I have a customer that just finished building a 15,000 Sq Ft home (no there are the correct zeros there). 3 floors that are concrete with rebar. The lady of the house is adament that she HAS to be able to access her Call Waiting from Ma Bell. also, her voicemail from same. She is insistent that she be able to walk from one end/level of the house from the other without dropping a call. The husband has purchased from us 3 other IPitomy systems for his offices and they are networked together and working fine.

My solution:
I installed a IPitomy (Asterisk based) IP system, then 3 AAstra RFP32's (one at each end and in the middle) on the middle floor. I used 6 AAstra 142D handsets. She would like at least 12 handsets with whatever solution works. I also installed 4 AAstra 6757i phones to be hardwired, fixed location phones. The system has 2 pots lines on it. the 1st is the house line and the second is the elevator line. The 2nd line was connected to the system so that they could have the caller roll over to that line from the house line and we could get rid of the CW. But, she is reluctant. I did try a DTMF Flash generator from a guy in Chicago, but after testing it at our office and leaving it connected over the Turkey day weekend, apparently it had to much turkey because if failed to work again the following Monday. Guess that isn't very reliable. I need reliable, as she is 2 hours away.

So the question is: How would you guys approach this? I haven't been able find much of anything that will work as well or better. Oh, did I mention that she thinks that it needn't be a "commercial" / "business" type of system. There ought to be a residential type of system that would work.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance

Ed

The first thing I'd check is the local code for the "elevator line". It may have to be totally independent & dedicated, even for a residence.

Second thing is check with service provider. Normally, they don't/won't cascade residential lines.

How about using Engenius cordless phones? Pricey, but reliable.

Panasonic Tda/Tde works well in those huge homes. You gotta be certified though. Panasonic makes wireless repeaters with good cordless phones that can cover that house no prob. The cordless phones have a Flash softkey that pops up for telco c/w.

Phones are good looking, and can be set up to be easy to use for the wifey.

Check out the pan kx-td7696 cordless phones.

Isn't there a version of the 7696 that will work on the 824? That would let Ed put it in without cert requirement.

The Pan 824 can run the 7896 cordless, but that one is a traditional cordless that gets the signal from one base.

I thought there was 1 'mini-cell'(so to speak) phone that would work on the 824.

There is a in-building cell solution for the TDA/TDE family and the TAW-848 which was a dumbed down version of the TDA-50. You could pry one from my office for what I have in it BTW.

Anyway, I'm still looking at the Siemens Gigaset cordless and a WAP solution for hospitality. At the going rate of Pana cell stations and cell sets, I think the FXO and network to IP phone solution would be cost effective.

Carl

You must be thinking of the 7896, but this doesn't run off of cell sites, just it's base. It looks almost identical to the Pan cell sites.

Dave,
You are right about the elevator line, I misspoke, they have a third line in there. We have spoken about bringing in some SIP trunks. He has a 7 meg business Internet connection from the cable company.

We considered the Engenius, but the wife thought they were ugly. Did I mention the handsets had to have a speakerphone. The 4 year old daughter needs a speakerphone to talk to her dad when he is away. I'll look into the Panasonic phones. Although this would be an orphan (only install like it that I will have).

something must be amiss with the notification for messages on the group here. I haven't gotten any notifications that you guys have posted.

The email was down for a couple days. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks for the update Bill, no worries.

Can you run the Polycom Cordless IP phones on this sofware. They seem to have great range and features.

Sounds like one of those jobs that no matter what you do the wife is not going to be happy. And if you do come up with a solution she will think it costs too much. I know you are stuck since you do the husbands office but seems to me you are in a no win situation.

Yeah, right.

I once did a system in a 36000 Sq ft home on the historic register and with an indoor swimming pool. Only Engenius had the range needed with all the plaster lath, etc. So it was a mix of vodavi key phones and Engenius. Their kids loved it because they could take the Engenius downtown (they were up on a hill overlooking the city), but the customer was never entirely happy. I haven't heard from them for a few years now so I suppose they have gone on to try something else by now. If I had it to do all over again, I would probably explore one of the Panasonic solutions. Panasonic was always just a tad more friendler to residential applications.

Well, thanks guys for the suggestions, I will take them to the next job. The husband called and asked that we remove the equipment that we had installed at the house. Apparently she likes the Costco alternative or she contacted someone locally that provided one of your solutions. Anyway, in some ways I feel relieved, I don't have to deal with her when she is 2 hours away. In others I am pissed that we spent all that time getting a working solution and will probably have to eat most of it.

