sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Replacing my Panasonic phone system - advice needed

I built a new office about 1 year ago and had a Panasonic KX-TAW848 phone system installed. The installer was great and the phone system has worked well to date. The build-out kept me very busy and I didn't spend as much time looking at my options for a phone system as I should have. I'm finding my current system a little limiting and I would like to look at some options for what else is out there.

My current setup:
Panasonic KX-TAW848 with voice mail module and 6 extensions
Office is wired with CAT6 and each drop is split into one data and one phone port

There are some features that I would like to have in my phone system that I currently don't have. Below is a list of some of those features:

1.Large LCD with soft buttons that change based on current task. For example, the LCD would display names of people on speed dial (with ability to scroll and display more names), but when I am listening to voice mail the soft buttons change to Delete, Skip, FF, RW, etc..

2.LCD should display the number of waiting voice mails

3.Web interface. I'd like to be able to use a web interface to setup/tweak settings, as well as review Caller ID information, see what employee (or phone extension) placed long distance calls with details about the call, see and play voice mails, etc. The ability to login and change settings remotely.

4.Ability to send voice mails to email

5.Ability to have a remote phone at another office (or home) that would appear as if in the same office. For example, I could pick up the phone at home and page another extension in the office or check voice mails. This is not a feature I have to have, but it would be helpful.

6.Ability to keep my current telephone number, with 4 incoming lines and 8 extensions

If anyone has any recommendations on phone systems I would very appreciative!

- Dave

Dave:

You will need to look into the KX-TDA100 or 200 to accommodate most of what you are asking for. Sorry for the bad news, but at least you can retain the phones that you purchased last year.

The phone system that you are using has no effect on your ability to keep your current telephone number. It's yours.

There are plenty of Panasonic dealers here and I am sure that someone in your area can get you exactly what you need. If you don't hear anything soon, call Panasonic at 800-211-PANA and see if they can connect you with a local certified dealer.

Thanks Ed. I am not adverse to completely changing the phone system to something other than Panasonic. I would also swap out the phones even if I stayed with Panasonic as none of them have the large LCD's or soft keys that I am looking for.

Would I have to go to an VoIP system to get the functionality that I am looking for?

Dave,
VOIP won't be necessary, altho the TDA100/200 will do it. At the risk of starting a fire, VOIP has very limited application in truth. If you have multiple 'electronic commuters' VOIP is a good call, but as far as telephony in general, I don't feel that VOIP has anything to offer over a good hybrid system, such as Panasonic, Toshiba, Intertel, Avaya, or many of the other systems you see support for on this web-site. You really need to read the postings in the VOIP area to get a better idea of VOIP capabilities and applications, which are typically no different than most of the systems I mentioned above. Just remember that to jump to VOIP, you would be well advised to recable your office with another CAT6 network, because VOIP, above all, is a network animal. And maybe someone here will send you the picture of the dumpster full of CISCO VOIP phones, that supposedly resulted from a VOIP installation that did not perform anywhere near as promised. I used to have a file on my computer, but the hard drive crashed and .......!
And think long and hard if you start looking at Asterisk. Remember that it runs on a PC. How often do you have to reboot your PC and/or your computer network. Now, how often do you have to reboot your TAW848? 'Nuff said? John C.

I took a look at the TDA100/200 and unless I am missing something neither allow for browser control over settings. I also don't think the LCD shows the *number* of waiting voicemails, just that there are voicemails waiting. Is that correct?

The first answer you got was probably the best. With only 6 sets, you will scrap your whole system. Panasonic TDA systems allow browser control of whatever the installing dealer gives you control of by a CTI card. The visual voice mail may not display number of messages waiting. I have only 2 systems with the feature activated and neither one of the sites is using that option, so I can't check it. It requires a 763x series phone.

Since you have to replace the entire system to get the features you're looking for, you might simply start the process over of looking for a phone system.


Carl

That is pretty much what I am doing. I think my mentioning Panasonic in the thread title may have inadvertently lead people to believe I wanted to stay with a Panasonic system. While I may do that, I am certainly open to scrapping the current system and looking elsewhere.

Might want to look at the Avaya IP Office.

The Samsung OfficeServe 7100 will probably do everything you are looking for. I e-mailed you a general description.

The Panasonic TDA line can do everything you're looking for. Gotta be a good dealer in your area.