[VoiceOps] IP key systems?

[Andy Koch]

On Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 12:29, Jay Hennigan <jay at west.net> wrote:
> We have had good success in both the hosted PBX and on-site IP-PBX
> realms, but still run in to the occasional customer that needs key
> system functionality.
>
> Small retail shops, medical offices, restaurants and the like are
> typical key system users.  They like the capability of putting "Line 3"
> on hold at one phone, walking across the store to check on something,
> and picking up the held call at another extension.  Call park and
> retrieve is a steep learning curve and an inconvenience for these people
> and they don't need a lot of PBX features such as individual DIDs,
> individual voice mail, dial-by-name, and the like.
>
> Is anyone having success in this space?  Ideally we would like something
> on-site that is reasonably inexpensive (meaning not triple what a
> similar analog key system would cost), compatible with Polycom SIP
> phones and would have a similar user look-and-feel to an old-school
> Panasonic 616 or the like.
>
> There was a small box I seem to recall seeing at a trade show but IIRC
> it required proprietary features of Aastra phones and had a relatively
> small limitation as to the number of phones/lines.  Six lines by 16
> phones would probably be more than adequate for our customers.
>
> I realize that we could roll our own with Asterisk or similar but was
> hoping to find an already developed product.
>
> --
> Jay Hennigan - CCIE #7880 - Network Engineering - jay at impulse.net
> Impulse Internet Service  -  http://www.impulse.net/
> Your local telephone and internet company - 805 884-6323 - WB6RDV
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You could try using Shared Line Appearances with all the phones setup
with the line keys ordered the same.  You would need to find a model
phone that has several line appearances or attendant consoles, which
may end up being too expensive, but worth a look into.

We have successfully set this up for our customers served off
BroadWorks and Polycom phones where I work, but most of ours were in
the 3-4 line range.

Regards,
Andy
gawul00+vog at gmail.com
KC9GXN