it was being used for Multi line STU's at the location I was at.
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