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EDITOR'S NOTE: We will include a dissertation on the MICS with this article. Both the CICS and the MICS are identical, save their physical cabinets and the scale of the system.
OVERVIEW
The CICS is a pretty powerful legacy PBX system. Out of the box, it gives you 4 lines and 16 station capability. You can go up to 8 lines and 24 phones should you need to. (The MICS starts out as a 0x32 but can go up to a whopping 32x192)
THE GOOD
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Loaded with features and functionality
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Highly reliable and robust system
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Good voicemail system variety
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Very easy to set up and program
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Durable and powerful telephone sets
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Phones are available in a wide variety of colors
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Excellent value for the money
THE BAD
THE UGLY
WHAT IT IS
Hardware
1 – CICS Release 5
1 – Call Pilot 420 Voicemail
Phones
1 – M7324 24-Button Digital Phone
1 – M7310 10-Button Digital Phone
1 – T7316 16-Button Digital Phone
1 – T7208 8-Button Digital Phone
Service
1 – Analog Loop-Start CO Line
WHAT IT DOES
In a world of IP options, there are few good legacy systems out there to be had. Enter the Nortel Norstar Series systems. These systems have been around for over 15 years. They were competitive then, and they are competitive now. Why we are covering it is because there are those customers out there who can still make use of a legacy system. What the Norstar does, it does well. Of course, there is not much in the way of IP functionality – it is a legacy system. Still, it does offer some very powerful options should you want all the functionality of a PBX without all the hoopla surrounding VoIP.
The Norstars come standard with everything you would expect – internal call capabilities, caller-ID, etc. However, it still has some advanced features found on IP-based systems. You can connect a MICS to another MICS or to a Meridian with a T1 PRI TIE Line. Yeah, I know that is an old fashioned way to do it, but you can. The problem is, that can be an expensive proposition.
As far as scale goes, you can have a little or have a lot. The CICS start at 4x16 and the MICS can go to 32x192. Nortel decided to concentrate on two telephone varieties – The Norstars and the Meridians. The latter are designed to work on the monster Meridian x11 series PBX, while the former are designed to work with the CICS, MICS, Norstar 308, and Norstar 616. This makes the system very versatile – if you must upgrade or change-out the KSU, you don't loose the investment in your phones – unless, of course, you move up to a meridian.
Now, let us discuss voicemail. There are three voicemail systems that are compatible with the Norstar. We will take each one in order of functionality. First, there is the StarTalk voicemail system. StarTalk can be found in both the FLASH (does not use a physical Hard Disk Drive) and CORE (Has a HDD) varieties. The StarTalk came about a decade-and-a-half ago, and it remains surprisingly functional – even by today's standards. It will take voicemail messages and give you some auto-attendant channels – that's it. However, it is a very stable and reliable (not to mention economical) option for a CICS.
The second flavor is the Call Pilot series. This series is the newest addition to the family, and it combines all the functionality of its StarTalk cousin with some ACD features. This series is only available in the FLASH version (for the Norstars, anyway); and, its ACD functions are a little spartan. However, this system does offer some decent call reporting abilities. Voicemail-to-email can also be set up if you have the correct version and a NIC card.
The third is the NAM, which stands for Norstar Applications Module. We are into the beefy side of things, now. The NAM is only available in a CORE version. It is very versatile, and does much more than voicemail. The NAM was originally designed to provide special abilities to the Norstar systems for ACD functionality. That's right – it is designed for call centers. However, it also includes some pretty powerful voicemail software on-board. You can try the NAM on a CICS – but it wouldn't work. The NAM will only work with a MICS. It is also really expensive.
While we are on the subject of ACD, only the MICS allows this type of functionality. If you do want to run a call center with the MICS, I highly suggest that you get a NAM as well. This allows computer database integration for the voicemail and the ACD system – a feature usually only found on the larger PBX systems. Also, it allows the call center supervisors to tell at a glance what is going on in the call center.
Once you decide to go with a Norstar, you will probably be surprised just how easy it is to set up. Programming the system can be a breeze – if it is initially set up correctly. A chimpanzee and a data guy can set it up quickly. Unfortunately, a decent PC-based programming tool does not exist for the Norstars. It should be noted that a tool does exist, but it is a pain to use. I prefer to just program the system through a telephone – it is just as fast!
THE BOTTOM LINE
If all you need is a powerful legacy system to float you for a few years until your company is ready to tackle VoIP, this is a great choice. While it is true that Nortel was commandeered by the Avaya corporate raider wolves, thereby halting production on this system, you can still find an orphaned MICS or CICS on the eBay market for a song! They are very common systems; and, as such, parts will probably be available for them well into the next decade... maybe.
If you want a voicemail system to complement your Norstar, I recommend the StarTalk for the CICS and a Call Pilot for the MICS. As discussed, if you want to do ACD on your MICS, get a NAM for the voicemail system instead. Because these systems are only available as used or refurbished, it is critical that you use care when purchasing one. We recommend going with a vendor or installer that knows these systems inside-out. Such a company will help you to ensure that all required equipment is included with your purchase.
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