Old phone systems...

[bigcat919]

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).

 

[bigcat919]

also ssen some 0X32's still with R1T1 s/w. Has anybody else seen this ols s/w out there?

 

[RikRodgers]

1 customer (a hospital sized live in retirement home) with a 824 and startalk A.

The KSU and VM have both died within the last year, but rather than upgrade, each time they bought a refurb, and had me install it.

Another customer- a grocery store, has a DR1 3x8 that's never had a problem since we installed it when it was new. It's a real trip down memory lane every time I go down for programming changes.

 

[CTCINY]

Just deinstalled a 616. One of the first one's released. I still remember the day I installed it. Funny to see it go full circle.

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

 

[RikRodgers]

We've got a few R1-T1's out there, too.

CTCINY- I know. I've replaced a few of the first systems I put in. It really does make you feel old, especially when the customer is referring to it as a "dinosaur".

 

[jerryreeve]

Are you talking only norstar? or the other wonderful older systems?

Norstar: 6X16 Dr1 without VM

other: Pulled out a trillium panther system last year.
have one customer that wanted me to work on their 1A2. (Passed this off to a gentleman that retired from telco about 10 years ago)


----------------------------
JerryReeve
Communication Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

I believe the difference between a Startalk B and C, is the C has the 5 1/2 floppy and the B didn't. I have a Mini, given to me by a customer who needed 2 greeting tables, since 1996 working at my house. The hardrive is still humming.

Adversity is Opportunity

 

[byrontel]

I've got a Northern Electric 551 cord board(answering board) in my basement,that I used to maintain for telco.....anyone want to buy it?.....never had a software issue with it.

 

[jerryreeve]

byrontel: is that from a stepper switch?

----------------------------
JerryReeve
Communication Systems Int'l
com-sys.com

 

[gforce9]

This is fun....my dad's bigger than your dad....ha ha ha ha. I do work for the State of Illinois. There are a handful of 1A2 sites I still take care of. We have a bunch of old 8x24 Norstars, mostly DR5, but there is a DR2 out there, old Tie's, old Comdials, and to top it all off, an old Nortel ST RLS 4 (yes, RLS 4). My junk is worse than your junk.....ha ha ha ha.........

 

[BkMesser]

Remind me not to apply for any State of Illionis jobs. I have seen an old vantage a few years back. I got to take it out and toss it.

"Mongo only pawn in game of life.

 

[curlycord]

Quote:
....never had a software issue with it.

Too funny!

We had 2 of them.

Worked on a TIE EK6 (life before Norstar)just this week.

 

[bigcat919]

good sence of humor gforce9....your too funny

 

[norstarboy125]

i tell ya i still have many customers with 3x8,6x16,8x24 like you guys said w the old startalks a,b,c and the mini's
some places just don't care their not worried about ip telephony some never even heard of it, as long as it works then their ok. You have to admit Norstars run forever now if only they can make the BCM's as solid we will be ok...

 

[jpanzer]

My 824 system in my house came with DR2. I also had a DR3 cartridge for it, now I have DR at DR5. So many changes from 2 to 5. Most of my sets are "Meridian" branded with the old logo. I only have 2 newer 7316s.

John Panzer

 

[MarvO1]

How about 2 tin cans with a piece of string between them?

MarvO said it

 

[LeeMcCauslin]

I have a couple 3x8s out there humming along just fine. I don't know how old they are - they were here when I got here.

 

[RikRodgers]

Funny thing about the 3x8's, they're still a current product (sw not withstanding). Talk about standing the test of time...

 

[ddeberry]

NEC 12, and and 8X24 DR2

 

[docjohn52]

Okay,

Last lier doesn't stand a chance... OKay!
I win!

Here you go...

Factory installer for twenty years, Stromberg-Carlson (now Siemens), GTE Automatic Electric, AT&T Western Electric.

There is a major hotel in New York, that is still using an AE SXS (step by step) switch, with linefinders, selectors, and connectors, and little blue boxes convert tone to pulse from the rooms.

Wierdest one? There is an Indian tribe at the bottom of the grand canyon in Arizona, that has a telephone pole in the middle of the tribe, with a payphone on it. Works to a brand new, Stromberg DCO, and once a month, a helicopter, subsidized by the US, goes down the canyon to collect the quarters. The DCO is the REAA version, with the extra alarms, also subsidized, it has about 40 phones on it now. This is a ten thousand line end-office...

Your tax dollars at work...