Buying a Used Phone System - the Pros and Cons

There maybe no better small business phone system than a used phone system. It is important to remember that phone systems are simply technology and all technology has three basic characteristics:

1. Superseded annually or even more frequently.
2. Depreciates rapidly - nominal resale value.
3. The cost of maintenance increases with age.

For anyone looking to buy a used business phone system these features can be good news, but there is a catch. Small business owners are typically short of Time. The challenge is to find the right phone system without wasting time.

One solution is to check out the listings on There are always phone systems on eBay. Interestingly, many of the listed items are still packed in their original boxes - unused. So if your looking for a multi line phone system or a VoIP PBX here is a good place to start.

To - Do List

1. Establish if the phone system is a current model or not. It's OK to buy a superseded model, but advisable to ignore anything more than two - three years old.


2. In the case a new VoIP PBX installation, don't forget to factor in the cost of running Cat-5 cabling if it is not there already.

Other Ideas

1. Free PBX software maybe an attractive option for someone who has the time and technical knowledge. Otherwise check out eBay or consider a small business phone service.

2. Outsource management of the phone system to a cheap business phone service. It's an attractive option for many of us.

3. Check out the phone systems available at the Tool Shop.

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