the cics phone system isnt bad, supports 16 outside pots lines (more if you t1) and 28 extensions, and like was described can switch a payphone array

All good info. I know of one COCOT that is POTS, so there must be more.

I installed a Bell-style Fortress COCOT at my place of business. It eats a pots line, and has a little digital board inside that you can program. You can get reporting of how much cash is in the coinbox by pressing *#4XXXX, where the X are a four digit password, and reset the count with *#5XXXX. To actually program it, you gotta open it and flip switches.

Fortress phones are built like fucking tanks. I once tried to, eh, liberate one when I was younger. No go! And a close call with the fuzz, I might add. The key for them is like a medeco, with the angled cuts and stuff, so don't bother picking em either.

ACTS phones you used to be able to redbox - can you do that on the isdn ones? I haven't tried that in aaaages.

and for those of you who like to look for dialtones with buttsets watch out for those pesky t1 lines, they run at over a hundred volts and tickle. I was looking for a free pair on a cable here at work and somone ran an unmarked T1 (a nono) over the cable. OUCH