Our annual PBX roundup is here, and whether you're getting ready to upgrade, preparing to buy afresh, collecting reasons to convince your boss to budget for it, or simply wondering what the competition is dealing, we've sampled as many PBXs as we could fit this month. We're offering specific comparison of PBX size and price and platform, with the manufacturers' own distinguishing feature list.

"PBX" is getting to be a nebulous distinction, as more PBXs are ported over to the PC as their platform, and as more PBXs are networked and migrated toward more gateway-like aspects. With all of these server-like behaviors being attributed to PBXs, we've decided to include a few formerly-held "unPBXs," communications servers, and open phone systems in this roundup, for those of you looking for a large phone system, whether to use or to sell.

THIS YEAR'S BANDWAGONS

Once again, the lust for add-on cards to ease upgrades and expansions has resulted in more phone systems using "voicemail-on-a-card" or non-traditional "line cards" that let the system talk ATM, IP, ISDN-PRI/BRI, T-1, DSL, or vanilla analog. This makes the upgrade itself relatively easy. Now, if only it were as simple to get the new and exciting telco services into your building as into your switch.

Many of the deskphones this season are sporting an almost retro look. I guess there's only so many things you can do design-wise with a phone, and still expect it to be used on a daily basis in a place of business. Retro is in, in phones and other fashions, and an interesting part of that retro is the use of non-full-duplex speakerphones in many of the desk sets. One product manager as much as said, "Look, if you want good sound quality, you get a conference phone. There's no point in putting very expensive conferencing technology in a design like this because it's not the optimum design for conferencing." Have they given up? As the victim of a few too many PR-conferences on speakerphone, I would always encourage the manufacturers to keep trying. After all, I don't seem to be able to break the PR folks of this habit. (I really don't need to talk to four people at once.)

We've seen more PBX chassis built with "universal slots," which allow for more flexible growth - did you want to add more analog CO line cards, or a T-1 and many more ports for desksets? You decide, then you can put the cards pretty much where you need them in the PBX. This added flexibility encourages the next trend, transparent networking, which is cropping up for the first time in several phone systems this roundup. This concept is designed to make several phone systems work in conjunction like one big switch - for a common ACD, voicemail, dial plan, auto attendant, and more. Networking is currently done often using the QSIG protocol, IP, or more traditional frame and ATM connections, or combinations thereof.

You can expect to see more wireless handsets, and as we move into the 20th century, more cross-over between virtual private networks and public wireless networks. No longer will you need proprietary wireless phones and a cell phone. You can use your cell phone in the office as you local extension, carry to a branch office or use it out on the links, off the cellular network. Sound too good to be true? Or too bad? I guess it depends on how much you like your job.

We were also pleased to see the number of heretofore optional features that have become commonplace as fully integrated standard features on many PBXs, such as voicemail, auto attendant, ACD, message-on-hold, and enhanced caller ID.

ARTISOFT

TeleVantage 3.0 PC NT server, Windows 2000 Cambridge, MA - 800-914-9985 www.artisoft.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 96
• Interfaces: Analog, ISDN PRI and BRI, T-1
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands by adding industry standard Dialogic trunks
• $500 per station installed
• 90-day software warranty/ three-year warranty on Dialogic boards

Features: Supports standard analog, 900MHz wireless, and IP handsets. Networks transparently. Other features include a graphical interface that improves worker productivity, fully integrated voicemail with live call screen and call control (including dial, transfer, and conference commands). The system's intelligent call handling - you can personalize call handling and greetings for those important clients - helps companies improve on customer service. TeleVantage's software-driven feature set, industry-standard components, and open data/LAN connectivity make it easy to manage, expand, and integrate so that your investment is protected.

BBS TELECOM

Plexus hybrid digital telephone system Austin, TX - 888-328-9500 Info@bbstelecom.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 184
• Interfaces: ISDN, T-1/E-1, Analog
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands by cards and cabinets
• $200 - $400 per station installed
• One-year limited warranty

Features: The Plexus is a full-featured, fully digital hybrid key system designed to provide small- to medium-sized businesses with all the advanced features of high-end systems at more affordable prices. The systems have fully integrated voicemail and ACD (but also support third party). Other system features include unlimited call record, remote log-in/telecommuting, remote system management, ANI/DNIS, and CT-based call routing. The Plexus series can be linked together for greater flexibility and expandability.

CENTREPOINT TECHNOLOGIES

Concero 24n, 48n, and 24n/IP hybrid desktop phone system Ottowa, Canada - 613-725-2980 www.talkswitch.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 16
• Interfaces: Analog RJ-11. Concero 24n/IP interfaces single/dual ISDN BRI or Ethernet for VoIP.
• Built-in: Four-port VM, AA
• Expands using Ethernet ports over a LAN
• $125 per station installed
• One-year replacement warranty

Features: These PSTN/IP hybrid systems offer a full range of enhanced PBX functions that includes automated attendant, voicemail, call queuing, remote call forwarding, and international call back/call bridge. Concero desktop systems use standard analog or cordless phones and offer transparent networking on a LAN. Centrepoint boasts that Concero's modular expansion over a LAN - using standard Ethernet cabling - is impossible to find in competitive systems at the same price points. ACD is planned for future upgrade. Systems range in price from $595 to $1,395.

