Taxi Driver Online

Can anyone give me a few pointers as to installing a new phone system?

The system I have now is extremely basic and is still the same as when I took over a existing taxi office. The system is basically two seperate phone lines leading to two basic phones, when someone rings one phone line it is engaged, simple and very basic.

I would like to add a third line with an easy to remember phone number and what I want is a system where I have three phones in the office and any phone can answer any call from any phone number, switchboard system I think its called.

Can anyone tell me the best and of course the least expensive way to get a switchboard system and has anyone got any ideas of cost? I am also having problems with one phone line so am going to replace the phone, but I want the phone to be compatible with a switchboard system even if I dont have that system in place now as it will save money in the future. Can anyone tell me the best phones to go for etc?

One final thing I would like call recognition on all the phones, I take it thats pretty standard now?

Thanks for any advice.

during my researching equipment for a proposed merger/office revamp (as of now still in balance) for our toa, I checked ot the BT BCM50. The installation was in the region of £2850 *VAT for 4 lines, with approx £320 per quarter line rental. An analogue line was also required for broadband. I reckon given what you posted, the above will probably be more than sufficient. One advantage is any updates are software, not hardware so no other upheaval at the office.

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My heart is heavy, but my consience clear,
I voted Yes, without any fear.

Crikey thats alot more than I anticipated! Afraid my budget does not at the moment stretch that far as I am struggling to recruit drivers!

Was looking for a system around £500 excluding phones if such a system exists or am I living in cloud cuckoo land!

The cheapest way is set up divert if busy,or engaged, its works on the same principle as your mobile

Have you had a look at the Versatility system from BT. It's a good hard working system which will never let you down.

Have you tried this company? http://www.thetelecomshop.co.uk/index.p ... cat=System Packages&overwrite=1

I have had a look at the versatility system from BT which is £299 ex vat.

I checked out 'thetelecomshop.co.uk' and they have the the BT Versatility CCU Control Unit refurbished selling for £40.

Can this system work as I want and is it easy to set up or would I need to get a BT engineer out to fit correctly and would I need to contact BT to say that I have the system?

Basically, I have two phone numbers and a phone connected to each line and all I want is to have both phone lines connected to a unit so that any phone can answer any call from any line and when both phones are busy instead of the engaged tone the customer hears the phone ringing and each phone in the office shows that a call is waiting!

Can this system do that and is it worth buying refurbished?

Thanks for all the info guys.

Try this system:

http://www.businessdirect.bt.com/articl ... -6412.html

more info here:

http://www.businessdirect.bt.com/produc ... -434k.html

It gives you a proffesional system for upto 3 lines.

2 lines are VOIP which saves you money too.

Also, get on the BT one plan, which gives you free diverts between the lines which does exactly the same as the BT versetality for a lot less money.

I would stay away from VOIP, we had nothing but problems and ripped it out after 12 months. Sometimes newer technology is not better.

We've not had any problems as of yet with it. Been running on it for about 3 months. Not using it with any dispatch software though. Hopefully no-problems will emerge when we start in a few months.

It was a nightmare, it kept dropping calls, and then would be off for hours at a time. They hook you with the promise of cheap calls, but it can ruin you if it goes wrong. Most telecoms companies say they wouldn't recommend putting taxi firms on VOIP.

If your going down the dispatch route avoid Excell that's all I'm saying.

I called the people at the telephone shop and had a chat to them about what they recommend etc.

They reckoned that it all depends on how I want to company to grow so it is either a choice between analog or ISDN phone lines. He said the ISDN can do alot more and really was the wy to go. Analog system refurbished with 3 phones around £550 and an ISDN system refurbished with 3 phones around £300 but it will cost around the difference to convert the analog lines to ISDN!

Can anyone tell me if ISDN is any good and is that the way to go as a few are saying stay away from VOIP but I am guessing ISDN is different is it?

If your strapped for cash, already got analogue lines and don't understand phone systems then check this out.
http://www.tmilimited.co.uk/orchid_pbx308.htm
By all accounts it will do exactly what you asked for for less that the cost of a second hand system. No computer interface but then again neither has the Versatility.

Bill

Thanks for all the info and replies.

I think the best way to go is to convert my lines to ISDN and get a second hand system and see how I get on with that. I know the cost works out about £500 but surely it will be worth it if I get more work and am able to add more things in the future.

The man I spoke to mentioned call popping so I assumed that they sell programs whereby you hook up phone lines to computer to get call popping, am I right on that one and where can I get the call popping systems without having to buy dataheads etc if anyone knows?

Also, can anyone tell me if I had an ISDN system and it noted the callers phone number would be be able to give them ringback on the main phone line for free or would it be charged?

Thanks for all the info and replies.

I think the best way to go is to convert my lines to ISDN and get a second hand system and see how I get on with that. I know the cost works out about £500 but surely it will be worth it if I get more work and am able to add more things in the future.

The man I spoke to mentioned call popping so I assumed that they sell programs whereby you hook up phone lines to computer to get call popping, am I right on that one and where can I get the call popping systems without having to buy dataheads etc if anyone knows?

Also, can anyone tell me if I had an ISDN system and it noted the callers phone number would be be able to give them ringback on the main phone line for free or would it be charged?