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Posts Tagged ‘telephone switch’

Introducing Multi-Link’s Equipment Leasing Program

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Multi-Link Inc. is offering a leasing program for corporate accounts installing The Stick for their own use. The program provides for rapid deployment, and long term product protection and support, all without any upfront equipment costs.

The Stick saves you money by allowing a wide range of equipment to “share” a single telephone line for remote access, polling, faxing, and normal in/outbound transactions that use a line only minutes a day.

Typical equipment includes:

Point of Sale
Energy Management/HVAC
Time & Attendance
Fax Machines
Credit Card Terminals
Digital Signage
Postage Meters
Dial-up Modems

The typical monthly cost for a business phone line is $50, plus additional taxes and fees. By leasing The Stick at only $19/month, a company can cut phone costs by more than half in one month with no initial out-of-pocket costs. Multiply the savings of one line eliminated by the total number of locations and the savings potential can be substantial. Many of our clients have eliminated TWO lines per location.

The lease program renews every 12 months and provides a customized Security Lock Box with every unit to lock down device connections. Research shows that this mounting enclosure prevents two service calls per year due to tampering. Also, if a Stick unit is ever in need of repair for any reason, e.g. lightning damage, Multi-Link will ship out a replacement unit at no cost.

Customized factory programming (if required) is also included. We program your Sticks exactly to application specs to expedite deployment and ensure conformity. Custom install guides included. Our unlimited, toll-free USA based technical support offers the friendly assistance you need for expert answers and quick troubleshooting.

If you like cost-cutting solutions with no upfront costs call 800-535-4651 for a free consultation.

Download the details of Multi-Link’s Equipment Leasing Program.

Download the benefits of leasing equipment for corporations.

Tags: back-up phone lines, comshare, faxswitch, line sharing, Multi-Link, stklokbox, telephone switch, thestick
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Looking to replace obsolete Command products?

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

Download Multi-Link Replacement Products for Command Communication to find the direct functional equivalent.

Tags: ASAP104, comshare, cs550, CS5500, cs750, CS7500, faxswitch, lineshare, Multi-Link, stklokbox, telephone switch, thestick
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Looking for a dependable source for Phone Line Sharing products?

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Whether you are looking for a faxstick, fax switch, a phone switch, a phone splitter or replacing now defunct Command Communication products, Multi-Link has the product you need. Multi-Link’s line sharing portfolio (The Stick, Polnet ACP, SR-3 and Versa-Link ATX 250) allows customers to consolidate multiple telephony devices onto a single standard telephone line, reducing the number of lines needed to support the business and the related monthly phone line subscription costs.

At an average yearly cost of $600 per phone line subscription, Multi-link’s line sharing products have delivered cost reductions reaching millions of dollars per year.

Need to replace obsolete Command products? Look at our chart to see what we can provide for you as a direct replacement:

Multi link replacement products for command communication

View more presentations from Scott Shelton

Download Multi-Link Replacement Products for Command Communication(.pdf)

Tags: acp, command communications, comshare, CS5500, CS7500, faxstick, faxswitch, line sharing, lineshare, Multi-Link, telephone switch, thestick
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Corporate Cost Cutting Starts in the Telecom Department

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Hundreds of companies are launching initiatives to reduce the number telephone land lines and the associated cost. Many restaurant and retail store chains have 3 – 6 telephone lines per site. With broadband connections, this number can be reduced, dramatically reducing overall telecom costs. The Stick Phone/Fax/Modem switch can help you accomplish this.

36% of Companies are striving to reduce Telecom expenses.
Average cost of a business phone line is $50/month nationwide.
As IT and data acquisition improves and expands, there is less need for Analog Telephone Lines.
Companies are reducing their number of phones lines at their remote business locations.

However, not all Analog Phone Lines can be eliminated—typically the fax line remains, as well as back up lines for POS/Credit Card Terminals. Point of Sale Systems generally use broadband connections where available for high-speed payment card processing. However, 75% or more of these systems use analog phone lines as back-up in case of network downtime or equipment malfunction. These back-up phone lines, although seldom or never used, represent recurring monthly expenses for businesses.

The Stick Phone/Fax/ Modem switch allows companies to reduce phone lines by “Sharing” the remaining Analog line(s) with devices that use the telephone line.

The analog line can be used as an “out of band” inbound and outbound communications path for critical information exchanges.
Over 600,000 units have been installed by companies with remote locations.
ROI in less than 2 months.

How much can you save? Try out our cost savings calculator and find out in minutes!

Tags: back-up phone lines, comshare, cost cutting, CS5500, CS7500, faxswitch, line sharing, Multi-Link, out-of-band access, restaurant applications, telephone switch, thestick
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A Dedicated Phone Line for Postage Meters is Wasteful

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

If your business spends more than $50 a month in postage, chances are you are leasing a postage meter and benefit from convenience, reduced expenses, and time savings. Typically, money savings from using a postage meter average around a 20% per month, due largely to the ability to weigh and meter accurately. Authorized providers of postage meters include Pitney-Bowes, Neopost, Data-Pac, FP Mailing Solutions, and Hasler.

