web statisticsweb stats Business Phone Systems Tech Talk Forum - VOIP & Cloud Phone Help

Business Phone Systems

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 6
Yoda Online Content OP
Member
OP Online Content
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 6
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

Avaya IP Office Help & Support Website
IP Office Help

Avaya IP Office Help & Support Website


FAQs, documentation, videos, updates, and support for the Avaya IP Office business phone system!
Everything you need to know about installing, upgrading, and troubleshooting IP 500v2 and IPO Server Edition systems.

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 828
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 828
In the US you would use the standard IP Office with cards/modules designed for Nortel phones. Most Norstar phones (including 7310 and 7316e) are supported and work quite well. You can also have Avaya phones on the same system - connected to cards/mods that support those phones. Norstar IP phones are also supported - but are rumored to not work so well.
IP Office is a different animal as compared to MICS/CICS. Steep learning curve. To be authorized on the product formal education is required. A demo/lab system and using all of your spare time rattling around in it is also a good investment.
Good luck. Mike

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Offline
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Mike said most of it right there. I too came from a heavy Nortel background, but I also had a heavy background in Partner/Magic/Definity so I think I was ahead of most of the Nortel only guys. It is, and continues to be a steep learning curve, but also in my opinion the best long term option. I like IPO's Manager software much, much more than I ever liked Element Manager or NRU. With R7 and above you can re-use nortel sets so they wont have as big of a hit on system purchase. Contact Matt, Mongo5150, on this board. He was extremely helpful to us in getting on board as an Avaya BP. He can get you in contact with the right people. There are also many sources for support outside of Avaya as well such as boards like this and sites ran by some of the IPO Office experts..


Z-man
Avaya SME Authorized Partner
www.omniofficetech.com
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 421
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 421
There are differences with the Nortel phones working on a Nortel product and them working on the IP Office. One is Caller ID may not work until the call is picked up depending on a certain setting from the carrier. A second is if you have lines appearing on the phones and you put a line on hold it doesn't flash on the other phones. You can still pick it up though. There are differences but you will find many things you love about the IP Office.

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,659
Likes: 4
Moderator-Avaya
*****
Offline
Moderator-Avaya
*****
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,659
Likes: 4
To answer 1 specific question, the M7xxx series are supported, but I dont like them on IPO.

They didnt have an MWL tehy just put text on a screen. That feature is not supported on IPO. So the only way for users to know they have a vociemail would be voicemail/email or vociemail ringback.

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1
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.


Quote
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

Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 6
Yoda Online Content OP
Member
OP Online Content
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 6
Tip'n'Ring, I too, am getting too old for some of this. I like your idea of getting them a MICS. Or even a BCM 50. But I don't know if that would be fair to the customer.

I'm a one man show and support most of the businesses in town, so I need to be able to support what I sell. It wouldn't be fair to them if I couldn't do that. I have a day job, so the steep learning curve is going to be a problem.

Guess I'm just getting tired.
Thanks for the input guys.

Jim

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Offline
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Jim,

I highly encourage you to go the IP Office route. I have been around Nortel as long as I have been doing phones, but it is a dying system. Sure, you will have systems and phones for a long time on the secondary market, but you it hit right on about being fair to the customer. If you don't have the time and means to become a BP, there are plenty of BPs who would work with you to make sure your customers get taken care of.


Z-man
Avaya SME Authorized Partner
www.omniofficetech.com
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Offline
Moderator-Avaya, Nortel
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,630
Quote
Originally posted by mongo5150:
To answer 1 specific question, the M7xxx series are supported, but I dont like them on IPO.

They didnt have an MWL tehy just put text on a screen. That feature is not supported on IPO. So the only way for users to know they have a vociemail would be voicemail/email or vociemail ringback.
Thats a good point Matt. One that I hadn't really thought about as most of our existing Nortel systems are running T-series. But I have been talking with a few companies that are interested in upgrading but have M-series sets. Thanks for pointing that out.


Z-man
Avaya SME Authorized Partner
www.omniofficetech.com
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 49
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 49
IPO is not that bad to learn as I am an old gizzer myself from the Nortel/BCM camp . I signed up with Avaya learning dot com and took couple course on line and got myself an IPO demo kit . We all got day job but I do enjoy break & fix a lot with the demo kit. My clients are moving fast in replacing pretty much all their Partner & CICS once they see that they can fastly expand and save pretty much all their M & T sets . We had couple large job with BCM450 proposal but in the end, all end up with IPO when we inform our clients of the looming date of the EOS of the BCM line . Norstar/Nortel specially CICS/MICS with its legendary durability was hard to beat but we trully feel that it is time to march on with Avaya
newer line of thinking . In all fairness, IPO release 7 is a good effort mainly for the Nortel support. Release 8 should be a bit better on SIP 12xx series set .

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums84
Topics94,262
Posts638,697
Members49,757
Most Online5,661
May 23rd, 2018
Popular Topics(Views)
211,098 Shoretel
187,712 CTX100 install
186,799 1a2 system
Newest Members
BPopilek, Rich F, LewisR, TDKs79, Buttinset
49,757 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
dexman 18
Toner 11
TDKs79 8
pvj 4
jc2it 4
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 163 guests, and 244 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Contact Us | Sponsored by Atcom: One of the best VoIP Phone Canada Suppliers for your business telephone system!| Terms of Service

Sundance Communications is not affiliated with any of the above manufacturers. Sundance Phone System Forums - VOIP & Cloud Phone Help
©Copyright Sundance Communications 1998-2024
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5