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Internal phone system woes, need advice

GW
GW Member Posts: 4,795
Hello, I have a small company, yet we have 8 phones. Our system is an

ESI, we bought it about 6 years ago. Over the last year it's been giving

us grief. The other day the main board dropped out and the vendor

installed a temporary unit. The cost to replace is $3100. Back when the

bought the system we only had 4 phones but the total back then was

$3100...now they just need to change out the board and it's the same

cost!?







I would like to discuss options with other phone providers (hey- I

am sounding like our customers! I just want the information). It seems

like ESI doesn't list the local vendors on their web site, but rather I

need to fill out the online form with my contact info.





Does anyone have any ideas, or has anyone made any changes that I could learn from? Thanks so much, Gary
Gary Wilson
Wilson Services, Inc
Northampton, MA
gary@wilsonph.com

Comments

  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    phone system alternatives

    we have had good luck with panasonic 4-line cordless phones. cordless technology is so much better now. it comes in 2-line, and 4-line flavors. you can set it up yourself, and you can transfer directories from base to any handset. the base looks like a regular telephone, but is battery protected.

    equally important is the message recording time-45 min. i think.--nbc
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,095
    edited March 2011
    We have

    Panasonic cordless phones, too, in this place.  They work fine (almost as well as the one remaining genuine AT&T (the old AT&T) dial phone which we also still have... for historic reasons).We have the single line version, but there are two lines coming in -- one is forwarded to the other.  You can call out on either one, but either one rings the same 'phones inside.  Which is fine if you only need to have one conversation at a time.  Otherwise, not so good.

    They do have internal intercom and transfer, though/
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,795
    multi line

    Thanks for the replies. I need to have up to 4 lines live at the same time, as in 4 different customers calling the same inbound phone number. Will this system work?
    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,795
    edited March 2011
    ignore

    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    panasonic cordless phones

    you may have to look online for the 4-line model, but i am sure you will be very happy with cordless.--nbc
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,357
    If you want hard wired

    I have a friend in West Springfield that runs Perfect Sound. He does all sorts of low voltage wiring systems. Message me and I can send you his contact information. He is also looking for a company to do some installations for him in the pioneer valley for appliances. He needs a large shop for this type of work.
    Cost is what you spend , value is what you get.

    cell # 413-841-6726
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating
This discussion has been closed.