sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Panasonic Telephones & Systems Adding Voicemail to KX TDA15E

Hi

We have a KX TDA15E system, that was installed for us by a comms company.

I'd like to add voicemail to the system, but to be honest would rather DIY it than pay a large fee to a company, cheeky I know! Is this possible? Would anyone be able to help me do this, I'm quite willing to pay for some help, but would rather have the system under our control than have to pay an annual ranson, and high installation fees everytime I want to change anything. Hope someone can help.

I don't know why you would have to pay an annual fee to anybody as the TVA voicemail systems can be maintained by an end user. I don't know if a TDA15 is a protected product on your side of the pond, but you must have more than one Panasonic dealer over there. Start by calling the one who installed your system and tell them the situation and get more than one quote. It's possible that the dealer will have to interface the VM system to the phone system anyway.

If you get the TVA-50 with LAN card, it fits on your network and you can administer it from the computer on your desk and you get VM to email. If you don't, you'll need to access the USB port on the VM box.

Good luck

Carl

Thanks for the reply carl. All I really want to do is add a voicemail card to the TDA15, which I can buy for about £220(about $440). However to install it I guess I would need the management software, which I don't have, and some passwords, which I can probably get from the company that installed the box in the firstplace.

The company who installed it said they would give me a quote, but haven't(like most companies in the UK their customer service is rubbish), and I've had two other quotes both for over £500 (about $1000) for the card and installation, I can't imagine how they can justify charging nearly £300 to plug a card in and adjust the system, is it really that complicated?

Are these systems really so complicated, can anyone let me have a copy of the management software and give me brief instructions on how to install it?

you have to keep looking for the right vendor
to work with and what may be simple to a guy
that does this stuff for a living and you "pluging" in a card may be two stories!!

Yes, No.

Thanks for the vocabulary lesson. Several years back, I supplied a used Comdial phone system to an American company that was in joint venture with someone from the U.K. He called me into the office and said the used phone system that I supplied was ROO bish :-).

The price you quoted will probably get edited out by the moderators, but I saw it. For that kind of money I'd be tempted to fly over and do it :-). They must be swimming over from France.
That figure represents 8-10 hours of labor for a job that takes about 2.

BUT!!! If you get a price on the external VM instead of the card, you will pay less labo(u)r and have more control. Once the VM is installed in a TDA, you don't need access to the TDA, just the TVA, and you get Automated attendant and more features.

Carl

PM sent

Just to let you know the software for the kxtda 15 is not the same as the usa model. the kxtda 15e comes with 2 ISDN ports on board and uses the kxtda 15/30 program tool to set it up.

To set up external voicemail you need both voicemail and system software. Like the USA, you have to be a trained kxtda engineer to get this software.
Panasonic could void the warranty if something happens the system and find out you installed the voice mail on it yourself.

You could buy the SMV voicemail card ( if someone would sell to you with out installing it)and could plug it in and get it to work as voice mailbox per extension. but to work it as a group voice mailbox.ie night mailbox you need to know what your doing.

You don't need to pay yearly maintenance costs if you dont want to. work on a call out fee basis.

Like OBT says I have never believed in service contracts and I have never held a customer
hostage either have some one give you a quote
and get it done and if you have problems
pay for the service call.

The "card" is rubbish. Get A tva or TVS voice mail, TVA being the best, the software comes with it, easier to program with the lan card in it, just do it from your desk. You can tweak the phone system with telephone set programming if you want to learn. You don't need the software, at least on the US version. I make more money fixing what IT guru's screw up.
Just pay to have it put in and have them show you how to program the TVA. Just remember, once you get it set and then don't work on it for 5 months and go to change it, you have to learn all over again, but the TVA does have extensive help files built in.
I think you will find that you will make more money by running your business than learning to be a phone tech.
But the basic stuff like changing names, reset passwords and recording menus are pretty simple
without software.

Hey Brokeda, in the uk ( I am Irish but roped in to UK as Panasonice sees us )only have the kxtvm50 and 200. the lan card is extra as every thing else, I agree the card is rubbish and the tvm 50/200 is top class. The software is from panasonic tech site only.not with equippment.

Even though I am panasonic approved I belive the customer bought the product and owns it, should do what he wants with it. But on the other side people who install it with out proper training ruined the kxtd systems. This is not aimed at the customer but the people selling the systems without knowing how to install them.