I suggest a different strategy. Get them a NEW MICS (Still available). I still have half a dozen MICS R7.1's out there with customers I've had for 12-16 years. Until recently, I kept a crash kit or two, but now I am selling them on buying their own crash kits. For a customer with 75-100 phones, an extra $1000 is nothing to keep their system going another 5 years (or more). I expect to see some decent replacements for the MICS within the next few years other than the $50k-$100k systems. If you go with IP Office, I would recommend that you go all the way. New phones. I'm getting too old to try to make square pegs fit in round holes. If the Nortel M-series & T-series phones really work, that's another story; haven't tried that. Which ever you do, set yourself up to look good and have less grief.
Originally posted by Yoda:
I've installed and supported Nortel key systems since DR 1.0, and I know enough to be dangerous with the BCM 400 Element Manager.
But, we all know what happened with Nortel. I received a call from an old customer that needs to upgrade from their Nortel CICS. They need more sets, voicemail, etc.
I figure this would be a good time to jump to a Nortel replacement system, like the Avaya IP Office. I understand there is a version that is all Avaya, and another that is Nortel compatable.
Should I cut the cord and just go with the Avaya IP Office? Or is it worth it to start slowly with the other? Are M7310 sets compatable with either system? How about T7316e sets?
Is Avaya similar enough to Nortel or BCM that I wouldn't have trouble making it work? Or is formal training a given?
Thanks for your input.
Jim
