This post will probably be longer than it needs to be, sorry..

My company has asked me to source a new phone system for them, and while I spent several years in telecom years back, it's been a while and I could use some advice. I appreciate any help that is offered.

The office is a small one, with 1 receptionist station and 4 desk stations. Currently we are using a pretty basic AT&T set of phones with a wired receptionist station feeding 4 cordless ones. Pretty minimal features and several problems. The biggest issues are no music on hold and since they are all just extensions, current calls can and do get interrupted by new outgoing call attempts from other stations.

This is what we are looking for:

- 2+ lines (just 2 lines now, but growth is good)
- 5 stations, including receptionist
- Music on hold input (not some vendor pre-selected list of music)
- Corded stations
- No more crossing lines - when I am on line 1, no one else should be able to select that line for a new call.
- Auto attendant (Optional)
- Voice mail for each user (optional).

The corded solution means I will be putting in new drop, so at that point it doesn't matter to me whether it's cat 5e or rj45. We WILL NOT be using a VoIP solution. I'm looking at the AT&T SYN248, which seems to have most of what I'm looking for at a fairly reasonable price. Is it a turd? Is there a better option?

I am a computer and small network tech, with some telco experience, so I'm not afraid of doing this myself. And, since we are in a pretty rural area, with zero installers within 2 hours, that is what will be happening. Again, I appreciate any advice and sorry for the verbose post.

The AT&T system you mention is indeed a turd.

Check what vendors are in your area and have them give you quotes and then make your selection based on the vendor first and system second.

Your needs are very basic and any system you buy will exceed them.

Avaya Partner.

Partner would be a good system .... just beware that it is not a current offering.

I should point out that I don't have any professional certifications and that I'm a collector. Frankly, if you can set up and confidently use a smartphone, you are qualified to program a Partner system.

The Partner ACS would be a good choice with the understanding that any hardware purchased will be used/refurbished. Prices have stabilized after a period of eye popping spikes.

While the system is...relatively easy to figure out...it is highly recommended that you download a copy of the "Installation, Programming and Use Guide" and familiarize with how the system is programmed.

^and Paul hit on another reason why I highly recommend the Partner.

Availability of documentation.

Avaya Support is excellent, and their website, https://support.avaya.com/ is a great resource that allows you to freely search and download technical, installation, and specification manuals and even end user guides for pretty much everything they make.

The TransTel Lynx Would work well for you but you would need to add expander card to have the 5th digital station. There is also the Lynx II which handles 8 digital phones but no analog ports.

Wow! You all have been more than helpful. Thanks! Our owner has a thing against used and/or refurbished hardware, so the Partner is out - though I do have experience with it and like it myself. I'm liking the looks of the Transtel Lynx II. I'm still doing my due diligence and research, but does anyone know about how this system is to install and maintain?

Take a look at the ESI 50 Light. It's relatively inexpensive and very easy to use. It has built-in voice mail with auto attendant, dial-by-name directory, mailboxes for all users etc... The 30d phones are the least expensive, but I would consider getting the 48-key phones. We put these in, train the client, give them a user cheat sheet and an admin cheat sheet and they never call us with questions on how to use the system.

After re-reading the original post, just a couple of side notes...

There are adapters available that can allow you to add MOH to non-central controlled telephones.

The at&t SYN248 is a hybrid that can utilize VoIP and POTS.

Since 2000, consumer and small business telephone equipment sporting the at&t logo has been produced by VTech.

For ease of use and self installation, if you want, I'd look into the XBlue X16. Has everything you're looking for.

Personally I'd still get it professionally installed, but self install is an option. Very user friendly little system.

I've seen that system, but I was worried about the quality. It LOOKS like its made from legos. But looks can be deceiving. Is this a decent system?

I've got several in and working for years, did have one KSU get hit by lightning, even with the protection on it, it blew. Not much you can do about that. There's a couple others on the board who've put them in also. I'm just up front with the customers about the limitations of the system, but in my opinion it's a good small business system.

Ok. It goes back on the list. Thanks!

The closest vendor I could find was over 4 hours away, and he wasn't too enthusiastic about helping me out given that he clearly wasn't going to make that drive and get the install job. Not saying there aren't others closer, but if they are out there, even he was unaware of them.

I am down to the XBlue X16 and the Transtel Lynx II. Both will do more than I need. On an aesthetic level, the Transtel simply looks more professional, but beyond that, both seem to be about equal.

If anyone has any just reason or cause why these two should not be installed, speak now or forever hold your peace.

XBlueNetworks.com has some how-to videos if you need to install it yourself.

I service digital systems out there that are 15-20 years old. They work, customers like them and for many small customers does the trick. Also, many of the digital/hybrid systems nowadays have the same features of a voip system (ie: SIP trunking, email notification) True, there are applications for voip out there, but its not the only game in town.

I would consider X-Blue's X-50 system which is just about everything you could need in a small phone system investment. Yes, it is a VoIP system, but it is amazingly simple to purchase and install. As long as you keep it simple, you should be OK with doing it yourself.

It does work with SIP trunking as well, so at least the investment will be protected in the even that your company ever decides to walk down that road.