3 Main Reasons For a Nortel Phone System Failure

Still Using Your Nortel Phone System?

The Nortel Norstar telephone system was integrated and introduced to the working world in the late 1980s, quickly becoming one of the leading telephone systems in the world. While for many the network may still be working, some of these systems are nearing 40 years in use and have an upcoming expiration date.

Phone systems have evolved greatly since the introduction of Norstar and can serve your needs greater than the legacy system you have currently at your workplace.  

When dealing with legacy phone systems such as Nortel, you are often crossing your fingers week by week, hoping that the aging technology holds up. This is stressful and can leave you making a rash decision should the system suddenly fail you unexpectedly. This is why it is imperative that you are able to construct a replacement plan, outlining what sort of system may be of benefit to you most, preparing you to choose the best option for your business while also not leaving any customers in the dark when the system does finally give!

Here is some of the main reasons your current Nortel system may fail you and why you should be looking at upgrading to a newer, much more sustainable system.

PBX Power Supply Failure

The primary reason why Nortel's older phone systems bite the bullet is their power supply. The power supply (PSU) has a crucial role as it converts the regular AC electrical currents from the outlet into a lower voltage DC current that the Norstar system requires. Converting that energy creates a large amount of excess heat, eventually leading to the power supply “burning out” and being no longer functional.

When your power supply fails without redundancy (a feature Norstar does not have), your entire phone system goes down. No operating phone system means no way for customers to reach you directly, and no opportunity for customers to even leave a voicemail if need be.

Line Card Failure

The 'Line Card' or one of the 'Station Modules' that control and manage phone connections can often be the culprit of a failure. If the Line Card/Module fails, inbound calls as well as outbound calls no longer function.

Without a functioning Line Card, the line appears to function for a customer, but it will only ring without an answer! This can be very damaging for business, as customers can feel slighted by this, thinking that their calls are being ignored.

When a Station Module fails the phones stop ringing, a problem you do not want to have and a problem that can be avoided with an updated system.

System Programming Failure

The Nortel Norstar system utilizes a super capacitor (super cap) for maintaining the programming data in it's internal memory. In the event of a power outage, the capacitor provides instructions to the system to properly set it up and keep it operational. This was a revolutionary technology and aided greatly at the time of many of your systems installations, but there is a catch.

Super capacitors have a high rate of failure as they age, with the rate ever increasing the further into their lifespan. There are no outwards signs of failure (nor any way to test, other than unplugging the system) as it's only there as a data "backup" system. 

With zero to no way of knowing that the capacitor has failed, you have a ticking time bomb on your hands ready to throw a wrench into your workplace’s daily operations.

If your system has a failed super-capacitor, a loss of power will cause you to lose all established programming (extension numbers and names, line settings, call handling, etc.). The system will need to be completely reprogrammed to restore service, taking valuable time. This reprograming can and will take multiple hours, with little to no chance of returning to the same system you had programmed in previously over time.

Not only is this a massive headache, but there are also costs of replacing the super capacitor, as once the power goes out again the exact same issue will transpire if the system is not fixed.

What should You Do?

The best approach to this issue is to create an updating plan while you still have a functioning but dated system.

Not only are the newer phone systems more reliable with more features built in than you can imagine when switching from Nortel, you may even save a large amount of money on your monthly plan!

Cabco offers the latest in both on premise telephone and cloud telephone services, with both the technical knowhow and over 40 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Feel free to contact us for consultation on a new system and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, including helping you decide what system works best for your business.