Need PBX - Any Suggestions?

[Michael David]

Hi Folks!

I'm looking for a PBX system, and I was hoping y'all might have some suggestions. I was interested in the Panasonic KXTD-816, but it looks like it has been discontinued.

I need 16 extensions, two of which need to be cordless - and the cordless phones need to work well doggonit. I am tired of poor quality cordless conversations!

I need some single-line device support, maybe 4 ports.

I'd like some HS integration - especially caller ID recognition. I know I can do that with with hardware external to the PBX, but it would be nice if it were integrated. One of the things I'd like to do is to prevent the phones ringing in the house when a known telemarketer calls - and have HS simply answer and hang up the phone on those calls without us ever knowing it.

I'd like it to have door phone support - and it would be way cool if I could hit a button on the phone to unlock the door/gate/whatever.

Finally, I need to use the system as an intercom.

Any suggestions?

[Michael David]

No suggestions on this eh?

Are many of you not using PBX systems? Maybe it's a bit overkill....

[AutomatedOutlet]

Are you looking for a traditional wired system or an IP based system?

[jgary]

I have a Panasonic 824 installed at my Mom's and works with HS. There are limitations since HS can not transfer a call etc with the limitations of the Way-to-Call modem. I have HS as an extension so after so many rings it goes to voice mail, I use the NetCallerID with HS. The Way-to-Call Modem does not work like a PBX with a voice mail system.

At my home I have a Panasonic 1232 with a TVS-50 voice mail system. I have not yet converted ECS over to HS. I will some day but can't beat the voicemail system as it has many features that HS Phone does not have. (e.g. have an extension transfer to an outside line, call your cell with a voice message, make pre-programmed outgoing calls, menus, night with no rings but emergency option at night etc). I will have HS as an extension someday, but use my cell phone to control HS at my Mom's rather than calling land line into the system.

I like Panasonic PBX systems I really have not experience with any other PBX systems. I have purchased my systems from http://www.ablecomm.com I know a few HomeSeer users who have Panasonic PBX systems.

cheers

[Michael David]

Wired. Although I think an IP-based solution would be very cool as a method of connecting the extensions to the PBX system -- which would still connect to the phone lines (I have no interest in VoIP). I've never seen such a solution, though. I'd very interested if one did exist.

Are you looking for a traditional wired system or an IP based system?

[eufreka]

Wired. Although I think an IP-based solution would be very cool as a method of connecting the extensions to the PBX system -- which would still connect to the phone lines (I have no interest in VoIP). I've never seen such a solution, though. I'd very interested if one did exist.

ahem, Asterisk is such a PC-based IP PBX. It can connect hard and soft digital IP phones and/or analog handsets to the both the "traditional" analog phone network or a digital voip provider (at the same time)--it just depends which type(s) of cards and/or adapters you use.

For your purposes, you would use an analog FXS/FXO board(s) to connect phone line(s) to handset(s) through a PC-based PBX...but I think if you really try it, you will find you like it.

My wife has no idea that I actually switched all our outgoing calls over to voip 6-weeks ago. Sure I still have my analog line, but I also have voip.

asterisk and digium are the places to start...

[Michael David]

ahem, Asterisk is such a PC-based IP PBX.....
....asterisk and digium are the places to start...

I just wanted to circle back and say thanks for the reply. I need to table this subject until I have a little more bandwidth to research it a bit. I am intrigued by the thought of IP phones in the house, connecting via LAN to our PBX - which is connected to PSTN lines.

Thanks for the info...

[eufreka]

Your welcome! Just as an aside, I use asterisk at home, and have a mix of analog wireless and ip-phones (Grandstream 2000s)...I route all our outgoing calls via voip, but have a hardline (analog pstn) for 911 (and fallback when voip fails).

[chadg]

DLink will soon be selling a phone system based on Microsoft Response Point. It is a small business PBX. It uses VoIP for the extentions and can connect to regular analog lines.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=647

There are two other companines that are OEMing them. Just do a search for Response Point and you will find them.

[eufreka]

DLink will soon be selling a phone system based on Microsoft Response Point. It is a small business PBX. It uses VoIP for the extentions and can connect to regular analog lines.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=647

There are two other companines that are OEMing them. Just do a search for Response Point and you will find them.

ahem, it looks like that might start at $2,500 with 5 phones, and additional phones are $139? (See Slide #6)

Asterisk is free in many flavors, and I paid approximately $50 to $60 each for my Grandstream GXP-2000 handsets by gradually picking them off ebay over a couple of months.

Here are a couple of "deeper" links than I provided earlier: Trixbox and Nerdvittles

[chadg]

I didn't see 'inexpensive' as a requirement. Of course there is a wireless requirement which the DLink system would not meet at this time. Free is also relitive, you need to still have a computer, analog interface device and of course all the time it takes to set it up.

Or you can buy a solution and it it plug and play......

[Michael David]

Hey - that DLink system also looks interesting, but the cordless phone for the wonderful wife is not an option; she's gotta have it.

There is a new wrinkle as well. We need whole house paging and station-to-station intercom. I think this requirement eliminates both systems, yes?

[eufreka]

Hey - that DLink system also looks interesting, but the cordless phone for the wonderful wife is not an option; she's gotta have it.

There is a new wrinkle as well. We need whole house paging and station-to-station intercom. I think this requirement eliminates both systems, yes?

Neither requirement is a problem with asterisk and the right equipment...

[chadg]

I'm pretty sure the Dlink will do paging, but not sure. I know that there is a way to pipe music to it. As for phone to phone, that should be no problem, you can assign different extentions to them so you just call the extention.

Wireless will be a problem, for now at least....