atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Vodavi Telephones & Systems SBX satisfaction

I've lost a dealership status on another IP product due to sales quota issues and I'm considering taking on the SBX IP320 system. It seems to fit my typical customer's profile and price. What is the consensus from my telecom compadres about the SBX? What are the negatives and is there something better?

Also Vertical shares today are at .0085 cents per share. Is Vertical going to survive?

Actually, we just recently (Within the past two weeks) switched to the NEC DSX. We have done two sites and have gone well. Starts at 4 lines 8 stations for the DSX40 and maxes out at 96 stations and 64 lines for the DSX120. The only feature I miss is SIP capability, but have been told to expect it before the year is out. This system can not be networked (for now) at this point either, but we really do not have any networked SBXIP systems out there anyway.

It just filled a niche for us and has worked VERY well, much better that I expected. Having to stock a single type phone for small/medium systems took me back to better days with Vodavi.

We still have several SBX systems out there, and I do enjoy them, just have been soured the last year or so and NEC was able to help ease that pain a bit.

EDIT: Just saw you sell DSX, so I was preaching to the choir, but maybe someone else will find this helpful.

Keep in mind that this and most other Vodavi products are manufactured by LG. The LG folks aren't going out of business anytime soon. LG has been marketing the SBX platform worldwide for years.

I and most will agree that when Vertical introduced the SBX a couple of years ago in the US market, it truly wasn't ready for prime time. After several major improvements to adapt to the US market, it is getting close.

Most issues have been with the limitations of the voice mail component. For the price, it is supposedly doing very well with the recent enhancements. It certainly isn't the greatest, but in that price range, you can't expect too much.

As for Vertical's survival, I wouldn't fret. The fact that the product is being manufactured by LG is a good thing. I think you'll be OK.

I've been using NEC DS and DSX for about 7 years and they are really nice. It pains me to thing about having to learn a new product but NEC is taking forever to roll out IP networking and SIP trunks. They are way behind what I was told when the migration from DS1000/2000 to DSX family happened and I will be needing a networking option for 2 customers fairly soon. Thanks, Bob

All of my networking and VoIP applications have been with the Vodavi XTS. My sales of SBX have been poor and so I have no VoIP apps with it as of yet. I also sell the NEC DSX because of it's simplicity, VoIP extensions and cheap but decent voice mail.

However, the VoIP apps that are available to the SBX right now are running circles around the DSX. The only down side is it's learning curve. If only there was a standard telcom glossary of terms for features and functions.

I have two installed SBXs. I didn't care for the first one a bit, but have made no service calls on it since it installed over a year ago. The last one was with the new FP and, well my customer loves it. I have one going in today and two more large ones are being installed soon. There were a lot of bids and I got it based on what it would do for the price. They will be networked together, we shall see how that goes.
I am warming up to this system the more I sell it.

I have done a couple SBX setups now and the first while it took some doing to get it done right has been trouble free. No service calls for more than a year. The second one just done last week will probably be the same thing. They didn't need much and this fit the bill. I also didn't sell the system but was the installer for it. I have found that the programming is easier through the sbx admin program than through the set. There are some things that are quirky with it. Such as not being able to put a vmail button on the phone (it is the call back button) But you can do a seperate call back button and label it vmail. Like mentioned the learning curve was steep for me but I can't say i didn't get the basics figured out.

I've warmed up to it as well. We have not networked any, so I hope Derrick will report his outcome.

I have several SBX out in the field but no network. No problem so far. I am pleased with them but also know the improvements and upgrades will be great.