sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Trying to buy a small system:NEC vToshibaV Refurb Nortel

We have an ancient Panasonic KX-t Analog system. Has served us well. I have replaced many of the phones. Mostly due to abuse. Now the main panel is acting up. The main port (used for programming) is dead. A tech managed to use one of the unused ports and we are OK for now. However I am concerned that this system will fail and I will be SOL for phone service! This is a small business and presently we have 2 phones and a fax in the office. The warehouse (separate building on site has 4 phones. We have 2 lines and the fax line. I would like to have call display and the ability to transfer calls to my cell or home phone. There are not many sellers where we live unless you want an VOIP system. My first salesman is selling NEC and he recommended the sl1100. His price was excellent but I worry about service. 2 sellers are pushing refurb CICS Nortels. I know they are old but every salesman (even the competition) says they are bullet proof. I doubt we will ever need fancy features but it seems this system would work for us. Another seller is pushing a Toshiba system. It is pricey but this company has been around a long time and have lots of techs. Being as most members of this forum are techs or connected to sellers I am wanting some additional Information on these systems. The Toshiba salesman is willing to send out a tech and see which board is causing my Panasonic to act up. He may have a board in stock. That would buy me some time. I don't think I can call forward with the Panasonic. Any help appreciated. BTW the price of the NEC is approx. $2600 and the refurb NEC's are around $1500 (seems high). THanks

I'm obviously partial to Nortel, but for what you want if you buy a Nortel make sure the software is at least 4.1 or you won't be able to transfer outside.

There are also options from the Telco to do this. If you can get them to do it, there's also the Xblue X-16 system which is easy to program and install. You could even do it yourself, but I recommend that you get a tech in to do it.

Get a NEC DSX 40. You can program your self, the console for Windows is easy. Does all you could want, you will get plenty of help on forums, NEC forum is open to all.
SL1100 is overkill for you.

Although discontinued, the Avaya Partner ACS is a fairly simple system to program. Documents are readily available on Avaya's website.

I did some reading on this forum about the DSX40 and it seems it is being discontinued. Is that correct? I also see numerous posts about bad displays. Is that common? I have noticed comments that sl1100 has poor phones? Confused!

If you look at previous threads, you will notice that all systems are basically the same, and will do what you want. The issue to look at is the servicing company. Their track record will speak for its self. Who has been in business the longest, response time, cost for service calls, costs for telephone support, Maintenance Agreements, warranty on product and labor.

Two systems that have been discontinued with no further development, or a system that is still in production and is evolving (new software and hardware developments).

If those are the only 3 solutions you are considering, then it kind of makes it easy, as long as all are being sold and installed by a reputable vendor.

If you still have the panasonic phones then just get a newer panasonic KSU like the 624 or the 824. The basic unit comes with 3 co lines and 8 phones

Just wondering, what did you decide?