Spark and Centrex phone system

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark and Centrex phone system

lisadupreez

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#191820 17-Feb-2016 14:17

I am part of a small firm - 7 of us in total, and only 4 (sometimes 5) in the office. We currently have 2 phone lines and have 2 phones (like you woudl have at home) and we could transfer between them when on Vodafone.

We have just moved to Telecom and they say we now can't transfer between them, unless we move over to Centrex.

Does anybody use this? Is it any good? What are the benefits of moving across?

I have phoned and internet chatted with Spark - got 2 different stories, costs and equipment supplied from them.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks, Lisa

Sounddude

I fix stuff!
1928 posts

Uber Geek

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2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#1494041 17-Feb-2016 14:19

Centrex is a very old product.

Virtual PABX's using VOIP would probably be the best way forward. Lots of providers do these now and are quite cheap to setup and run.

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#1494044 17-Feb-2016 14:22

would 2degrees and a fritzbox work ? Can connect 6 phones to dect, plus 2 wired phone ports .And you can transfer calls ( i think).

Probably not though i guess. Pretty basic solution, just one phone number, I wonder if you can attach more, no reason why not?

Wheelbarrow01

1723 posts

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Chorus

#1494073 17-Feb-2016 15:19

Sounddude:

Centrex is a very old product.

The wheel is a very old product too, but people still use them....

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

Sounddude

I fix stuff!
1928 posts

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Trusted

2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#1494077 17-Feb-2016 15:22

Wheelbarrow01:

Sounddude:

Centrex is a very old product.

The wheel is a very old product too, but people still use them....

Invented at the same time as Centrex I believe :-)

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek

#1494105 17-Feb-2016 15:38

We use Centrex at one of our work branches with 3 people.

Its good at being a quick easy phone system replacement when you don't want to mess around with setting one up.

The main advantage for us is the flexibility, there is no contract. We're not sure how long we'll be at the current premises, so don't want to enter into a 'long term' contract with a phone system.

The price is not much more than a standard copper line, and includes the handsets (which are often expensive for phone systems).

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1494141 17-Feb-2016 16:21

To be fair the only real 'problem' with Centrex is the price.

There is also the fact you don't have BLF keys so its harder to manage in an office where you can't see everybody. Transfers are done 'old school' by using hook flash and then dialling an extension number - rather than just using a one-touch key. Doesn't sound like a big deal but try being the receptionist having to read a little list of extensions every time they want to transfer a call.

If you want some decent 'business phone' features a proper PABX is the way to go. I am still a massive fan of the on-site PABX with SIP trunks on the back end. The biggest problem with a lot of hosted solutions is they are being done by IT companies that really don't know how a phone system should be set up and are often less flexible than an onsite system.

Monthly cost for a leased PABX with 6 handsets, SIP trunks, broadband connection and all the bells and whistles would be maybe $200-$250. A hosted solution will be cheaper but you will probably have to buy the handsets up front and make sure it is from a company that truly understands what a phone system should do.

pauln

55 posts

Master Geek

#1494350 17-Feb-2016 20:31

Another option if you are covered by UFB and need Broadband would be IP Centrex via the second port on the ONT

Cheers, Paul