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From: julian@bongo.uucp (Julian Macassey)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Are You Using Centron or a Similar Service?
Message-ID: <9716@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 14 Jul 90 16:07:58 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 483, Message 1 of 12


In article <9605@accuvax.nwu.edu>, intek01!mark@uunet.uu.net (Mark
McWiggins) writes:

> Our receptionist just quit, and we're thinking of replacing our
> (clunky electromechanical) 4-line key system with an offering from US
> West called Centron.  (Like Centrex but smaller, as I understand it.)
> They're also now offering voice mail, and we think these together
> would cut our phone-answering labor by 80% or more.  The monthly
> charge for all this is no more than the rental for our current key
> system.  Overall, it looks like a big win, if it works.

> Am I missing something?  I'd be interested in hearing from anyone
> who's using a similar system.  Also, we're expecting significant
> growth over the next couple of years. What else should I be looking
> out for?

	First of all, yes if you get Centrex then every employee will
be able to have his/her phone number. But to call from station to
station you have to call a three or four digit number. If you are all
techie types you may have no trouble with all the flash, tone, dial,
hang-up sequence to transfering a call, bringing another station in on
a call etc. There are phones that will automate these features to a one
button process. But using these features is slow. If you are the sort
of person who does not have the patience to wait for a prompt on a
terminal, Centrex will drive you nuts.

	You will be nickled and dimed to death with Centrex, every
silly little feature costs more. It also takes time for the telco
bureaucrats to get the order to the grunt at the CO who will sit at a
terminal and turn your feature off or on.

	If you are currently leasing am ancient 1A2 from AT&T or the
Telco, you may be surprised to find that you can upgrade to a modern
Electronic KSU with features up the kazoo (all programmable) for about
the same money per month. So you could upgrade to a six line by
eighteen station piece of gear for the same monthly cash. But you can
get the new KSU on a closed lease, so after two years or so, you own
the damn thing and you owe no more.

	Then again, if you are reasonably competent, you could put it
in yourself for even greater savings.

	I suggest you ask around, talk to other small businessmen in
your area. Call a few interconnects listed in the Yellow Pages under
"Telephone Systems".

	Don't misunderstand me, I am not pro or con any system, you
need to get the system that suits your corporate culture. Many KSUs
now include paging, if you get Centrex, that would be outboard. Some
companies love to page, some abhor it. Some love to "screen" calls,
some want to get the call to the recipient and let him decide if he
wants to talk. So you need to decide how you want to use your phones
and then get the gear that lets you do what you want to do. If you get
the best system in the world and it does not work the way you do it
will always be known as "That piece of crap."


Julian Macassey, n6are  julian@bongo.info.com  ucla-an!denwa!bongo!julian
N6ARE@K6IYK (Packet Radio) n6are.ampr.org [44.16.0.81] voice (213) 653-4495