  A multichannel calculation of excited $J^{PC}=1^{--}$ $\phi$ states is
carried out within a generalization of the Resonance-Spectrum Expansion, which
may shed light on the classification of the $\phi(2170)$ resonance, discovered
by BABAR and originally denoted X(2175). In this framework, a complete spectrum
of bare $s\bar{s}$ states is coupled to those OZI-allowed decay channels that
should be most relevant for the considered energy range. The included $S$- and
$P$-wave two-meson channels comprise the lowest pseudoscalar, vector, scalar,
and axial-vector mesons, while in the $q\bar{q}$ sector both the $^{3}S_1$ and
$^{3}D_1$ states are coupled. The only two free parameters are tuned so as to
reproduce mass and width of the $\phi(1020)$, but come out reasonably close to
previously used values. Among the model's $T$-matrix poles, there are good
candidates for observed resonances, as well other ones that should exist
according to the quark model. Besides the expected resonances as unitarized
confinement states, a dynamical resonance pole is found at $(2186-i246)$ MeV.
The huge width makes its interpretation as the $\phi(2170)$ somewhat dubious,
but further improvements of the model may change this conclusion.
