Small business - HUGE phone system

Recipe:
1 - Dual core 2.0Ghz / 1gb RAM / 250MB HDD bare-bones PC
1 - "bleeping" CentOS compatible Ethernet card (on-board had no drivers and I got tired of messing with it)
1 - TDM410B card
4 - FXO modules
1 - GS HT-286 (to connect old fax)
1 - GS BT-102 (shop phone)
3 - GS GXP-2000 (sales phones)
1 - 16-port switch
200 - ft of Cat 5e cable

AND THE MVP:
1 - TRIXBOX CE CD!

Having never used - touched - managed or even operated a PBX-style phone system before, I got the chance to try my hand at PC-based/IP Telephony this month.

I am a "Jack-of-all-trades" computer tech with a taste for learning new things. The shop where my brother works needed a solution for a phone system and I said "I'll build you one...free", stupid me. After downloading and trying a couple of different OS/PBX solutions, I came across TB CE. I can say that it is by far the most flawless installation and setup. And by far the most overpowered choice for the simple needs of the customer. The GREAT thing is the "use what you need" part of TB.

I realized quickly the possibilites of TB CE but, it wasn't until I actually phisically installed the system on-site that I realized how many more features they could use right away and would soon be asking for.

"How the hell do you get all the phones to ring at the same time?"
Easy...create a ring group. self explanitory. add the module and voila! It couldn't have been easier if it did it by itself.

"What happens when no one answers?"
Again, easy...voicemail, but who's box? I'll create an extension with a VM box and send the ring group's unanswered there.

"But how will I know when there are messages there?"
The message light on your phone will tell you.

"Um, but isn't that for MY VMbox?"
Yes but I configured your extension to check for messages in BOTH boxes.

"How will we receive faxes?"
Well I could install a fax server, like HylaFax. I will send your received faxes to your group e-mail box that will send it to all of you. and you will still be able to use that line as an aux outbound line.

"And sending faxes?"
With an analog adapter you will send a fax from your old machine through your new PBX. And the installation of a fax server client will allow you to send faxes directly from your PC. Gone are the days of print and fax. But fax is a dying technologie anyway.

"I put a call on hold for Bill, but I don't know where he will answer it from. What now?"
We'll install a call parking lot to throw the call in and a paging system to page the phones on the shop floor, so he can answer it where he is.

"Holy cow this thing is amazing!"
Baby, you ain't see the half of it!

More stuff:
system wide speed dials
transfer calls to a cell phone automatically
send VM messages to e-mail

"WOW!"
And there's still way more stuff that I don't even know how/when/what to use.

For about half the price of the lowest quote for a "conventional" phone system and the expandability to make it do ANYTHING you need it to do, it's a great investment into the company's future.

For my first TB experience but, certainly not my last,

Thanks TB

Ozzie Levesque