Possibly my most OT post ever but I know there are a few telecoms industry and fellow IT types lurking on here so figure this is worth a pop.

We swapped out our old Alcatel OmniPCX phone system a while back and the kit has been piled up in the server room since getting in the way. It’s the main processing unit / PBX, 11 IP handsets and 25 digital ones.

I did consider ebay but a watch on similar systems shows that they’re just not selling (although it may still be an option to sell the phones individually). Telecoms brokers I’ve spoken to are also reporting a flat market at the moment due to the number of opensource PBX systems now available so aren’t interested.

Not the sort of thing charities are interested in either.

The system cost about 20K originally and is fully functional so too good to junk.

Anyone got any ideas?

Got a panasonic PABX unit that I removed from some offices a while ago. Tried to sell it on repeatedly but simply had no takers. There really isn’t any demand at all. A great shame as the tech is spot on.

Sorry but:

Contact some local phone installers. They may take it for spares.

Contact some local phone installers. They may take it for spares.

Already did that. I fear hot_fiat may be right, but it seems such a waste…

How old is it ?

Set up a phone sex line?

You could have a great phone system at home?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTDzFUlrDYM[/video]

^^ or …

“WELCOME TO STW : “

Press 1 for ‘what lights’
Press 2 for ‘what tyres’
Press 3 for ‘are 29ers better’
Press 4 for ‘should I buy this’

How old is it ?

– About 10 years old

wwaswas – 🙂 This is more my speed. Perhaps I should set up a specialist chatline service catering for people who want to be verbally abused by ranty, autodidactic Northerners… (or is that too like a phone version of STW?):

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vy6FJQODCA[/video]

The main control unit is unlikely to have any takers, but the individual handsets may have some residual value. Try systems telecom, they are often looking for stuff. Might be worth a try?

As said, absolutely no market for this stuff. People needing a whole phone system also need the expertise to set it up. People with the same already might take some handsets or other spares off your hands, but they’ve had years already to grab other people’s disposals.

Technology ages and depreciates quickly, just recycle it responsibly and done with it.

As it happens we need a phone system at work as we are on a single line, dont know much about these but i would be interested if the price was right and it was a straightforward install.

marcus7 – depending on where you are, I can put you in touch with a phone engineer who might be able to install it for you (if required). He did a fairly major software upgrade to our ageing system (Avaya IP500)

marcus7 – you’d need someone with experience of the Alcatel to configure it for you initially but I managed to work my way around the user interface OK after that. Do bear in mind that you’d also need ISDN2 or ISDN30 to take full advantage of the multiple lines.

Drop me an email if you’re interested and will speak to my boss.

Bin it.

Marcus, if you install an old system and it goes wrong, with little or no chance of spares, what would be the cost to your business?

Just because it isnt an up to do date, doens’t mean there isn’t support out there.

I would say, that if you do have a phone system, even if you don’t have a maintenance contract, you would be wise to at least have an engineer who you can call on if it does go pear shaped.

cheez0 – do you work in sales?

I reckon it’s fit for the skip (or an environmentally friendly version).

Yes, you could get it working and install it somewhere else, but it really wouldn’t be worth the hassle. There’s bound to be something essential not working or missing. It’s already 10 years old, so really is past it’s useful life and re-using it really would be a false economy I reckon

Just because it isnt an up to do date, doens’t mean there isn’t support out there.

This is true. The Alcatel is still supported – Alcatel are still selling an updated version of the hardware and we were under a maintenance contract with South West Communications up (who originally installed it) until the point we swapped it out 12 months ago.

There’s bound to be something essential not working or missing.

Probably not actually – the kit is still in the rack. All we did was switch over the ISDN connection and disconnect the phones when we went live with our new Shoretel.

We’re really not looking to make any money out of this – likelihood is that we’d let it go for a donation to Devon Air Ambulance – just really hate to see something that is still eminently functional go to waste.

sorry for the delay, I’m lucky here as I have some right clever people working for me whos forte is getting this sort of thing running!. I’m on my phone at the mo but will mail you later from my ‘puter, cheers.

In response to this thread, a couple of people have now expressed an interest in taking it for spares or refitting.

Spoke to the boss this morning and he’s willing to let the system go for a charity donation to Devon Air Ambulance – subject to it being collected as a job lot from our office on Dartmoor.