This got longer than I thought....oh well. Couple of comments since I'm a Norstar fan.
First, I will admit that the Norstar is stuck. No new real features. I agree I would like to have multiple page ports, multiple MOH/BGM sources, and many other nice features. I think all of their R&D is going into the BCM, but I haven't played with one yet. However, I don't agree with the BLF/DSS limitation. Any phone from the 7208 (8-button) to the 7324 can have DSS/BLF buttons. Any of the buttons (except lines, intercom, handsfree, answer DN's, and hunt group buttons) can be programmed as an external autodial, DSS, or feature code. Any feature can be accessed by dialing the appropriate feature code anyway. It doesn't have to be a button (including transfer). I guess you didn't know about the 7310 BLF attachment? It's about $100 and snaps on the top of a 7310 for a 24 position BLF. The display matches the 12 DSS buttons above the display. Of course you can also add up to 3 DSS/BLF modules to the 7324 if you have a lot of extensions too. Regarding space, I too wish that the Norstar was designed as a card/cabinet system instead of the individual modules, as you noted, mostly for cable, power, and space convenience. You are definitely right about that. One other point, the Norstar can never reach 500 ports either--it only reaches about half of that. A 500 port system would compare better with an Option 11. Now I doubt the 500 can win against that except in price. Unfortunately I haven't inherited a 500 yet (but I will :-) ), so I can't compare featurewise between the 500 and the Norstar. Re: the Definity. Take just one look at the maintenance pricetag (not to mention buying the system in the first place), and you will RUN away. Avaya maintenance prices roughly equal repurchasing the switch every 4 to 5 years! Did you know that when you "buy" a Definity, you only buy the hardware? You only buy a non-transferable license to use the software. So, if you want to sell your Definity, you can't sell a working system legally. You can only sell the hardware. And guess what happens if you cancel your maintenance contract. They disable maintenance permissions that you may have had under your login! And they make a login for the client to allow him to only make changes that he has taken a class on (more big money). Now THAT (any Avaya product really) is a switch you should RUN from...quickly. Believe it or not, I still occasionally run into clients that are still paying maintenance on Merlins. The Merlin 410 with 8 phones is about $80 per month! At that price, I can replace the ENTIRE SYSTEM with used equipment about every 4 months! Including my labor! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Karaman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 7:31 PM Subject: KX-T: Which System? | Well, time for my two cents. | | Run away from a 500?? To what?? I've been selling Pana digital since the | beginning in '94. I've never NEVER had a customer of mine take a Pana | system out to put something else in. They are reliable and very cost | competitive and I give them good customer service and support. In my market | my main competition is the LEC, Sprint, selling the Norstar. Norstar is a | solid system but their phones are not user friendly. A DSS/BLF button is | only avail on the top of the line phone (7324) and then it's not a full 24 | buttons - program an intercom, handsfree, redial, flash, speed dial, voice | call (auto answer) and forward/DND button - that's 17 buttons left for LCD | indication of DSS/BLF stations. Display and keypad is a lot smaller on the | Norstar. Unless the customer specifies the Norstar, I sell the TD always. | I can also service and program the Norstar form the simple 308 to the MICS | with a PRI card, I know what I am talking about. | | Let's talk about space. I installed a MICS with one 0X16 Trunk Module and 4 | Analog Modules, specified for a school bid. That thing took up every bit of | four feet of wall space and even more for future expansion. 6 power cords | too! Compare that to a 500, about 18" of space with lots of expansion. | Norstar analog modules are 8 ports and take one 25 pair AMP cable, sound | familiar? Even the big boys are not that efficient, consistency of the | install makes it easier for the installer. Let's not forget that Norstar | only has one page port and one MOH port per system, Pana 2 EACH!!!! | [snip for space] | | Michael Karaman | President | The Phone Network, Inc. | 894-B Elm Street | Fayetteville, NC 28303 _________________________________________________________________ KX-T Mailing list --- http://kxthelp.com/ Subscription changes: http://kxthelp.com/mailman/listinfo/kxt
