atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Telecom Service & Providers AT&T IP Flex Reach

Howdy All -

I have all of my legacy Bellsouth contracts coming up for expiration in a few months and when that happens, probably looking at making a bunch of changes to my services.

I've been pointed in the direction of looking at AT&T IP-Flex Reach; all my sites have been pre-certified as in areas where it is available.

I have some reservations, its a much higher risk system than the POTS approach I take now (which I inherited).

Is anybody using (or installed either successfully / unsuccessfully) IP Flex-Reach? I'm mainly curious about voice quality (which is one reason I've not looked at implementing WAN IP telephony site to site). I've also been told that if I use IP-Flex Reach vs a standard PRI I can't receive faxes over an IP-Flex Reach channel due to "compression" or have any other type of "analog device" using a IP-Flex channel. One of the few items I've found on AT&T's website (which is dated 2007) seems to indicate it doesn't matter whats connected and used.

So hopefully there are some people here who may have used or implemented and willing to share their opinions.

ML

I have not dealt with AT&T IP-Flex , but sounds the same as Nuvox VOXIP PRI , they have started bringing in fax or modem lines as POTS lines , instead of on the PRI.

It's definitely a VOIP product and you do have to take the need for analog data seriously. Fax machines, credit card terminals and analog modems don't work well over VOIP.

The way this service works is that instead of a true PRI, they send the entire circuit as a data T1 and break out channels for voice use on an "on-demand" basis. When voice channels are not being used (idle), the bandwidth is allocated for data only. This maximizes the speed for data and adjusts automatically depending upon voice traffic. The concept is great, and the voice quality is fine since you aren't using the public Internet.

Again, it is the analog devices that will give you trouble. You may have to consider using POTS lines for them just in case. I'm not sure how cost-effective this will be when doing a true side-by-side comparison.

They have been selling the flex product here in cali for a little while now and alot of our customers dont see it as a good solution just because of the analog device issues. we use time warner telecom and they use a versi-pack that allows the data and voice to flex up and down depending on useage. The att product is still pricey after u get all the costs in.

Hi Mark!,

Same issues here, but as I've said in another post - we commonly have customers that have been "promised" by salesman that the flex CAN handle the analog lines... then inevitably a few weeks or month down the road, they are getting a POTS line.

It is a great product, for the right application, but it's not for a smaller set-up (6-8 lines), because they haven't perfected the data transmission (CC/FAX/etc.). They always try to up the baud rate for one line, but in the end, when they miss 1 out of every 10 pages... it's not worth it.

I've even referred customers who mainly get (but not send) faxes to use an IP fax solution (PDF to e-mail).

Best thing to do is check with any existing customers in your service area and get their opinion.


Good Luck!

It blows. Every install I have been on the AT&T people have no clue what they are doing. They sell a package with a T1 dedicated for VOIP and a T1 dedicated for data and it has to be the most stupid setup for VOIP I have ever seen. The only people I have seen do this properly is Cbeyond. Not only do they BOND the T1's so that you get possible 3 MB but fax/modem traffic works just fine and if you lose a T1 no big deal but the transfer rates go down.

HI All -

My apologies for (1) responding to an older thread (2)for not responding sooner - I was out of town for work for nearly 3 weeks and this fell to the bottom of the list.


If I move forward with it, I'm planning for one or at least two POTS lines in every location - handle alarm, fax, credit card terminal, etc which I wouldn't want to put over a VOIP circuit. Even with the added cost of the the POTS lines to the flex reach product, my total telecom expenses would drop month to month.

The pricing on the product seems right for the services we would get; although I am not goign to do it until they can provided 3mb over bonded T1's since I am looking to overlay the flex reach T1 with MPLS circuits for my WAN.

I would still have the upfront costs of upgrading all my phone systems to support the product or trying to see what my options would be with an FXO or FSO card (and if they'd be available) on the routers and continue using the analog ports on my phone systems. Lots to figure out.

thank you all for your feed back.

mark @ LMFJ