bzs@bu-cs.bu.edu (Barry Shein) (07/15/89)
1) Our building ran out of capacity so New England TelCo told us that they will be running a "CM8" which provides a multiplexed line service. Any caveats regarding this, particularly with using data modems? 2) New England TelCo called me and offered a new service called "Intellidial" which claims to offer all the services of a Merlin or similar key system onto your regular phone lines from the central office. Since I'm about to move into new office space and I'm looking for a key or hybrid anyhow (suggestions very welcome!) I bit. It can be ordered on a month by month basis and would only cost me about $50 to try for one month in this location so what the heck. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this service, particularly things we should try or ask about before committing to it rather than a key/hybrid system. -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die, Purveyors to the Trade 1330 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02146, (617) 739-0202 Internet: bzs@skuld.std.com UUCP: encore!xylogics!skuld!bzs or uunet!skuld!bzs [Moderator's Note: In reference to your question (2) above, here in Chicago this is called "Starline", and I've had it on my phones for a couple years with good results. In addition to intercom service between phones, Starline (or Intellidial as you called it) offers the ability to pick up any ringing phone from any other location; transfer of calls between phones; distinctive ring for intercom versus incoming calls from outside, and more. I'd take it anyday over more conventional PBX equipment. Cheaper, too. PT]
jsol@bu-it.bu.edu (07/16/89)
Barry: Intelledial is just like Centrex, only more expensive (but not more expensive than the BU centrex :-). Intelledial lets you have between 2 and 6 lines in your home or office, and connect them together like centrex. You can transfer between the lines and have busy-call-forwarding and call-forwarding-no-answer and other features. Merlin costs more up front, but gives you more control over your services. If you want to just try something and see how it works, use intelledial. If you are sure you want a key system, go with merlin. These days, costs for phone services are fairly equal no matter what you buy. --jsol
morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) (07/16/89)
(Barry Shein) writes: > >1) Our building ran out of capacity so New England TelCo told us that >they will be running a "CM8" which provides a multiplexed line >service. Any caveats regarding this, particularly with using data >modems? YES. DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO KEEP YOUR MODEM CIRCUITS, ESPECIALLY ANYTHING FASTER THAN 1200 BAUD OFF THE DAMMED BOX !!!!! I installed customer premise stuff for 5 years, and still take care of several clients that have unique requirements/systems/just plain want me doing their work. One gentleman had a similar situation, and his data throughput went to hell. We ended up giving his data circuits preferential treatment- copper to the CO, and his incoming voice circuits took the copper that was left, and the carrier circuits got the outgoing voice. Oh well. If you can, force the telco to run additional pairs in from the street, if the shortage is in the cable from the manhole to your service entrance. This assumes that there are pairs in the manhole... If not, you're in deep manure if you ever run out of copper for data... Note that all of this is based on one installation datum, which makes for rotten statistical analysis. Your milage may vary... >2) New England TelCo called me and offered a new service called >"Intellidial" which claims to offer all the services of a Merlin or >similar key system onto your regular phone lines from the central >office. Since I'm about to move into new office space and I'm looking >for a key or hybrid anyhow (suggestions very welcome!) I bit. > >It can be ordered on a month by month basis and would only cost me >about $50 to try for one month in this location so what the heck. I >was just wondering if anyone has any experience with this service, >particularly things we should try or ask about before committing to it >rather than a key/hybrid system. Sounds like Centrex services in residential clothing (definition: pay Ma Bell now, pay Ma later. and later. and later.). I'd bite the bullet, and put in my own key system. Some of the stuff these days have everything you'll ever want - including SMDR, in a 6 by 16, or smaller! Find and read a copy of Teleconnect's periodic EKS summary issue. >[Moderator's Note: In reference to your question (2) above, here in Chicago >this is called "Starline", and I've had it on my phones for a couple years >with good results. In addition to intercom service between phones, Starline >(or Intellidial as you called it) offers the ability to pick up any ringing >phone from any other location; transfer of calls between phones; distinctive >ring for intercom versus incoming calls from outside, and more. I'd take >it anyday over more conventional PBX equipment. Cheaper, too. PT] Cheaper? Maybe the initial cost, but what do you spend during the time you stay at that location? And what do you have when you leave? I'd rather buy something... I picked up a second hand Comdial 6 by 16 EKS for $100, including 4 phones. And 1A2 key is damn near free (6 584 shelves, including power supplies, 4 620 panels, including power supplies, 6 KC19s 3 KC10s and a KC37, and 30-35 phones, a mix of 5, 9 and 19 line phones, about half with PC-4 speakerphones and one 5 line touch- a-matic with PC4, all for $300. That's 10 complete 1A2 systems, including all the station wire (25 & 50 pair) we could remove.. We reconditioned all the equipment (16 man-hours) and later sold 6 of them for $300-$700 each. US Snail: Mike Morris UUCP: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov P.O. Box 1130 Also: WA6ILQ Arcadia, Ca. 91006-1130 #Include disclaimer.standard | The opinions above probably do not even
bzs@bu-cs.bu.edu (Barry Shein) (07/18/89)
From: morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) >(Barry Shein) writes: >> >>1) Our building ran out of capacity so New England TelCo told us that >>they will be running a "CM8" which provides a multiplexed line >>service. Any caveats regarding this, particularly with using data >>modems? > >YES. DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO KEEP YOUR MODEM CIRCUITS, ESPECIALLY >ANYTHING FASTER THAN 1200 BAUD OFF THE DAMMED BOX !!!!! Ok, the story takes a new twist... Now they've changed their mind (they == N.E. TelCo) and are scheduling upping the capacity of the building to 600 pairs of copper. Unfortunately this will take two months or so and they say they're flat out of capacity until then. It seems to me that at this point it might be worth trying to get them to put something else in, something a little more modern that won't require digging up the streets and taking so much time like... (I dunno, we're only about 800 feet from the central office.) Suggestions and ammunition welcome, I get the feeling that a good suggestion here will save both parties a lot of trouble (the building tenants and TelCo.) The building is an office building with four floors, several retail on the first and a few dozen business on the others. We currently have about 150 lines going into the building and they're all used up with people screaming for more. -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die, Purveyors to the Trade 1330 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02146, (617) 739-0202 Internet: bzs@skuld.std.com UUCP: encore!xylogics!skuld!bzs or uunet!skuld!bzs