MYERSTON@KL.SRI.COM (HECTOR MYERSTON) (10/19/87)
NOTE: Possible dupe, SIMTEL20 address bombed.
This is a purely unscientific, anectodal answer to the recent
query about the the current state-of-the-art/market in small telephone
Key Systems.
Key systems continue to get smarter and cheaper. Today they
provide most of the functionalities of the late, lamented,
electromechanical 1A2 systems with their user-friendly, intuitive
buttons and lights as well as many PBX features. (There was, until
recently, a distinction between Key Systems and so-called Hybrids which
is rapidly vanishing).
At the low end, as in the "home" application there are three
basic choices:
(1) Multi-line sets which act as a "KSU-less" System.
(2) True KSUs which require special sets
(3) True KSUs which accept ANY standard set.
Basically, a Key system takes X outside phone lines (CO lines,
Main Lines, 1MBs) and distributes then among Y inside lines (Stations,
Extensions). The old 1A2s distributed 5 "outside" lines amongst 5
"inside" lines, this limitation soon dissappeared and today as many as
40 or more "outside" and 100+ "inside" are common. (The "hybrid" issue
was largely a fiction caused by the higher rates charged by some
Telephone Companies for PBX trunks vs Key System lines). Key sets are
usually modular and the model number descriptive of their capacity (XY
for inside/outside).
So-called "KSU-less" which require no central control (the
functions are contained in the sets) and "Plain-set" systems are
beginning to appear. The more traditional Key Systems require both a
KSU and propriatary sets. Prices range from the high-end, full service
outfits like AT&T (Merlin) at about $5K for an 8X16 in NYC to less than
$1K for do-it-yourselfs or used gear.
I recently installed a "Do-it-yourself" for a friend. Here,
without endorsement,is what I found:
The system was a Panasonic KX-T616 (there is a newer KX-T61610
which is similar). Physically it looks like a home alarm sysstem, a
flat, wall mounted box roughly 5"X14"X17". It uses standard sets, tone
or pulse. Inside the cover are RJ-11 connections for the CO lines
(up to 6) and the extensions (up to 16). If you open the Box, mount
it, plug the phones in and the line cord to AC, you are in Business.
Using an ordinary set from one station lets you program it but
everything has a logical default setting if you are lazy or
techno-phobic.
As is, you get: Auto-line Hunt, Hold, Call Back, Call Waiting,
Call Splitting, Music-on-Hold, Intercom, Re-dial, Speed Call, Power
Failure Transfer etc etc. Options include External Music, Battery
backup, Busy Lamp Fields, SMDR, Paging etc etc.
Cost: Less than $600 from a parts house in LA. Installation
time: 1 hour quick-and-dirty (line cords), 4 hours Bell standards (Punch
downs, station wire etc.
Catches: Only specialized stores carry Key Systems and seldom
sell to the Public, the best and most reliable, Toshiba's Strata Series
are sold through distributors who want to sell you installation and
maintenance as a package.
+HECTOR+
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