Small Business PBX 2

[saw164]

Good morning,

I wanted to get opinions on what techs here feel is the best small business phone system. We currently have a WIN 440ct phone switch and i am looking to upgrade it. I need to have at least 8 CO lines and 16 Digital phones. I have looked at the SPX IP 320 and Talkswitch 480VS. Both seem like good system, but find i would have to buy lots of expansion modules to make it work. I have a wide budget so i am looking for a range from low end to high end.

Thank you,


Scott
________________________________________
When Life Gives You Questions, Google has Answers - AJ Carpio

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Naturally I would steer you down the IP Office route. Its a hybrid system giving you the flexibility of Digital / IP / and Alog phones.

Loads of options available and if budget is wide, then there are nice touch screen IP phones, voicemail pro, one-X etc etc.....

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[mattKnight]

But before you look at IP Office...

Decide if you want a key system or a PABX. I suspect that you currently use a key system. Do you want to change the way that your phone system works or stay roughly the same.

Once you have made that choice, look at equipment and vendors. What is way more important than raw equipment, is how well it is implemented. The IP office is a superb, highly featured PABX system, but when implemented by idiots becomes a nightmare. Anyone who suggests that IP Office is a good key system can be classed as an idiot.



Take Care

Matt
I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone.
My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Panasonic has some nice stuff with the TDA line.

jeff moss

 

[saw164]

I liked the IP office and i will have to talk with a vendor, but it should have all the features we would want.I haven't looked at Panasonic yet
. Matt, we do have a Key system, they bought it years ago, with no thought of expansion. Now that i have taken over i am trying upgrade all old systems. I know PBX systems well, but mainly the bigger Enterprise system such as Avaya's SL8100 and Definity, Nortels 81, 61 and 11c. About the smallest system i have worked on is Vodovi's Starplus, so i don't know many smaller systems.

Thanks

Scott
________________________________________
When Life Gives You Questions, Google has Answers - AJ Carpio

 

[cknipe]

I would stick to one of the larger names like Avaya, Cisco, Shoretel and Mitel. All of these systems offer a small business solution that are pretty comparable in features. The reason I recommend a larger name is due to the reliability of the support they would offer over a small time vendor. Not to mention, any bugs in new versions of code are going to be caught a lot faster due to the size of the user base that these companies hold, where as you may go 6 months to a year waiting on an issue that the engineering dept at the smaller company cannot figure out due to the fact that it is only happening on 1 or 2 systems in the field.

 

[mattKnight]

>Matt, we do have a Key system

My point is that you must decide if you want a newer and expandable key system or a PABX that will do much other stuff. If you choose a PABX solution (which I think you should) then you will need to change everybody's way of working and put up with Edna/Jim in accounts saying "we used to do it this way, why do we have to cahnge?"

Understanding the two types of solution amd how thet fit the needs of your business is key to a successful choice.

Take Care

Matt
I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone.
My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

or for a traditional style pbx with lots of modern features, look at the alcatel omni pcx

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[Dexman]

If plans are to continue using TDM service, the Avaya Merlin Magix, though discontinued for several years, might be worth a look.

It is a very reliable system and the price of hardware on the secondary market is reasonable. The system has limitations with ISDN/PRI service.....however.....POTS lines work quite well.

I "FEATURE 00

 

[IPGuru]

Had to give matt a * for his description of anyone suggesting IPO is used as a key system.

IPO is great & will easily fulfil your needs provided the users telephony habits can be brought out of the 19th century.

They will ask for line keys, these are not needed!

operation is simple

Receiving a call
Phone rings, pick up phone & talk

Making a call
dial number, speak when answered

The PABX will select a free line the user has no need to worry.
(if users do need different physical lines this can be set in programming so still no need for a line key)


Computers are like Air conditioners:-
Both stop working when you open Windows

 

[saw164]

Thanks guys for all your suggestion i have a list of about 5 systems i want to check out. I am not too worried about the end-user at this point, Since any little change would freak them out. I just upgraded them from 2000 to XP and it was like the sky was falling...lol. Here is the list, just incase anybody else is looking.

Avaya IP office
Trixbox
Panasonic KX-TDA506
Blackblx IP PBX Link-up
Cisco Unified Comm 300 series.

Thanks again guys you have been a big help.



Scott
________________________________________
When Life Gives You Questions, Google has Answers - AJ Carpio

 

[donb01]

A couple of comments from me intended to be fairly product neutral with one exception.

