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Subject: KX-TA824(PK) ANALOG PBX SYSTEM AND BUNDLE DISCONTINUATION

Bulletin Number: Unified Communications-2019-PB-110

Product: Unified Communications

This bulletin is to announce the end of sale of the KX-TA824PK Analog Main Unit and Bundle with (3) KX-T7731-B 1-Line Analog Phones on November 1, 2019.

The FCC recently announced regulations enacted as part of the Kari’s Law & Ray Baum’s Act statutes. We are working to understand any changes needed to the PBX systems to comply with these regulations, including changes to system software or hardware. For example, the new Emergency Alerts features included in the previously announced launch of the KX-NS v8 family IP Communications Server system software upgrade was driven by compliance with these regulations.

Kari’s Law especially requires that any multi-line telephone system installed after February 16, 2020 enables users to dial 911 directly without having to dial a prefix to reach an outside line. We were notified by the FCC in 2016 of this regulation and made changes to all our PBX systems for sale at that time to comply with that regulation, including the TDA, TDE, NCP, NS and NSX series. It did not include the TA824 cabinet as those changes could not be made to that PBX.

Since the TA824 still cannot support the direct-dial 911 regulation, and we are approaching the February 2020 customer-installation deadline, we have made the decision to discontinue the TA824 before the law takes effect.

The discontinuation of the KX-TA824PK Analog Main Unit and Bundle with (3) KX-T7731-B 1-Line Analog Phones affects the sales of the main unit only and NOT the KX-TA824 cards, accessories and KX-T7700 series analog phones. No further orders for KX-TA824PK will be taken after October 31, 2019 or while our supplies last, though orders can be taken from BTS authorized Distributors after that date as long as their supplies last.

In order to comply with these regulations, any new KX-TA824 must be installed at the customer’s site prior to February 16, 2020. Panasonic is not accepting returns of the KX-TA824 after October 31, 2019.

As we evaluate all the regulations in these statutes, we will continue to sell all our other PBX cabinets. At this time, no other products are affected by this discontinuation notice.

Please see the Unified Communications Price Guide for a complete list of all available models.

Well, that stinks. I guess it is just another example of the dumbing down of America. I noticed that they only mention the 824 package, not the KSU itself. I wonder if that was an oversight or that they'll still be available? That's a dynamite little system and I hate to see it go. The price of that package has always been hard to beat.

Maybe Panasonic will drop the cost of the TDA50G back to where it was before.

I've always wondered if the TA824 and it's predecessors were meant for installation by for instance a company which might only deal with intercom equipment for instance, electricians, sound contractors etc? Then the digital line of products is reserved for the "real" telecommunications dealers so to speak? <wink> <wink>

The TA824 is being dropped:

..."Since the TA824 still cannot support the direct-dial 911 regulation, and we are approaching the February 2020 customer-installation deadline, we have made the decision to discontinue the TA824 before the law takes effect." ...

..."The discontinuation of the KX-TA824PK Analog Main Unit and Bundle with (3) KX-T7731-B 1-Line Analog Phones affects the sales of the main unit only and NOT the KX-TA824 cards, accessories and KX-T7700 series analog phones. No further orders for KX-TA824PK will be taken after October 31, 2019 or while our supplies last, though orders can be taken from BTS authorized Distributors after that date as long as their supplies last."

..."In order to comply with these regulations, any new KX-TA824 must be installed at the customer’s site prior to February 16, 2020. Panasonic is not accepting returns of the KX-TA824 after October 31, 2019."

Seems that the KX-NS700 has many more features built in compared to the TDA50G, (more bang for the buck)

The $600.00 online class fee has been difficult to cough up. I see the Panasonic Portal has been revamped again, making it a difficult to navigate, ugh. lol However some of the pricing may have changed.

My business still isn't like it was prior to 2008. When dealing with some health issues for myself as well as other family members it can slow you down.

The TA-824 bundle wasn't exactly the deal it seemed. You got the 308 box for a good price, but paid dearly for the expansion modules. My vendor is still sitting on 140+ of them so it might take awhile for the stock to be truly gone. For the sake of an argument, you can pick up Panasonic phones for a song on the internet, and the TAW-824 or the TDA-50 both perform fairly well with all the bells and whistles for about the same money.

I have been semi-seriously dabbling in IP phone systems for the last 2 years. I can get better phones, a basic box, and an upgrade path for about the same money. Both the Grandstream UCM-6204 or the Yeastar S-series gets me entry into the market and the inventory can reuse the materiel for a larger system. I kicked and screamed when I was dragged into that marketplace, but ya gotta admit, the phones have more sizzle (my fav being the GXP-2160 and the T-29) than an analog KXT-7736/37.

Retrofitting or recabling, not so much, but it's still not a bad choice for new installations.

Lucky for me, I'm still holding a couple of 824's, 848's, and about 10 phones. The annoying thing about the FCC decision is that not many smart people would consider an 824 for a single line application and, wait, there's a pickup dial feature for sl sets. But, with auto line select, a multi=line phone could be made to grab an outside line on pickup and now 911 isn't an issue. I'm wondering if I should dump my last TD-1232's?

Carl