sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Toshiba Telephones & Systems CIX strengths & weaknesses - Info needed

well, if you're planning to buy cordless phones with the system, NEC and Toshiba use the same manufacturer(ESI?) and cosmetic design. ToshibaNec =)

Actually, I think those cordless phones are made by Uniden. Comdial also has one that looks almost identical.

NEC rep tells me that the NEC cordless phones are made by Uniden and their DECT wireless solution is from Kirk wireless (subsidiary of Spectralink)

Credentials and references on both dealers are good. I don't need a conference bridge, just the possibility of more than 8 in a conference once in a while. VoIP between locations may help, but I would really hate to get caught at a critical time when I need it. Besides - adding a conference bridge could end up cosing a lot more and I'll end up dealing w/ more vendors, hardware, etc.

One thing I liked about the NEC that I saw in their demo is that I can go to a users voice mail even if the system is set up for hands free intercom calling between stations. All you have to do is press their intercom key and then press the voice mail key and it takes you to the voice mail box of the other handset user. I have not seen the toshiba demo yet, but I get the feeling from their rep that the phones have to be in ringing mode (not voice handsfree between stations) to allow the call to go to voice mail.

While this is only a small thing - it seems much more intuitive and is the kind of subtle difference that could sway me one way or the other. If anyone has experience with both and could shed more light on things like this it would be appreciated.

In my research, I also read somewhere that Toshiba America (parent company for telephones, computers, & consumer electronics) received an F rating from the BBB. This may be more related to consumer electronics & computers than phones though.

I'm a little lost on the going to a user's vm.

If you are at your Toshiba phone, you press a MW button and you listen on speakerphone unless you pickup the handset.

What is the dealer's policy on buying more phones after the install? Same price/higher price/price guarantee for x years?

If you ask for references, no matter who, you will get the "best" references. Ask to go see two sites that have been installed within the last month.

If they can make a phone call and drive over there with you, Cool. If they need a few days to make contacts, they probably need to clean up the install first. You are only as good as you leave the site looking, every wire labeled, doors on blocks, etc.

You can forget about the BBB. They are in the business only to get you to sign up and pay dues. In 21 years, I've had one BBB complaint and resolved it with some extra work for a crank. They call every year saying I should sign up. OY!

It has to do with calling between stations and leaving a message for the person if they are not there.

This scenario would be if the phone system is set up for handsfree intercom calling between stations. (In other words I press your hotline/intercom key on my phone and your phone "beeps" and then you can reply back to me handsfree without pressing the speaker key or lifting the handset).

On the NEC - if you are not there when I call you from my station I can press the Message Key (after I press your intercom key and before I hang up) and I will go to your voice mail box where I can leave you a messege. I don't have to go into my mailbox and record a message and send it to you.

In a ringing environment this isn't a problem for the toshiba because your phone rings when I intercom you and if you don't answer I go to your voice mail box after X number of rings, but we are in a handsfree environment now and would like to continue in that same capacity. On the NEC if I want to leave you a message, I can press your intercom key and then press the message key and immediately go to your mailbox to leave you a message whether you are in a ringing environment or handsfree environment. However even if we did go to a ringing station-to-station calling mode - on the Toshiba I have to wait for your phone to ring X number of times before your voice mail picks up and on the NEC it happens immediately after I press the message key.

The above issue aside, I think we are leaning towards the NEC. The Toshiba dealer (BCS voice Data) sales rep doesn't have much experience and I get the feeling that their reps turn over frequently as the average tenure is only 2 years. Local NEC dealer's average sales rep tenure is 9 years. Average service tech tenure is longer at the NEC dealer as well. Having worked in sales before I know that it can be a high turnover job and it says something positive about the company if they are able to keep reps (and techs) that long.

On the Toshiba you just press (1 or 2 - I forget) to turn voice announce into ringing and it would go to VM if they are not there. A minor point.

I wouldn't worry about sales reps turnover, that is to a large degree a by guess and by golly and how well the employer can train them to sell.

The techs on the other hand are the people who will keep your system running. You could always drop into the office of each and ask to be shown how to remote modem into a system. They either know or they don't and that is a good test.

What are the labor rates? Get it in writing.

What are additional parts/phones? Get it in writing that for a specified period they will not go up more than X percent. Some people sell cheap and hope to rape later. If they get you, it is your fault.

Will you get a 5 year warranty FROM NEC or Toshiba, not some 3rd party vendor?

It is your choice, doing your homework is your responsibility, you will live with this stuff for a long, long time and the decision should be on cost factors, dealer reputation, etc.

that voicemail button is a purdy cool feature... now how come we dont have that on the Toshiba? instead, we get a msg call-back button that is super-annoying... on that other hand, there is direct transfer to VM but that burns a button. you have done your homework... now come back soon and tell us how its working for you.