If you choose to stay in the key system environment then I will jump on the Panasonic bandwagon. I worked with them for many years before I got into the "big stuff" and still use them for my small sites in a neighboring city that it is not cost effective (yet) to network into my "big" systems.

I am looking at replacing all of my "big" systems in the next two years, and from my research, and making it as vendor agnostic as I can, I suggest in addition to the hardware platform of your choice - with all the fancy bells and whistles the sales people are going to get you all excited about (I am!), you need to look carefully at the vendors you are considering making your purchase from. How long have they been around? What is their reputation? Can you find information on their financial stability? How many factory trained techs do they have for the specific product you are buying and how fast can they get to you if needed? What kind of spare parts inventory do they keep in stock, and how far away?

Now that you have looked carefully at the vendors, look carefully at the product manufacturer and beyond just the equipment. Are they going to force you into some kind of maintenance contract, or will they let you be on a time and materials basis? If so, what level - software only, or both full hardware and software? How much are they going to push upgrades on you and how much will the upgrade process impact your business? Will they even give you the time of day if you do not keep your hardware and software up to the exact current level? How many references can you find within 150 - 200 miles of yourself of a similar size and configuration to what you will have that you can go see?

Everybody on here will be happy to tell you about their favorite brand, or vendor, or who they hate the most, and that will vary a bit depending on if they are a phone guy or an IT guy/gal, but the most important question you are going to have to ask besides how much you are going to spend and what features you want, is "OK, now that I bought this thing what do I do now"....

 

[GordonKapesMZ4]

I've used 3CX with Nortel 1140E/1120E SIP phones. The phones, once connected to the 3CX, operate almost identically as when they are on a Nortel CS2100 or MCS5300 switch for a major fraction of the price.

You can pick up about 10 1140E's on ebay for about $1,000 and load the SIP software for free from Avaya's site. Version 1.0 and 2.0 SIP software is totally free and will function great with the 3CX program. If you want the more advanced 3.0 to 4.0 SIP firmware....you'll have to do a little google search or modify the coding on the phones via TFTP in order to disable the extended feature set. I've been successful doing this. Michael McNamaras Avaya site has a way to do this.

3CX works on a free platform which allows you to link up with a VOIP provider such as VOIP.MS for external trunks.....and also works on an inexpensive license service as well, that lets you gain access to most common PBX features such as paging or park.

 

[Westi]

wow that is a pretty wide range of different systems you have there
Avaya IP office
Trixbox
Panasonic KX-TDA506
Blackblx IP PBX Link-up
Cisco Unified Comm 300 series.

Avaya is the one I am familiar with, Panasonic has nice features and is cheaper, Cisco will cost you your first born usually, Blackbox never done anything with it and Trixbox stay away from it if you are not familiar with it except if you can do without phones should something happen and you need to fiddle around for a day or two to make it work again. Trixbox is OK for house and home or if you have a real good tech on hand(and a backup guy for when this one is on holidays)

Joe W.

FHandw, ACSS

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Im all for open source, but as Joe said, could be an issue when it breaks.

I think with the IPO you will get a decent amount of support with reliable hardware, and lots of people on here know the product inside and out.

Cisco will consume your life and pocket (and defo your first born)

Panasonic - never used one, but never heard anything bad about it.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[saw164]

I have worked on and or installed all but the Blackbox and the Panasonic. Trixbox can be tricky to setup, but once it up and running, i haven't had much problems with them. Cisco is expensive, but it is easily intergratred into an existing network. Avaya is a good solid system, and the one i am leaning towards...but its up to the CEO and CIO on which sytem they want.

I will be the main tech, which is why i have narrowed it down to these. There is another one i am looked at called a Talkswitch. Anybody ever heard of them? I took them off the list since i have never heard of the system.

Scott
________________________________________
When Life Gives You Questions, Google has Answers - AJ Carpio

 

[OldAndKnackered]

Another possibility is the Samsung 7000 series if you are looking for more like key system functionality. I know old Samsungs were only average in terms of fearures/programming and reliability, but they have really upped their game, and the 7000 series really are good.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

uke:

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[mattKnight]

>but its up to the CEO and CIO on which sytem they want.

Just so long as the CFO hasn't been drinking the "Hosted solution" koolaid...

Take Care

Matt
I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone.
My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.

 

[IPGuru]

my advise to the CFO is:

Doing things on the cheap usually works out very expensive!

look out for the 'gotchas' every system has some & the manufacturers are very good at disguising them.

Computers are like Air conditioners:-
Both stop working when you open Windows