sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information How long to most people keep their phone system?

I guess phone systems are a victim of their own success. They are so darn reliable that you almost never need to replace them huh?

It still amazes me how many 1A key systems are still functioning!

Most older phone systems had to compete with AT&T/Bell equipment that was built for the 5'9's (99.999%) up time. Thats less than 2min. in 10 years. Most of my customers Lease and the fair market is more than the equipment is worth at the end because technology is evolving so quickly. I find most smaller less than 60 seats change when the technology dictates changes. Caller-ID and now Unified messaging. Most of the time its for expansion, remodeling, or moving that sells new systems.

They keep them until someone can convince them they would benefit from having something newer. Nuff said. mark

There are that obstinate few who will never be convinced to upgrade unless God votes with the lighting bolt. And some insist or replacing with like even then.

Kerry

Coral Tech, you seem to be the only one here who has customers replace their phone regularly. What causes your ESI and NEC customers to want a new phone system every 5 years? (or maybe I should not ask?)

Great sales skills?? Maybe instead of why, we should be asking for pointers!

Seems that Nitsuko now NEC and formally TIE phases stuff out pretty quickly. NEC has really put the clamp down as of late as well. Basically if it looks like we cannot get new parts or manufacturer support and guarantee of parts we tell the customer the truth about their situation. We tend to not try and go the refurb route if at all possible. If you think about it, and we preach this as well, just consider what you spend on computers over a 5 year stretch compared to what you spen on your phone system. Then point out the down time of computers vs phone systems then ask them which is more important? 90% will say phones if they are in any sort of customer related field of business. Technology is driving todays sales just as much with VOIP. While I do not condone indoor VOIP systems, outside VOIP and networking, seems to be the way to go. Heck we've been using VOIP since 1996 using Cisco routers and QSIG. Companies will make the capital expediture if it's what they need...you just have to know what they are looking for.

Coral is absolutely correct. We haven't been with ESI long enough to go a full cycle on any of their equipment but we are working on a proposal for a very nice job because NEC is forcing them to upgrade the switches in headquarters and 6 remote stores-they were informed that NEC will no longer support the product no discussion, they would be able to keep the old handsets because they would be backwardly compatible, what a deal!

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One stop Voice and Data Solutions VoIP

You know on the hard drive ESI you are going to get a system failure at least every 5 years. Most hard drives made today don't carry more than a 1 year warrantee (i think) they used to carry 2-3. Hard drives are moving parts and have to fail at some point. I think they structure their systems around this 5 year mark though. I really wish they had a backup option that was viable.