Re: Telephone systems for home workers

["Tamminga, Ernie" <et -at- DSC -dot- COM>]

You may want at least to take a look at telephone-company based
messaging systems.
If I remember correctly, GTE launched a market trial in your area
having to do with unified messaging...  various kinds of messages
(voice, fax...) coming into a single mailbox, accessible over the
public switched telephone network. Unlike an answering machine, phone
company messaging systems pick up your calls when your line is busy,
and not only when you don't answer. Then a "message waiting indicator"
is set, which might be either audible or visible.

My company creates these systems, which are then implemented by phone
companies who offer messaging services to their customers...  so I
won't go on and on here in what would turn into a marketing piece.
 But if you haven't already looked into it, it might be worth your
while to check out what features GTE is making available in your area.
Might provide all you need, might not . . .

-----Original Message-----
From:   Bill Brucksch [SMTP:bbruck -at- HALCYON -dot- COM]
Sent:   Friday, September 26, 1997 8:34 AM
To:     TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject:        Telephone systems for home workers

Hello all,

I'm a telecommuting tech writer with a phone system that may need
updating.
In my current system, one line is voice only, tied to an answering
machine;
a second line (no answering machine) I use for Internet, fax, and
outgoing
calls; my cell phone I currently use for emergencies only.

I want to be able to a) not answer all incoming calls, b) be notified
immediately of incoming calls so I can decide which to respond to and
when,
and c) use as few lines as possible.

I'm considering the following:
1. putting some sort of line switch on one phone line so I can use it
for
either voice, Internet, or fax.
2. rather than answer either line every time it rings, attaching the
line/s
to a pager, so I can either return calls immediately or put them off.

I'm interested in learning of anyone's experience with line switches
and
also how other work-at-home types have their phones set up. I'd be
glad to
summarize the responses I receive and post them.

TIA.

Bill Brucksch
Seattle-area technical marketing writer

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