Multiple Directory Numbers; Lcd Messaging; Call Duration Timer; Account Codes - Toshiba Strata DK Competitive Notes

Toshiba Strata DK & Nortel Norstar Product Comparison
Strata DK Advantages Over Norstar
Automatic Number Identification (ANI)
The Norstar ICS Compact supports Caller ID on loop start lines, but does not support ANI.
The Strata DK40i supports ANI over analog DID and Tie lines in addition to Caller ID on loop
start lines.
Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS)
The DK40i supports DNIS on analog DID and Tie lines. DNIS is very useful to identify the
number dialed by the calling party, regardless of which line the call comes in on. The Norstar
ICS Compact does not support this valuable feature.

Multiple Directory Numbers

The Norstar's Answer buttons enable multiple calls to be answered at the user's telephone, but
are no substitute for true multiple appearing directory numbers that the Strata DK systems
provide. The Norstar ICS Modular DID numbers (not regular DNs) can appear more than once
on a DKT and can appear on another telephone, providing limited multiple DN appearances,
but does not support phantom DNs like Strata DK. True Multiple DN capabilities provided by
Strata DK enables the ultimate efficiency in call coverage.

LCD Messaging

The Norstar has very weak LCD station-to-station messaging capabilities. It lacks many
important messaging capabilities Strata DK systems have, including 40 alphanumeric standard
system messages, 10 alphanumeric personal messages, busy station messaging, group station
messaging, and timed reminders. The only LCD messaging the Norstar has is nine standard
system callback messages. The only modifying a station user can do is on a call back request
that says, "Jill called," where you can only insert your own name or extension. There are no
custom messages. Nortel's defense of this weakness is only by saying that creating and using
custom messages would be too difficult to make it practical. This is not the case with Strata
DK systems. Once created through dial pad entry, custom messages are easy to use.

Call Duration Timer

The call duration timer on the Norstar phones requires the user to dial a feature code to briefly
display call duration, then it disappears. It is not displayed continuously while the call is in
progress, as with the Strata DK. It would be easier to look at your watch than keep dialing
display codes on the Norstar.
Directory Speed Dialing
LCD dial-by-name directory speed dialing is provided by software that runs on a dedicated
personal computer attached to the Norstar system. This requires costly additional hardware, in
addition to software that will have to be licensed separately from Nortel. Strata DK systems
can support the same capability with keyboard dialing from a PC, and can also provide a much
more cost-effective solution for LCD directory speed dialing with built-in capabilities not
requiring an external application processor.

Account Codes

The use of account codes on Strata DK systems is more flexible than the Norstar. Account
codes on the Strata can be voluntary, forced, verified, or forced and verified. Strata DK
systems provide up to 300 forced and voluntary account code entry of 4~15 digits. The Norstar
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Strata DK 12/99