atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information No system exists which meets these requirments???

I noticed that there are plenty of suggestions here, since it appears that the list of features "looks" pretty simple. This feature list is a bit more complicated than it appears. Read a little deeper........Read it two or three times like I have done. Then the original post doesn't seem so easily resolved.

"The system must use single-line analog sets".

This means that upon going off-hook using a Scooby-Doo phone, CO dial tone is received.

The request is that some digit can be dialed to disconnect the station from the CO line and connect the station to intercom dial tone. Note that the word "digit" is used, not flash key, hold button or speed dial key.

Everybody here has their favorite brand of systems to sell. Upon reading the initial post, it's not to much of a list, so your favorite system will fit the bill. Key phrase: Single Line Telephone. That's where it gets complicated.

I know that this type of thing can be accomplished using a bunch of relays, Viking devices, some 1A2 cards and complicated wiring, but if there is a system out there that REALLY addresses this laundry list, I will be impressed.

A good knowledgeable tech can figure out a way to get almost anything to work and as posted, there are a lot of people in that category. HOWEVER, in my opinion you are walking a line that could end up with a very unhappy customer and a bad reputation for you.

Remember you are the expert and you need to educate your customer on the advantages and disadvantages of what they want. An unhappy customer is going to tell 10 people a happy one will tell two. Be careful.

Oy Vey! A wish list is a wish list. A requirement is a requirement.

There are many systems that will satify the needs of this person. This is a small sale that will generate small profit.

A sale this small does not equate to jumping through hoops, but rather a small scale install. When you want to buy something this small, you are either flexible or not a customer.

I'm with connextions1 on this one.

Instead trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, re-educate the client. They will thank you in the end for being a professional.

You have hit the nail on the head. In my perfect world, I would love to be able to press # or *, rather than the flash hook, to disconnect from the CO line and go to internal dialing and/or features. But there seems to be no such system, at least off the rack without getting into exotic customization.

While I certainly appreciate all the suggestions and help, as the "customer" in this thread, I'm kind of surprised by some of the attitudes that have been expressed. I think it is important to listen carefully to what the customer wants (as ev607797 obviously did) and work towards a solution which addresses the maximum number of those needs as possible. Obviously all needs may not be able to be met, but that doesn't mean the customer was wrong.

Get 2 line analog telephones. Make line 1 get CO dial tone and line 2 get system dial tone when you go off hook.

I guess I am wondering why you would be so adamant about using the S/L phones, as that is where the trouble arises. You could easily do this with limited-function system phones like the Partner 6 button. Most manufacturers have a similar "limited function" phone for use in break rooms, etc...
As soon as you remove the S/L phone requirement, almost any system can do it.
With S/L phones, you will be forever punching in feature codes.

This is a upscale residential application, where aesthetics is the most important consideration. A business-look phone would be unacceptable, as would having to tell guests to "dial 9."

The idea is a sophisticated phone system but which is invisible to the user. This seems to be a pretty untapped market.

This issue is this.
If the sets are programmed to auto-CO select when they go off hook, then any digit dialed is going out over the CO.
Especially in a residential application, why would you want to have to type in feature codes every time you wanted to place a call on hold or transfer it? I would think that you would want to make things more simple for the user, not more complicated. Do you want to have to memorize and type in codes and extension numbers all the time?
There are some very nice looking system phones out there. I bet with some shopping around, you would be able to find something that is aesthetically pleasing while still having the functionality to allow easy use, such as "press the button marked 'outside line' to make a call", and "press the button marked 'kitchen' to call the kitchen." That strikes me as a lot easier than "dial *819 for the kitchen".
Just my thoughts.

I understand everything that you are getting at here. Now, I find it kind of odd that you mention that it is an "upscale residential application" and do not want to think about a phone system with digital sets. The facts are that most truly upscale residential applications (IE: large houses and mini resorts) have true phone systems. Some manufacturers make systems specially for large houses, these include (but are not limited to) Vodavi and Panasonic.

Just go into a large home or watch TV and you will see it. Hulk Hogan has a Panasonic system (and a Vodavi before if I remember correctly), and on multiple other programs you will see these phones. I have several customers with large houses, two have Panasonic systems, two have Norstar systems, and several more have Comdial systems.

I understand that it might be trouble to have to dial 9, and you do not have to on most systems with digital phones, you can program them the way that you would like. However, they really should be proprietary phones to do what you would like. Though, it is worth remembering that many people are actually very used to dialing 9 when making an outside call. They have been made used to it by hotels, businesses and resorts of all sizes.

I know that a "business look phone" is not what you are looking for; but consider the following. I recently took a cruise on Carnival cruises, they had Siemens phones in every room, even the most expensive suites. Now, I sell Siemens phones so I liked that. It is worth noting that the Siemens "Entry" phone is a small phone that is not inherently business like, this is the phone that they provided in the rooms. Look at all the models of phones available for a system, some like the Siemens entry phone, or the Avaya 6 button partner phone are not a true business application phone, they are ment for common areas, not the desk.

I get your idea of an "invisible system" but to be frank most people willing to spend the money that a phone system (a true phone system) costs are very happy to get digital phones with all of the bells and whistles that come with them. It is just not possible to program a SL phone to do most digital applications, you can with long codes, but people do not like codes for the most part.

Steve