CALL MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS

CMPbx 16x64 Broomfield, CO - 303-465-0651 www.callmgmtprod.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 16
• Interfaces: Analog, ISDN PRI/BRI, T-1, ATM, analog, frame relay
• Built-in: VM, AA
• Expands with cards
• $99 - $250 per station installed

Features: No wireless handsets or transparent networking. The CMPbx analog PBX is not only reliable but fairly full-featured given its reasonable price. Features like wake-up call, outgoing call restrictions, LCR, message waiting lamp, and room-to-room call block make it excellent for small to midsize hotels and motels. The integrated voicemail - via a plug-in card that lists for under $1,000 - and automated attendant options allow the CMPbx to automatically answer calls, transfer callers to the desired extension, and take a message when appropriate. Systems use standard, not proprietary, phones.

COMDIAL

FXS and FXT digital hybrid PBX Charlottesville, VA - 804-978-2200 www.Comdial.com

• Maximum Number of Trunks: 240
• Interfaces: ISDN PRI, T-1, Analog, Frame Relay Supported, IP Embedded Card (Sept. 2000)
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands with cards and cabinets
• Price per station varies

Features: Supports 900MHz, and 1.9GHz multi-cell wireless handsets. Transparent networking across frame relay and IP networking planned for September 2000 in both switches. These systems have a dual processing architecture that ensures reliability. The open-based system allows for a host of thirdparty applications. Fiber connectivity is due September 2000. OAI Interface.

COM2001.COM

InternetPBX PC-based hybrid PBX San Diego, CA - 858-314-2002 www.COM2001.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 144
• Interfaces: Analog, ISDN PRI, T-1, ATM, frame relay
• Built-in: ACD
• Expands with cards and cabinets
• $500 per station installed
• One-year warranty on the PIKA telephony cards/three-years on the Dell servers

Features: Wireless handsets and transparent networking. Remote Web access allows users to log onto the corporate InternetPBX from anywhere in the world using a standard browser - a nice feature for today's mobile workforce. Users can retrieve voicemails, emails, and faxes from their MS Outlook inbox or Internet browser. InternetPBX's speech-recognizing, text-reading personal assistant helps to place calls, find addresses and read, reply, and compose emails over the phone. These phone systems help you simplify communications, reduce telecom costs, and increase productivity.

ECI TELECOM BUSINESS NETWORKS

Coral ISBX hybrid TDM PBX Clearwater, FL - 727-523-0200 www\ecitele.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 1,600
• Interfaces: ISDN PRI/BRI (PRI may be PRI-23 or PRI-30), T-1/E-1, analog, E&M
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands with cards and cabinets
• $250 to $500 per station
• One-year warranty

Features: Supports up to 1,500 wireless handsets and supports QSIG over IP, frame relay, and ATM networks. The Coral system lets you leverage your network with applications like distributed call centers - where overflow calls can be routed across the country to less-busy call center agents. Smart call routing, made possible by Coral's industry-standard CTI capabilities, lets you see the big picture of an entire network. The system's hardware and software architecture are open, modular, and feature-rich, which makes the system very flexible. With these scaleable systems you can rely on a clean, cost-effective migration as your organization's needs grow.

eON COMMUNICATIONS

eNterprise 400 LINUX digital TDM/PCM PBX comms server Memphis, TN - 800-866-8880 www.eoncc.com

• Max. No. of Trunks: 400 Ports
• Interfaces: ISDN PRI/BRI, T-1, Analog
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands with cards, shelves and cabinets
• $700 per station installed
• One-year warranty on all hardware, software, and remote MACs

Features: Supports wireless handsets and transparent networking between eNterprise systems (and others using Q-SIG protocol.) The eNterprise 400 is a true PCX (private communications exchange) that offers low-cost redundancy and scales to 2000 ports. eNterprise utilizes a Linux-based operating system which has proven reliable in numerous mission-critical applications. System trouble shooting can be performed on-site or remotely.

ERICSSON

MD110 hybrid PBX Research Triangle Park, NC - 919-472-7000 enternet-us.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 5,000
• Interfaces: Analog, ISDN PRI/BRI, T-1, ATM, frame relay
• Built-in: Proprietary and AVT-based Unified Messaging solutions
• Expands with cards and modules
• $300 - $800 per station installed
• One-year warranty

Features: Wireless handsets and transparent networking. The MD110 is recognized as having a truly distributed architecture that's modular and decentralized, and can be easily adapted to suit the changing needs of organizations. Its scalability lets you build out from 16 to 26,000 ports. Functions like personal number and voicemail boxes increase customer service and staff efficiency by saving time, improving availability of staff to customers, and making sure that there are no missed messages. Other features include dynamic route allocation for more cost-efficient networking. The switch will be IP-enabled by the end of 2000 and any of the original systems can be upgraded. The new IP interface supports faster interaction with server-based call center applications, making it possible to build more advanced call center solutions.

