sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information A solution?

First of all I would like to say thanks to you guys for giving me some great feedback.I talked to the customer today and reviewed some of the options.Since I have the luxury of not being on a specific time line, I have a little more time to play with this.The customer is excited about the possibility of cutting the Telco charges out of the budget.At the time the shelter was set up it was an after the fact decision to go to the Telco for service.As far as the customer is concerned this will be either a wireless (Cordless system EnGenius,Voyager or some type of intercom system.Since it's really not necessary for ANY type of phone system to be involved I will try to come up with an intercom system to suit their needs.All they really need is a way to communicate between the buildings.

To answer some of the questions that were brought up:

Each unit is a separate building.(10) individual apartments and (1) office building.

There is No connectivity between buildings without going thru Bell.

Customer knows they can change the number.($25) per line.But, that would not prevent this from happening again.Also customer wants to get away from the Telco charges.

I don't know if the Tenants can access the dialer or not.May I ask why?

The property is no where near level.The terrain is very hilly.Three rows of buildings are each on their individual terraces.It's like a set of stairs almost.The bottom row (step) has three apartments,the middle row has three buildings,and the top row has five buildings.The office is located in the middle building on the top row.All Bell is overhead drops from poles.Power and everything else is underground.Don't know if it's the same transformer or not.Again,may I ask why?

Since each unit has its own separate number and bill, CID has to send it's number.The customer knows they could block the CID,but that would keep them with Telco AND make the bill go up by $5 a month per line.That would make ANY non-profit cringe.

May go with the Cordless phones with the handsets that you can assign intercom numbers to.The range is going to be the only catch.The farthest building is about 20' lower in elevation and about 350' away in distance from the Main office.I have'nt found anything on wireless intercom that is suitable.Anybody know of one?

What cordless system would you recommend?

Although I don't have a solution, I wouldn't go cordless. :shrug:

Here's my reason why:
Since you are talking about different users/tenants coming and going, I don't believe a cordless system is durable enough. The old saying goes, "drive it like you don't own it!" They won't take care of a cordless handset. It will get dropped, lost, left out on the patio, etc. and the management pays for repair/replacement. Not to mention the fact that you are also now dealing with batteries and a dead battery from a phone that hasn't been charged in a women's shelter is kind of scarey.

Hardwire is the way to go, or at the very least, a wireless transmitter that is able to have a hardwired phone attached to it.

If they could access the dialer and unplug it, they could call anywhere.

If they were all on the same transformer and close together there are some funky intercoms that work on the electric wires.

There is one way we have not discussed. Negotiation. The next thing I would do is set up an appointment with the local Telco and the center manager.

Tell them that the the local dial tone bills are really hurting and your goal is not to ask them for free service. Tell them that you would like to put in an intercom system that is being donated (I'll send you a Panasonic 61610 and you have the phones). What you need from them is permission to use what will become the dry pairs once the dial tones are turned off.

The center can give them a tax write off for the use of the dry pairs and the Panasonic will go much farther than your farthest apartment.

If a call comes in and the office wants to transfer it they can. You can give them 911 access and nothing more but that keeps them safe.

All your pairs are probably coming to one central point and if not, this would be a good chance to have a bit of donated labor, tell the guys it is a rehab place (true enough) and the tenants are not supposed to be seen by outside people.

You are better off trying to get the cooperation of the local telco than anything else that has been mentioned. They don't have to provide any "free" dialtone or "free" calls, just allow the use of the dry pairs for a charity writeoff.

If you don't ask, you can't get. Who wants to turn down a women's shelter? If one guy says no, ask who his supervisor is. It works.