sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information To IP or not to IP

Hello all,
My volunteer fire department is looking to put in a phone system. I have worked with Asterisk at home and am pretty comfortable with it. I priced out a quick system and came up with about $4500 with a POE switch, server, 10 phones, and 4 analog lines in.

My question is, should we go with the IP system, or does anybody know of another system that I can get for about the same price? I can install it all myself, but if it is a traditional system I don't think I will be able to program it, unless I can also get the programming software, not sure if you need to be an authorized dealer.

We are looking for a system that has an auto-attendant, voice mail with email or sms notification, and possibly the ability to record calls received on the main line.

There are 10 stations with no more then 2 concurrent conversations

I am open to any other suggestions.

Thanks, Jim

Check out the nec dsx, it's relatively inexpensive. But if you don't have telephone system programming experience you'll probably have a hard time, unless you have the time to decipher the manual.

It has auto attendant, v-mail, can now do email notification and you can record calls.

https://www.necdsx.com/#

Why IP?
From the description you have giving of your needs there are many many key phone systems out there that will fit your needs without the hassle of IP.

Have you looked at the Avaya Partner ACS?

Wow, you guys are quick. The only reason I was thinking IP initially was because that is all I have worked with, and they already have a cat5e to each jack location.

I just poked around online and found that I can get a Nortel compact ICS w/ a call pilot 100 and phones for around $xxxx. They say software is included and I sent them an email to find out if that was the programming software for the switch. The software package said "Compact ICS 7.0 software with IRAD" Is that just a general description or does it mean something?

I am a computer and security guy with a strong background in networking, is this something I will be able to program after I screw with it for a while. I will be the one supporting it after the install, making changes at least yearly as our line and administrative officers change.

How does Nortel stack up against some of the other systems, and I know at the end of the day it comes down to the installer, so I suppose the real question is how difficult is this going to be to install? I don't have a problem beginning in somebody to help with the initial programming, but I would like to do it myself, as something new to learn.

(note: edited for pricing)

The Nortel CICS is a very stable and reliable system.
But I would NOT recommend buying it from some online house.
You would be better off buying it from a reputable local dealer that will be there for you in the future to help you with MAC and upgrades.

To say whether you could install it or not, is a hard question. Telecom work is not the same as computers or networking. Every system is different. They each have their own idiosyncrasies. I totally agree with Mike. I would get some prices from local dealers for a system and installation. They will back what they sell and service it, unlike buying it off some website where you are stuck if it doesn't work.
Just my opinion.

Thank you Michael, I would also prefer to get it from a local shop, I just needed some numbers that I can bring up with the membership to get it voted on, I can only spend up to $300 without approval.

I am located in central NJ, would I be on track to ask for up to $3,000 for the system? Assuming $2500 for the parts, about $500 for the programming. I will do the physical install myself and then bring in somebody to help with the programming.

I am not trying to take food off anybodies table, just need to keep costs down on something we didn't budget for this year.

How difficult is the programming on the Nortel?

Anybody interested? If this get approved I will probably post a thread under the 'request an installer'.

I would assume that you would want a very reliable system for your Fire Department, correct? And, you probably don't need voice-mail?

The problem with buying the equipment off the internet is that if your system goes down due to a bad part, you may be out of business for quite some time waiting on your internet supplier to exchange the equipment. However, if you purchase it from a local dealer then they will most likely have a crash-kit in stock and have you operational within a few hours.

You can probably get a local vendor to provide AND install a new system for less than the Asterisk system you mentioned. Why don't you get 2-3 quotes and then take the numbers to the budget people?

The Asterisk number was just the first thing I came across, I see now I can get a traditional system for much less, probably installed.

And we were looking for voice-mail, the ivr was a big selling point for the membership, we get a lot of calls looking for general information, like hall rental, and it would be a lot easier if we can set up a prompt that would play a recording for them. The station is not manned 24/7, so we would like to have some sort of messaging.

Putting the system/technology aside for a moment, I'm not sure I would want the liability of setting up a phone system for a fire-department as my first production system for any phone system, asterisk or otherwise. No manner of insurance is going to save you if someone attempts to call in and cant because you didn't set a call route right and a city block burns down.

If this system won't be handling that part of the fire station then I guess the only liability you have is potentially upsetting everyone that has to use the phone system. With asterisk specifically, using it at home for yourself is going to be completely different then what it will need to do in production. People aren't going to remember complex dialplans or commands to do things so you will have to simplify these as much as possible. If possible you will want to make use of simple mnenomics like 101 dials receptionist, but *101 intercoms her, and #101 transfers to her voicemail, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to talk you out of your Asterisk install, but rather pass on some things I have learned the hard way. What I would suggest is picking a traditional phone system that you have experience using (not programming), and then try to make Asterisk mimic that system. You don't need to fully duplicate it feature for feature but you need to have comparable abilities. The 5 features that you are going to want to nail are transfers, intercom, voicemail, auto-attendant/ACD, and call parking.

Just my thoughts on the subject, take 'em with a grain of salt