Chances are, like us, you are using the market-leader Pitney-Bowes. We employ a MailStation 2 with great results. Recently I had to update postage rates and download postage funds via modem. It only took about 10 minutes to accomplish. Curious about a technical question, I reviewed the user manual for the answer. While I was thumbing through it, I discovered something curious. In a section named Using an Analog Line to Establish Connections, it states “Use a dedicated analog phone line if possible (one that is not shared with other devices) to avoid possible issues.” Whoa, now— a $50/month phone line?

Being a manufacturer of line-sharing devices aside, Multi-Link , like all businesses, has to watch every expense. It would be counter-productive for us to save money on postage on one hand, and then just use the savings to pay for an additional phone line used just once a month, or even three months, for 10 minutes at a time! How many other companies can afford to pay that?

Installing the postage meter on a line-sharing device like The Stick would take only minutes, and the barge-in protection feature would keep any other telephony device, say a fax, from interfering during a download—and vice versa. Throughput speed is not diminished, and no PC interface or software upgrades are needed. Just plug and go. Take a look at the simple diagram below.

Line sharing with postage meter

View more presentations from Scott Shelton.

Hopefully, this will make your office manager very happy. (E)mail us with any questions on this or any other application: marketing(at)multi-link.net

Tags: cost cutting, dial-up modems, faxswitch, line sharing, Multi-Link, telephone switch, thestick
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The Stick: FAQ Highlights

Thursday, October 7th, 2010

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding The Stick Phone linesharing switch (STK29112):

The STICK Questions and Answers

Question: Is THE STICK compatible with phone company Voice Mail and/or Call Forwarding services?

Answer: Since the STICK must always “answer” the ring from the phone company to do its job, there will never be an un-answered call situation which means that the only time a message will be taken by the phone company VM will be when the line is already busy and another party tries to call the number. This can be of benefit to some people if they frequently occupy the line for lengthy periods. An on-site answering machine will be necessary to take messages when you can’t answer.

Question: How can I make Caller ID work with the STICK?

Answer: You must delay the STICK to answer after the phone company sends the CID data packet, between the 1st and 2nd ring from the phone company. See programming instructions in the User Manual and set “Rings To Answer” option register 14 to value of 2.

Question: How do I program the STICK?

Answer: Specific instructions are provided in the User Manual. It explains commands and responses. Tip: When entering a command to change the value in a register, enter the 2 digit register # followed immediately by the data to be entered. Examples; set Register 14 to 2 (enter 142), set register 13 to #345 (enter 13#345).

Question: All incoming calls, including Fax & Modem, ring on the telephone. What’s wrong?

Answer: Either you have lost power to the STICK (check that LED is glowing red) or the program options in the STICK may have gotten “scrambled” by a power glitch causing the STICK not to answer. In the first case, confirm your power source. In the second case, see the User Manual and reset the options to Factory Presets, then re-program any custom settings you may have had, i.e. CID ring to answer delay.

Question: Some FAX calls ring to my phones while others are received by the FAX machine directly. What’s wrong?

Answer: The FAX calls that are ringing on your phone are probably being initiated by the sender in a manual way, which will not have the CNG tone necessary for automatic routing and reception. The sender must either initiate their call in a way that will generate the CNG tone or you will need to enter the *2 Security Access code on your phone to transfer the call to your Fax machine. Another reason some FAX calls ring to my phones while others are received by the FAX machine directly is some equipment used for sending FAX’s may not be able to emit the CNG signal. They must then use the correct access stream as shown in the User Manual to direct the call to the FAX port with the Security Access Code, i.e. 555-666-777,,*2,,*2.

Question: Can I connect more than 1 modem to the STICK?

Answer: Yes. Generally, any analog telephony equipment can be attached to any device port as desired to meet individual needs.

Question: I am only sharing this line for Fax and Modem type equipment with no inbound voice calls. What is the best installation configuration?

Answer: Recommend connecting the FAX to Voice 1 and change option register “01″ to value of “0″. This will let all FAX calls, with and without CNG tone, find the FAX machine. The Fax port can be used for any other equipment, including a phone for outbound calls.

Question: Can I program the STICK from a remote location?

Answer: Yes, but you must have someone at the STICK location initiate a call to you from a phone attached to the STICK. After you answer, with the caller on the line, programming codes can be entered from either location.

Question: The light (LED) on the STICK blinks. What does it mean?

Answer: The blink pattern indicates which device port is active (off-hook or ring). A single blink for voice port, double blink for fax port, and triple blink for modem port.

Download The Stick Data Sheet.

Call 800.535.4651 for always free technical support. Email techsupport(at)multi-link.net.

Tags: faxswitch, Multi-Link, telephone switch, thestick
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Affordable, More Secure Out-of-Band Network Management

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

The majority of Multi-Link’s phone/data line-sharing devices are being installed for out-of-band dial-up modem access to communication and data networks.