Thanks again

Thanks for reminding me why we should say NO when asked to do residential. You should insist on being paid for your work and materials. Politely inform the customer that this is a commercial system and is not 'returnable' to the manufacturer. Also tell her that Costco does not come out to your house and do custom designs and installs, so they have to pay for your time AS AGREED. A non-paying client is a social acquaintance. Do you give away phone systems and free installation to your buddies? I mean did they invite you to their last dinner party? If not they are not even social acquaintaces. Are you running a business or trying to win a popularity contest?

Bingo!

Ed, let us know what you see installed when you go back to pick up your system...

I have to agree with you and the others, you will be better off not having to deal with this customer..

On the other hand, I am starting to encounter small businesses that request/require a system comprised of ONLY portable phones. I try to persuade them to stick with desk MLT's, but they are adamant that the convenience of a portable is what they want.

The perceived convenience is that they can wander around their office, consult with other workers, talk while looking for something in a file cabinet, or while standing at a table, reading a blueprint.

The trend is caused, I think, by the almost universal use these days of cell phones, when they are out of the office, so they want the same "feel" when they are in the office.

I am with you all, residential is a PIA. The part that gets me is that this woman went out of her way to tell me numerous times that she had a MDA. Yet she did a "Cheap shit Charlie" on us. It may be awhile before I get the stuff back, we have two systems to move and an entire school district to install before the 1st of the year. Why do they always want last minute?? I will report back on what she put in there.

I hear you Arthur. I have an attorney, 3 people all together, in a 600 sq ft office and she insists on a cordless phone. I think you are right about the Cell phone theory. Why don't we invent a deskphone that will pair with a bluetooth headset? I know there are a couple of them out there, but it seems that there might be more interest for it.

Don't forget that you can throw their cordless phones on their LAN and have coverage anywhere they have LAN access along with a full featured PBX of their choice.

Great opportunity to sell them Plantronics CS-55 or CS-70 headsets (with lifters). Better than cordless, AND they can answer whatever line is ringing at their phone. :read:

I tried that with the cordless phones on their LAN, they have 6 wireless access points and it isn't enough coverage. We didn't want anything even in the same wireless spectrum as the WAPs. Also, they have a total home automation setup. Each light has an IP address, he has TWO laptops acting as servers to run the house. It is so messed up, ALL the lights flicker several times a day. The installer of this "Automated House system" was WAY out of his element, so much so he went belly up. His guys have the network cabling laying on the concrete floor in the basement, labeled it with the room name instead of some kind of numbering system. The labels after 6 months are already fading. He put plugs on the wire instead of putting in a Patch Panel. He did this at the Dr's new office as well.
Sorry for the rant, I had to bite my tongue so much in front of them that I have scars. Just not in my nature to bad mouth another guy to his customer.

Ed, that sounds like one of the horror story installs I read about every month in CEPro and Residential Systems. It's just sad.

Sounds like to me that someone wasn't on their "A" game. LOL

"A" game? More like feed the customer a line and give them the f game, and charge them through the nose. When a guy is spending 5 Mil on his house and wants me to wire it, he gets a "professional", commercial install. The way I look at it, someone will see my work for years.

Oh, I hear your pain Ed.
Do your normal professional job/price and let the want-a-b's foam at the mouth.

I would go panasonic tda50g. Multiple cells..good looking Sets..

Actually that big u might want a bigger pana system but the multiple cells are great

Dave we sell quite a few of the CS55 headsets, we like them alot.

Anthony, if I decide to do another residential system I will look into the Panasonic systems. I am reluctant to use the Panasonic name. Gun shy you might say. Many, many years ago I did a Panasonic VA208 system for a Dow Chemical Vice President house. The thing went belly up and that is when they got caught dumping and was banned from selling in the US. Even with his contacts in Japan we couldn't get parts. But it seems from all the posts here they have a solid system. If I have the chance I will give them a second shot

The VA208 was not a good system to work with but I still have some in service over 20 years old. Panasonic makes nice phone system you should not worry about them any more.

Here is an update on this issue. The customer went to CostCo and purchased 3 of the DECT+ 6.0 Panasonic cordless systems. He had me locate the bases in a couple of places and he went from there. That happened 4 weeks ago and I haven't heard from either him or the Mrs. At least I learned on the installation of the AAstra phones

Thanks for all the replies guys. I will remember them for the next time

The DECT Pan phones have great range.
TDA or TDE with linked SLT DECT cordless is the ticket. They have a desk phone and a cordless, only 1 number, hand off is easy and you can get Blue tooth cordless.
You can answer and transfer. You can set up a directory of ext and features in the handset. You can initiate a call. If they have a big area give them the DECT Cell setup.
I have DECT Pan cordless in large grocery stores and they cover from front to back.

They start at $30.00 at Fry's

AT7T has a 4 line system that has repeaters.

https://telephones.att.com/att/inde...hCatalog.productDetail&ProductID=292