sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Avaya - Lucent Telephones & Systems Partner System Recommendation

Hello Everyone,

I am very new to Avaya/Lucent PBX systems, but I am wanting to learn. I have more experience with Asterisk IP PBX's.

A friend of mine is wanting to install a new PBX in his office. Right now, he is only wanting 6 extensions and 5 FXO's. Some qualifications is that the system would need to have BLF capabilities on the phones and Voicemail capabilities.

Does anyone have a good recommendation for a Lucent/Avaya system that would be fairly straight forward to install?

I have been scouring the manual for the Lucent Parter RC7. I am thinking this may be a possible system? Also it covers all the features he wants. I am thinking that configuring it via it's GUI software will be my best bet.

I am strongly considering the following equipment:

1 Lucent Partner ACS R7 controller
1 Voice Messaging 2 Port Card
6 18D System Phones

The only thing I wasn't too clear on is the Night Service. He wants to route all after hour calls to a 800 number. Do you think this is possible using Night Service?

Thanks for any help!

Welcome to the world of real phone systems.

The Partner should do everything you want except the forward to the 800# after hours. It could do it with Centrex and a Partner Messaging. Alternately the service provider could provide this.

By the way, it's easier to program the Partner with a phone rather fuss with remote access and it's GUI.

-Hal

Thanks Hal.

Now that I think of it, their service provider (Bellsouth) may do their existing after hours forwarding.

They are currently using an older AT&T Spirit PBX which I believe doesn't have this "after hours" feature?

Hey Hal, I dont have an R7 to try, but what about recording a brief auto attend message to the user to press a selector code going to an extension with has remote call forwarding enabled to the 800 number?

That's actually what I am leaning more towards. After talking with my friend, their Spirit System answers the night calls, gives the option to leave a message or dial the 800 number. Do you think this would be possible with the Partner ACS?

what about recording a brief auto attend message to the user to press a selector code going to an extension with has remote call forwarding enabled to the 800 number?

Sure. Someone would have to remember to enable RCF on that extension as well as night service on X10. I guess you could RCF 10 and do both at the same location.

I also guess that you could dedicate an extension just for RCF and leave it enabled all the time. Problem is if the power goes down the forwarding goes away and you have to push the button again. Not something that you would notice until no calls get forwarded.

Also RCF is only going to handle one call at a time and is going to tie up two lines each time. Voice quality may not be good either since the lines are just bridged together.

RCF is useful if you want calls to your extension forwarded but when you want all calls to a business forwarded the easiest and most efficient way is simply use call forwarding that is usually part of the package you get from your carrier.

Alternately, if you are going for a Partner Messaging get Centrex and have it do a Centrex transfer to the 800#.

Why make things more difficult than they should be?

-Hal

Dawick: Where do you plan to get your system? Are you going to get a local vendor to provide it and help with the install or do you think you will be able to do it all yourself? You might consider updating your profile so we can see where you are and what you do. You might find a local company on the board willing to provide the system to you at a good price.

Hi Mark,

I am hoping/planning on doing the install myself. As far as a vendor goes, we have not decided on one. I have been searching the internet trying to find the best deal, but I would be open to using any vendor. This system will be installed in Brunswick, GA.

I just want to make sure I can do Night Service forwarding to an 800. But it looks like an extra ~1,500 for Partner Messaging + 2 Port card?

You might want to hook up with Jeff Moss who is one of our members and also a student. https://www.sundance-communications.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_profile/u/00001087.html

Send him a PM and he can give you some advice.

Keep in mind that Sundance is a great place to get help with simple user level issues. These guys are the greates in the business and are always glad to help; however, we make our livings selling and installing telecommunication systems. We have a lot of people who come here with the idea that installing a telephone system can't be all that hard. That might be the case, in some instances; however, the telephone system is the heart of a business. Every technician and business owner I have met here take that issue very seriously. If you go back and read other posts that are similar to yours, you will see the overwhelming response is always "most all phone systems today will do what you want but be sure you chose a good vendor who will support you". This being said, take into consideration the reason you might want to do this yourself. Is it because you would simply love the opportunity and the experience? If so, talk to Jeff. Is it that you plan to save money? If that's the case, you might want to reconsider. Here's why. The members of this board make a great deal of money going in to fix installs done by do-it-yourselfers. Let's say you save yourself $800.00 in labor charges by doing the install youself. But something goes wrong. You will not get much help here. We are not in the business of putting ourselves out of business by promoting do-it-yourself installs. That does not mean we are not price concious. But if you do the install yourslf and have problems, you will spend every dime and more to get someone to come help fix the thing. This does not apply to our industry only. I decided to fix my own plumbing problems recently. I took a day off to do it. I did not have the right tools. I took a trip to Lowes and bought them. I did not have the right parts. I took a trip to Lowes and bought them. I made a huge mess. I lost a days work. The actual cost to me was a couple hundred dollars. I could have gotten a profesional to do the work for $100.00. When I went into the project I figured I'd have it done in an hour or two and would be out maybe $20.00. Once you dive in, it's too late to back up sometimes.

As far as buying the equipment on the intenet. You can buy almost anything on the internet for less than you can get it locally. The issues is again, service and support. Let's say you install a system you bought off the internet. WE know what it costs the interet seller to buy this stuff. It's our business to know. These guys make their money on volume - not support. That's not to say you can't get support. But if your system flakes out on you and you bought it locally, you can be back up in a couple of hours. That's the standard service time for most telephone vendors - major outages will respond in two to four hours. The vendor will have the equipment readily available to get you going again. That's one reason for the markup on the equipment. (overhead, repair stock, vehicles and ins, profit) If the internet seller has to overnight you a KSU, you are out of business until the thing shows up. What will the down time cost you? Depends on your business.

I know this is a long post but basically I'm saying to you and anyone else looking at a do-it-yourself phone system install. Yes, you can do it and no it might not be a problem for you. But if you asked the installers here to be honest with you they will tell you that from the questions you are asking, you might want to get local vendor pricing before you proceed.

Regardless of how you go, good luck and welcome to the board.

Dawick, A Partner Messaging unit will do the transfer. However, you seem to be intent on doing the installation yourself. You also are obviously looking to purchase the system from an online vendor - don't think you will get the level of support from an online vendor that you will get from a local vendor. You are not doing your friend a favor by trying to do this yourself. Get professional help from a local vendor!

--Bill