When the network is down and normal in-band access is denied, how do you recover the network equipment? Out-of-band remote access to serial console ports provides an efficient back door method for recovery. This can be through the use of a backup dial-up modem via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Serial console ports are the most reliable and dependable form of communication for equipment management. That is why most high value networking devices have one. Whether it’s a router, switch, firewall, PBX, network storage device, etc, no matter what is happening with the device, the serial auxiliary or console port is always up and running. It is a trusted way to find out what is going on and the quickest way to recovery.

Polnet ACP Phone/Data Line Sharing Switch

The ACP saves money for IT departments by eliminating costly phone lines dedicated for out-of-band dial up access to remote network equipment. Fixed telecom costs are dramatically reduced and a 3 month R.O.I. is typical. In addition to savings, the ACP is engineered to provide an additional layer of security to connected devices. Vulnerable pathways to equipment via the PSTN are protected by programmable Security Access Codes up to seven characters. There are over 35 million combinations to choose from, effectively creating a telephony firewall for dial-up connections.

Furthermore, our Remote Power Control products, The Power Stone and the IP Power Stone 3000, are invaluable tools for rebooting unresponsive equipment in remote areas. The Power Stone is a phone call activated AC power controller used to reboot and power up/down remote equipment. The IP Power Stone 3000 provides the ability to reboot locked-up equipment via web browser.

Either of these remote reboot products makes a perfect complement to the Polnet ACP, providing inexpensive, secure control of remote network equipment.

ACP deployed for remote out-of-band access

Tags: console port access, cost cutting, dial-up modems, faxswitch, lights-out-management, line sharing, managed network services, monitor remote assets, Multi-Link, out-of-band access, out-of-band network management, reducing service-related costs, Remote Monitoring Solutions, remote reboot, secure remote service port access, telephone switch, telephony firewall
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Top 5 Benefits of Remote Site Management Tools

Friday, June 25th, 2010

It’s mid-2010 and businesses across all industries are confronted with a new reality: shrinking budgets, personnel cuts, reduced revenue, and rising operational costs.

For companies challenged with maintaining remote site assets (network, telecom, mechanical), the pain is even more acute. Dispatching service workers on-site frequently puts maintenance staff out of contact for hours at a time, frequently at expensive overtime labor rates. The average cost per service dispatch was $276 in 2009.

To answer this challenge, companies across the world are employing remote management tools that monitor, alert, and troubleshoot automatically. Here are the Top 5 Benefits of Remote Site Management Tools:

1) Reduced Downtime: Minutes vs. Hours. Some tools can detect failure and execute reboot/fix autonomously, without engaging support from personnel.

2) Reduced Site Visits, or Truck Rolls: Driving to the remote site is the biggest time waster. Paying $276 for an engineer just to reboot a router is a crime. And then there’s the fuel cost.

3) Increased Customer Satisfaction: Faster service, improved asset uptime, and better asset performance all contribute to SLA covenant compliance. And that makes for a happy customer.

4) Prepares Support Personnel for On-site Visits: In case remote resolution was not achievable, remote management tools can at least provide diagnostic data to the support crew, ensuring that the right hardware and tools are brought to the site for a successful first time fix.

5) Immediate R.O.I: Remote site management tools can pay for themselves by eliminating the time, labor, and fuel costs for just one site visit.

For information on Multi-Link’s remote site management solutions, call 800-535-4651.

Tags: console port access, lights-out-management, monitor remote assets, reducing service-related costs, Remote Monitoring Solutions, remote reboot, telephone switch, the power stone
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P.O.S. back-up phone lines are a must, the monthly costs are not!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Today’s Point of Sale Systems do much more than the plain old cash registers we have known in the past. Instead of a simple machine ringing sales and storing cash, the more sophisticated POS Systems can take customer orders, execute credit card transactions, track inventory, order supplies, manage employee attendance, implement customer loyalty programs, and much more. Further customization options make POS Systems essential for countless businesses including:

o Department and retail store chains
o Foodservice (QSR’s, Fast food, Fine dining)
o Convenience and grocery stores
o Apparel
o Sporting goods
o Hardware
o Automotive parts
o Furniture

Point of Sale Systems generally use broadband connections where available for high-speed payment card processing. However, 75% or more of these systems use analog phone lines as back-up in case of network downtime or equipment malfunction. These back-up phone lines, although seldom or never used, represent recurring monthly expenses for businesses. Think of it as “insurance”, a back-up communications path is vital but expensive.

Multi-Link can help companies avoid this monthly cost with The Stick line-sharing switch. The Stick is a cost-saving and powerful device that enables phone, fax, POS, and modems to share ONE telephone line. Simply install on an existing phone line and connect the POS modem to The Stick. By sharing a line with multiple devices, The Stick removes the need for multiple costly telephone lines and results in a fast return on investment. As an example, one restaurant operator with 43 locations is now saving $51,600/year. A 3-month R.O.I. is typical.

How much can you save? Try our free Cost Savings Calculator. With this tool, you can insert your actual phone line costs today and the number of locations you operate. The calculation will provide your projected savings through phone line consolidation. Also, view Multi-Link POS Application Brief on SlideShare.

Tags: back-up phone lines, c-store, Cost Savings Calculator, faxswitch, line sharing, point-of-sale, Remote Monitoring Solutions, telephone switch, thestick
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