Jeff.Scheer@f2.n285.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Scheer) (11/04/90)
I own a very small answering service in Council Bluffs IA. I am not sure what type of ESS office I am served by. I have a few questions: 1) The local Telco here buried a 100 pr cable to the demarc outside my back door. I was told that the telco heated 25 pr. I currently run 1 DID w/100 bank of numbers and am considering adding a 2nd trunk. Does anyone know if CLID could be used to identify the last 3 or 4 numbers in my DID hundreds group. Since people CF to me, I just need a "read-out" of the last 3 or 4 digits that was call forwarded to. 2) After reading about a voice mail upgrade in PC Mag, I am considering putting in Voice mail as an added extra. I currently have a 555 cord board to answer the DID's and my business lines along with my home number. I run ext's. off the 555 for a repair business that my cousin has in my garage. He is a tow truck owner/operator, and I dispatch his calls for him. Is there anyway to make a 555 board have "patch" capabilities? The Answering Service I worked for in SF through Pac*Bell was serviced with 555's (8) in a row. I was chief operator. 3) Would it make sense to "upgrade" to a "Merlin system" and could the Merlin handle a DID install? 4) Any help or schematics regarding the 555 would be of great help, since I am in a wheelchair full time and only run the answering service from 6 am - 8 pm M-Sat. 5) Also, does anyone know where I could pick up a 48 VDC power unit for a 555 Type PBX? I discovered upon battery power up, ( 2 24 v. truck batteries ) that all lights and supervisory signals work. 6) Is it possible to change out a rotary dial for a TT/ to fit the 555? 7) And do I need punch down blocks after the demarc to feed the board? 8) I am having trouble finding a schematic for the 555. Would US West or any BOC be able to send me one? I bought the board at an auction, where it was hooked up and still in operation until the day of the auction. When I bought the board, a Telco Employee just took the back of the board off and cut the feeder cable to it. The 555 has a terminal block made of wood and soldered cables from each Trunk drop (I have five trunks available to me). If anyone could help me with this, I would be truly indebted to you all, as I am in a wheelchair, and can't afford a electronic key set to use as my main answering points. Also is it possible to take four of the "extensions" and turn them into a "Patch" where I can call a client, and extend the call to them, without having to tie up more trunks? I could use Centron/Preimer service, but here it could cost a small fortune. Can CLID be used to identify a Inbound only DID? As the Telco will outpulse the last three or four digits of my Inbound DID, I figure that CLID would be useful for that function, if it will do that. Any ideas? Please respond ASAP, as I am also using my PC for Voice mail with transfer capabilities for the "human" touch. Thank You, Jeff Scheer, Central Telephone Answering Service & Word Processing 3422 9th Ave. Council Bluffs, IA 51501-5628 Voice/Modem: 712-325-8701/ 712-325-0443 The .COMmand Center (1:285/23) --- Through FidoNet gateway node 1:16/390 Jeff.Scheer@f2.n285.z1.fidonet.org