The maximum number of phones that can be connected together on each 4-line system.

Speakerphone Intercom Transfer Hold Page Conferencing Mute Redial Line-in-use indication Hearing-aid compatible

Speed Dial Buttons are the 'physical' memory buttons on a phone allowing instant dialing of stored number. * PLEASE NOTE: Some phones store 2 numbers on each physical speed dial button effectively doubling the available speed dials. In this case the second stored number is accessed by simply pressing a special 'function' button before pressing the speed dial. For phones with this memory doubling feature, we've counted both memory slots.

The Address Book is a navigatable directory of phone numbers stored on a phone. It can be accessed via the phone's LCD menu, and phone numbers can be automatically dialed from the directory at the touch of a button. This column lists the number of contacts that can be stored in the address book.

A "Shared Address Book" is an address book that all phones on your phone network share. This enables your business to share important contact information relevant to all your staff.

These phones include Caller ID, Call-waiting Caller ID (for Caller ID info while you're already using the phone) and the ability to automatically dial from your Caller ID list with the touch of a button.

Phones with a 'check' have quality 'headset ready' solutions to be used with 2.5 mm headsets (saving $100 - $150). The other phones require headsets with an M12 amplifier for headset use.

MOH for all systems: All phone systems can use On Hold Plus Systems to adapt to Music On Hold. On Hold Plus Systems begin at $300 plus $30 for each phone (beyond the first 2 phones). MOH for TMC: Unlike the other phone systems which require a special attachment for each phone, TMC offers a Music On Hold option specifically designed for their system ($100 for MOH, no phone attachments necessary).

Built-in voicemail can save you the cost of voicemail through your phone company ($20/mo for each line) and offers a more integrated professional messaging system. Built in voicemail pays for itself in less than a year (saving $200 - $800 a year).

An auto-attendant automatically answers incoming calls and routes them to the right personel through the use of a telephone directory tree (eg, "for sales press 1, for techs press 2"). Auto-attendants add considerable efficiency to your office and make your business-front more professional.

RCA Executive Series Phone System (Editor's Review):

The RCA Executive Series phone system is a low cost solution offering all the important basic phone system capabilities such as speakerphone, intercom, transfer and conferencing. These phones feature 16 speed-dial buttons on the right hand side, but its most valuable feature is the ability to add a cordless handset to each phone. RCA's cordless handsets can access all 4 lines, displays Caller ID, stores the last 40 callers, and have a 40 slot Address Book. The cordless phone feature can be an important benefit for customers who have warehouses and other large spaces to move around (such as automotive repair shops). I recommend this RCA system to many of these customers if they do not have a need for voicemail. Later this year, RCA will be releasing a new phone offering auto-attendant for this system (November to December). You'll be able to easily add the features of an auto-attendant to your already existing RCA Executive Series phone system with the purchase of one of those phones.

AT&T Small Business System (Editor's Review):

The AT&T Small Business System offers all the standard features needed by any phone system, such as intercom and call transfer, at the lowest price. Unfortunately, AT&T cut a few corners on their voicemail and auto-attendant. Essentially, while you're using the phone the voicemail and auto-attendant will not pick up other incoming lines, and, vice-versa, while the auto-attendant or voicemail is answering a call the phone is unusable. So if you are on a call and another party is transferred to or calls your extension, the voicemail and auto-attendant will not answer. Instead the phone will continue ringing until you answer or your caller gives up. Furthermore, you cannot transfer calls directly to voicemail. Instead, the transfered call has to ring until voicemail picks up - a somewhat unprofessional touch. Additionally, the headset jack on this phone has little practical purpose since it the low amplification makes hearing a pin drop easier than hearing callers through your headset. However, if you ignore AT&T's over-zealous attempt to clumsily add voicemail, auto-attendant, and headset capacities you'll notice some other features of this system that truly do shine through. For starters, the AT&T system offers the largest navigatable address book storing up to 200 names and numbers that can be easily dialed at the touch of a button. They include an equally large directory for Caller ID logging storing the last 200 callers. Though this system tries to be a little more than it can with its headset, voicemail and auto-attendant's limited capacities it still competes well being the lowest cost solution offering all the basic phone system features (including intercom, transfer & caller ID). But if you're looking for a phone system to save money on the cost of voicemail through your phone company, take a look at TMC's Epic line.

TMC Epic Phone System (Editor's Review):

The Epic system is a fully-featured solution with an intuitive, user-friendly design. It offers many features that some full-fledged PBX systems lack, like knowing at a glance who in your office is on the phone. It's big system voicemail capabilities easily make up for the higher price of the phones. Voicemail through the phone company typically costs around $20/mo for each line and $20 to setup. This adds up — in one year alone you're paying at least $240 for each mailbox. The Epic system saves you this cost offering a better-integrated, more professional voicemail solution. Epic's voicemail allows 30 minutes of digital recording per voicemail enabled phone, allows transfers directly to voicemail (no ringing of the extension) remote access (call in to hear your messages) intelligent navigation buttons (skip, repeat, pause, erase, jump 2 seconds forward/back) variable speed message playback, and call screening (listen to callers leave messages and pick up at any time). You can even record and playback a phone conversation or memo. They also include a commercial grade auto-attendant. You can have your phones professionally route your calls to the right extensions by recording an introduction (e.g. 'for James dial 12, for Lisa 15') and up to 8 selectable prompts such as directions or hours of operation ('for directions press 3'). The system offers all your standard features such as transfer, intercom, Caller ID, conferencing, and others listed above, however, what's notable are the other supporting features that help to better network your office's communications. Features such as station-in-use indication (know not only which lines are in use, but who in your office is on the phone) line reserve (reserve a line that's currently in use instead of constantly monitoring your telephone waiting for a free line) and new-call indication light (a light seperate from the voicemail indication lamp that lets you know if any new calls have come in since the last time you checked your call log). The list of features go on and on. If you're interested knowing more, view the demo, but just know this system provides robust features without corner cutting. I can tell TMC took thoughtful concern down to the smallest detail, eg: static memory protected from power outages, a display that swivels for better viewing, an automatic call timer, optional distinctive ringing for each line (you can give Lines 1,2,3 or 4 special ring tones) and separate volume controls for the handset, ringer, speakerphone and paging. You can easily add cordless phones, music on hold, door intercom & door openers, and external paging systems with a special adapter. The Epic system offers a dependable solution with an extremely wide range of capabilities, where each feature has been fully developed without cutting any corners. Voicemail and auto-attendant alone make up for the system's higher price within a year or two, a period your phones are guaranteed to last by TMC's 2-year warranty. I give this system a five star rating.