County employees soon won’t have to ask “Can you hear me now?” after commissioners voted Monday to install a new telephone system throughout most county-owned buildings.

The $99,731 system will be installed and maintained by Centrylink and includes equipment, service and training for some 165 telephone lines and multiple fax lines.

The new system can be customized by department and will allow the transferring of calls between buildings. It is also the same system as used by the State of Alabama.

Included in the price is also a 36-month maintenance agreement for the system.

County administrator Brenda Petty said an additional $800 a month will be saved by eliminating the old system, which was installed for $225,000 when the building was built.

-Stephanie Nelson