Room-to-Reception Calling for Hotels: EPABX Sizes and Phones
Short answer: for room-to-reception calling, a hotel needs an EPABX with one extension for every room plus reception, the kitchen and the manager, and enough outside lines for guests and staff to call out. On our store a ready kit with phones costs ₹15,800 for 12 extensions (about 10 rooms), ₹17,699 to ₹18,399 for 16, ₹27,400 to ₹28,999 for 24 and ₹36,500 to ₹36,700 for 32. A 20-room hotel with cabling comes to ₹48,134. Prices include GST and delivery across India is free.
How does room-to-reception calling work?
Each room has a plain phone wired back to the exchange in the reception back office. Rooms get extension numbers, ideally matched to room numbers if the exchange allows flexible numbering. A guest lifts the phone and dials reception for towels, food or checkout. Reception dials a room to say a taxi has arrived. Room service and housekeeping get their own extensions. All of these internal calls are free.
The outside lines (landline or SIM) are shared. The hotel's number rings at reception, and reception transfers the call to a room or the manager. Whether guests can dial out directly, or only through reception, is set in the exchange's programming, so you can block outgoing calls from rooms if you do not want to bill for them.
How do you size the EPABX for a hotel?
Count extensions first, then lines.
- Extensions = number of rooms + reception + kitchen or restaurant + manager's cabin + housekeeping or store, then 2 to 4 spare.
- Outside lines = how many outside calls might happen at the same time. A 10-room guest house manages with 2 or 3; a busy 30-room hotel is better with 4.
Model numbers make this easy on CCL exchanges: the first digit is outside lines, the rest is extensions. A 312 is 3 lines and 12 extensions; a 424 is 4 lines and 24 extensions. For the full range, see the EPABX price guide.
EPABX size by number of rooms
| Rooms (with 3 to 4 staff points) | Exchange | Lines / extensions | Exchange price | Kit with phones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 8 | CCL 312B | 3 / 12 | ₹7,000 | Combo-CN197, 12 × C11: ₹15,800 |
| Up to 12 | CCL 216B | 2 / 16 | ₹7,500 | Combo-CN16, 16 × C11: ₹18,399 |
| Up to 12, more lines | CCL 416 | 4 / 16 | ₹8,499 | Combo-CN72, 16 Beetel phones: ₹17,699 |
| Up to 20 | CCL 224 | 2 / 24 | ₹11,150 | Combo-CN19, 24 × C11: ₹27,400 |
| Up to 20, more lines | CCL 424 | 4 / 24 | ₹12,499 | Combo-CN89, 24 × C11: ₹28,999 |
| Up to 28 | CCL 232B | 2 / 32 | ₹13,499 | Combo-CN106, 32 × C11: ₹36,500 |
| Up to 28, more lines | CCL 432 | 4 / 32 | ₹14,199 | Combo-CN112, 32 × C11: ₹36,700 |
| Up to 44 | CCL 848S | 8 / 48 | ₹34,500 | Add phones separately |
The CCL 224 had only 2 units in stock on the date below; the 424 is the easy alternative for the same room count.
What you need and why
- The exchange, in the reception back office near the incoming lines and a power point on inverter backup.
- Room phones. Plain corded phones are standard: the Beetel C11 (₹599) has redial and flash, and nothing for guests to misconfigure. Wall-mountable phones such as the Beetel B25 (₹650) suit corridors, kitchens and staff areas.
- A caller ID phone at reception, such as the Beetel C51 (₹999), so staff can see which room or outside number is calling. This only works if the exchange passes caller ID to extensions; confirm for your model before buying. Our C11 vs C51 comparison explains the difference.
- Cable, MDF boxes and rosettes: one pair to every room, terminated on 10-pair MDF boxes beside the exchange. See how an EPABX is wired.
- Outside lines: landlines, or SIM lines through a GSM gateway if landlines are slow to arrive.
Shopping list: 20-room hotel
Assumed: 20 rooms + reception + restaurant + manager = 23 extensions on a 24-extension exchange with 4 outside lines; reception gets a caller ID phone (the spare C11 stays as a replacement); average cable run 25 m.
| Item | Qty assumed | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Combo-CN89 (CCL 424 + 24 Beetel C11) | 1 kit | ₹28,999 |
| Beetel C51 for reception | 1 | ₹999 |
| TW-2P telephone wire, 90 m | 8 rolls (24 × 25 m + 10%) | ₹14,392 |
| 10-pair MDF box | 3 | ₹2,697 |
| ROS-11 rosettes, pack of 10 | 3 packs | ₹1,047 |
| Total material | ₹48,134 |
That is about ₹2,407 per room before electrician labour. If the building is compact or the conduits already carry telephone cable, the cable line drops sharply.
Optional upgrades
- A cordless phone for the duty manager, so calls follow them around the property: the Beetel X-90 (₹1,990) works on any extension. See cordless phones with an EPABX.
- A SIM line through the CCL FCT-GSM-DU (₹3,299) on a spare line port.
- Room locks and energy savers: RFID card locks and card switches are covered in our hotel locks and energy saver guide. The hotel and PG solutions page lists everything for a property in one place.
Browse exchanges in EPABX systems, ready kits in intercom and telephone combos, and more for hospitality in solutions for hotels and PGs.
FAQ
Which EPABX is best for a 20-room hotel?
A 24-extension model with 4 outside lines, such as the CCL 424 (₹12,499), covers 20 rooms plus reception, restaurant and manager. The Combo-CN89 kit with 24 Beetel C11 phones costs ₹28,999.
How much does a hotel intercom system cost in India?
On our store, kits with phones cost ₹15,800 for 12 extensions, ₹17,699 to ₹18,399 for 16, ₹27,400 to ₹28,999 for 24 and ₹36,500 to ₹36,700 for 32. Cable and termination are extra.
Can guests make outside calls from the room phone?
Only if you allow it. EPABX programming lets you permit or block outside dialling per extension, so many hotels route all outside calls through reception.
Can reception see which room is calling?
Yes, with a caller ID phone such as the Beetel C51 at reception, provided the exchange passes caller ID to its extensions. Check the model's listing or ask us before buying.
How many outside lines does a small hotel need?
Plan for the number of outside calls that may happen at once. Two or three lines suit a 10-room guest house; four suit most 20 to 30-room hotels.
Prices are NavKar Systems website prices on 27 October 2026, inclusive of GST, and may change.
