atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems VoiceMail Systems and Programming Low cost VM advice needed

I'm putting together a phone system for a local non-profit opera company that I've been working with for the last 20+ years, and I need some advice.

I've never dealt with voicemail systems before, most of my experience is with 1A2 systems, and a WeCo 711B step-by-step PBX. My background is a mix of theatre/audio-visual/broadcast engineering, and unix/networking. (I'm kind of a jack-of-all-trades).

I've picked up a KXT123211D off ebay, and I'm looking at adding a auto attendant/voicemail system as well, however the catch is that the budget for this project is essentially nonexistent.

I'm thinking something PC based (we have spare PC's), with 6-8 ports? I'd like fax detection, and a few dozen mailboxes.

What should I be looking for?

eBay, the bane of phone men.

I've worked with non-profits myself, so I understand that non-existent budget. But you'll get what you pay for (or rather, you won't get what you don't pay for).

If you can find a used Lingo / Reception, they are a good relatively cheap 2 or 4 port VM. (Active-Voice products in general are pretty good, but after the lingo, price goes up sharply).

Amanda made a decent @work.place, or the @SoHo is a workable product.

Those are your useful low-end voicemails.

But my gut recommendation is to find a Patron-of-the-Arts who's sympathetic to High-Tech, and sweet-talk them into special donation for an Active-voice Repartee.