ERICSSON WEBCOM
WebSwitch Menlo Park, CA - 650-210-9434 www.ericsson.se

• Max No. of Trunks: 76 per node
• Interfaces: ISDN PRI/BRI (Planned Q3), T-1/E1, analog
• Built-in: VM, CTI (TAPI 2.1) and ACD
• Expands with cards and chassis
• $200 - $400 per station (seat/per node) installed
• One-year warranty on hardware/ three months on software

Features: Wireless handsets (Symbol Technologies' wireless IP terminals) and transparent networking of up to 20 WebSwitches across a WAN/LAN IP network. Designed with the very small enterprise in mind, the WebSwitch IP telephony appliance sets a new benchmark for ease of use and management. As a standalone "IPBX" the WebSwitch makes a good replacement for a traditional small PBX or key system. IP-based features such as Web Call Center, Remote Extensions, IP Phone Support, Visual Voicemail, and Unified Messaging provide a range of new communications solutions unavailable with conventional PBX technology.

ESI (ESTECH SYSTEMS, INC.)
IVX 128 hybrid digital PBX Plano, TX - 972-422-9700 www.esi-estech.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 66
• Interfaces: Analog, T-1
• Built-in: VM, ACD, AA
• Expands with cards and cabinets
• $400 - $450 per station installed
• Warranty determined by reseller

Features: No wireless handsets. Transparent networking between identical systems available late 2000. The IVX128 is loaded with features - a good system for the price. It has fully integrated voicemail, auto attendant, ACD, message-on-hold, and enhanced caller ID. It boasts tremendous expandability, with up to 16 voicemail ports and 70 to 140 hours of messages. It features 24 conference bridges, and the six-level auto attendant has 100 branches for caller direction. The one-chassis frame can be expanded with additional port cards and expansion cabinets.

IVX 20/IVX 20 Plus hybrid PBX

• Max No. of Trunks: 6
• Interfaces: Analog
• Built-in: VM
• Expands with cards
• $400 - $450 per station installed
• Warranty determined by reseller

Features: No wireless handsets or transparent networking. The IVX20 systems are good for up to 6 trunks (14 stations), offering 30 hours of voice storage and a one-level, eight-branch automated attendant. Features six channels of voicemail, eight conference bridges, messages-on-hold, and enhanced caller ID. These systems include a lot of the features of the IVX128 and, as your business grows, so do they - the IVX20 migrates to the 128 without feature phone change-out. The IVX20s offer plenty of big system features yet are affordable for smaller businesses.

E-VOICE COMMUNICATIONS

evoice3000 Sunnyvale, CA - 408-991-9988 www.evoicecomm.com

• Max. No. of trunks: 48
• Interfaces: T-1 and DID
• Built-in: VM, ACD, AA
• Expands by adding modules to the boards.
• $170 per port (8 lines X 16 extensions, includes server, boards, and software for 5 client seats)
• $160 per port (24 lines X 72 extensions)
• Two-year warranty on parts

Features: Wireless handsets and transparent networking. System administration tools are Windows and browser-based for easy on-screen setup and administration of the PBX and the voicemail system. The browser-based configuration manager offers flexible configuring, allows setup or system setting changes from any place in the world and auto-configures after upgrades. ACD, IVR, DID, email integration, console software, and unified messaging are all system features. e-Voice3000 is currently shipping NT-based systems with a planned Linux-based beta shipping in 2Q00

INTER-TEL

AXXESS digital hybrid PBX Phoenix, AZ - 480-961-9000 www.inter-tel.com

• Max No. of Trunks: 512
• Interfaces: ISDN PRI, T-1, analog, digital/IP (any type of IP media such as frame relay, VPN, ATM)
• Built-in: VM, ACD
• Expands with cards and cabinets
• $400 - $600 per station installed
• Two-year manufacturers' warranty

Features: Wireless handsets (SpectraLink) and transparent networking on T-1 or an IP network. The recently released IP Phone+ and IP Single Line Adapter allow users to plug phones directly into the LAN via an Ethernet connection. IP Phones can be used at the main location, a home office over the Internet, or at a small remote office in place of another telephone system. Centralized voicemail, auto attendant, call accounting, CTI applications, and administration for up to 63 locations. Transparent features include hands-free answer, off-hook voice announce, busy lamp field keys, caller ID, ACD agent help, and do not disturb messaging, all across the network. AXXESS is the first telephone system developed based on DSP technology - that is, software controls hardware so features like full-duplex speakerphones and caller ID do not require additional equipment.