,

I let Fred talk me into Panamax for my CO surge protection, and I've been happy with it.

I use the Porta Systems stuff based on the recommendation of a serious-level phone guy I've used as a sub in the past. I like it. ADI sells it. Not terribly expensive, and they look more industrial and less consumer than the Panamax. They use gas tube supression, and the supressors are removable and replaceable for each individual line.

The gas suppression type of surge protection is not that reliable. I've lost systems (phonr systems that is) to that type. I been using Surgex lately and have been a happy customer.

IMO this is a tad misleading. Surgex does not protect the phone or cable lines, only the high voltage. The company stand on the low voltage is that if it's properly grounded you shouldn't have a problem on the low voltage side.
I have no problem with MOV or gas tube devices on the incoming phone and cable lines BUT they should be in the basement with a short ground lead bonded to the main panel ground. That combination is pretty solid.

I did not meen to mislead but in fifteenyears I spent in the interconnect industry I've seen enough gas suppression phone line protectors fail so that I was not surprised when they did, Porta Systems among them. As far as I could tell they could not deal with a lightning hit. I use the Surgex, Panamax and Furman now for mains voltage.