Picking the proper small business phone systems is a lot more than just looking at different products and 
comparing capabilities. There is a deeper issue involved relating to where a company is and where it is expected to go. Your phone system obviously needs to meet your corporate needs at the moment. Yet like how the needs of children change as they age into their teenage years and then on into adulthood, a company hopes to grow similarly.
Adtran 7100 Vs. Avaya Small Business Phone Systems
The growing pains of a child become worse as they begin to have to deal with an embarrassing cracking of the voice or bouts of acne. This isn’t the case for growing companies. A phone system with capabilities maximized only for a certain size company can quickly become a straight jacket to future growth as a company expands.
Yet buying a system too robust for a realistic model of company growth can hurt a company in costs, training for capabilities rarely used and maintaining a system not used to its full potential. Every company dreams of moving from a small business to the next Apple or Microsoft but the reality is most have modest, predictable growth. Accurately gauging your companies future growth is critical in knowing which phone system to use.
It is this current capabilities versus future capabilities which are the major difference in many very popular phone systems such as the Adtran and Avaya phone systems. Both companies offer a line of phones with impressive capabilities and support services. The main difference is the concept of how the system will be used and expanded.
The Adtran Phone Systems
The main concept behind the Adtran phone system, especially the Adtran Netvanta 7100 line, is a phone system which will allow a business to implement a IP phone system quickly, easily, and with a minimum of start-up costs. The Adtran 7100 is specifically geared towards business moving from an older phone system to a newer IP system.
While robust in capability, the Adtran 7100 phone system will require a lot of specialized technical skills to install or operate. With so many small business managers wearing many different hats, not having to add another complex task to their work day is obviously a plus! However advanced programming can be done to tweak the phone system to meet specific company needs.
While geared towards smaller business, the Adtran 7100 can be expanded to encompass up to 2500 individual users. That gives a lot of room for growth before worries about overtaxing your phone system.
The Avaya Phone System
While promoted for any sized business, the Avaya phone system is definitely geared towards larger sized companies with their basic phone line capable of supporting 12 lines. Their higher end phones, like the IP Office line, can manage anywhere from 5 to 1,000 unique phone stations at a single location. Not only does the IP Office line support more lines at one location, it can fully integrate up to 32 unique locations into one network.
The Avaya phone systems also come with more integration options ranging from wireless 
technology, USB connections and Bluetooth wireless technology. However these extended capabilities come at a price of requiring a Linux based server to operate from. While not an uncommon feature, it does require another level that a phone system like the Adtran 7100 does not require.
Choosing the System
Obviously the decision on whether to go with a simpler system like the Adtran 7100 or the much more robust IP Office phone system will require some thinking. It also depends on how much phone traffic is expected. Even a small company in the customer service business might have to field a call center needing a more robust phone system. On the other hand, a simpler system is less costly, requires less management and requires less specialized personnel to operate it.
Before deciding, call the experts and learn all the available options for your business.
