atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Newbie PBX / Voicemail Question?

My company is getting ready to change over our phone system. We are a non-profit and need to do this as cost efficient as possible.

Question 1:

How do PBX's work in terms of 4 lines 24 extensions?

We often have more than 4 simultaneous calls coming and going at the same time. I need to know the basics. Ex. How do 4 lines handle 8 to 10 calls simultaneously etc…

Question 2:

I’m looking at a DL 424-832 PBX as a new solution and have a Repartee Voice mail that was donated. Will these work together?

4 of the 24 extensions would be dedicated to the voice mail system I assume.

If anyone has any background or resources they would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

jkeegan to the BB.

Question 1.....To paraphrase Forrest Gump--- "Four lines is four lines". Four lines means four conversations. Yes, you can get PRIs and do a lot with a lot more cost. Odds are you can get more POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines with less expense.

Question 2......I am not familiar with a "DL 424-832 PBX" by part number so I can't say about a Repartee VM, but it may not take four ports as it may be digitally integrated. Sometimes what is donated costs more than it is worth to get it working.

Usually when we speak of a 424 or a 832 we are not speaking of a PBX but a key system. A PBX gives you a lot more flexibility while a key system is restricted in growth and features.

It sounds like you need to speak with several vendors and find one you can work with....not the salesman, but the installation tech that will be supporting your system. You need a lot more info before you spend your money.

There are way too many variables here to give you a straight forward answer. We would need a lot more information to assist you properly.

I am sure more techs will stop by and give you some more ideas. Remember, your equipment choice is no better than the installation company.

Good Luck.

JKeegan -

1) As Ken said - 4 lines is 4 lines. The only possible exception to the "4 lines/4 conversations" rule would be if you had custom calling features from the Telco that would allow 3-way calling on a line. But essentially 4 is 4. And remember if someone is calling in from the outside to VM - that's one less line available for use.

2) Once again, I'm with Ken. I never heard of a 424 or an 832. Do you have a manufacturers name? It might certainly help.

And again, the VM system may or may not easily integreate. More info is required.

Get us some info, we'll get you some answers and I'm sure you'll have more questions.

Happy New Year.

Sam

The system you have is ALL analog so off the shelf phones will work with it. You are correct the VM will take up 4 extensions if it integrated with analog.

Tricky stuff here, you might start talking to installers asap. It would be very daunting to try it on your own.

As for features and such. You may find that it will be very very limited unless you know how to use codes in a phone.

Here is what I found on it

How do 4 lines handle 8 to 10 calls simultaneously etc…

The same way your one line at home handles 10 calls- the second caller gets a busy! If you anticipate 8 to 10 calls simultaneously you need 10 lines! Nothing magic is going on here.

I understand what you are saying about cost being a factor but you are going to be spending a lot more money not to the mention grief in the long run by using someone elses junk and trying to do this yourself. A word to the wise- you are not the first one to come here like this and they always wind up spending more money or not getting what they want.

I would strongly advise that you contact some local dealers and let them give you quotes then figure out how to come up with the money.

-Hal

You might look into the Virtual PBX system offered

Advertising is prohibited.

That system looks EXACTLY like one offered on E-bay from Hong Kong, for less than 1/2 of the 'sale' price. But, who knows maybe the warranty is better than, "Uninstall and send prepaid with return shipment $ to Hong Kong" and do without ANY phones for 10 days-to-?. I'd suggest you talk to local vendors and get references. Gee, am I the 3rd or 99th to suggest that! John C.

As a local telephone system vendor, we often have traded in systems that we are more than happy to sell very cheaply to non-profit organizations and provide them with service on said equipment. Talk to your local telephone interconnect companies, they might have something much more condusive to your needs - without the ugly no support issues.

Whatever you do, get a key system that has line buttons. So you handle calls as " Yo Mike, Jim Bob is on line 3, Mike just goes to his phone or any other and pushes the button that is labled as
LINE 3" instead of "Yo Mike, pick up *#305678#*
(what!)"

link to emanual


EDIT: by justbill
Please don't post links to installer level information or those containing system passwords or other proprietary information.

Yep, that's the one. John C.

(Best guess} Toshiba DK424 config. 8X32?