sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Iwatsu Telephones & Systems IWATSU to Cisco CCM? PRI types available? Dial-plan?

Hi,

I've contacted our local IWATSU engineer, but in the meantime while waiting for a response, I'm trying to educate myself..

We're installing a new Cisco Call Manager, and for some length of time (maybe up to a couple years) we'd like to have the IWATSU networked with the call manager.

My first inclination is to just put a back to back PRI between the systems - The call manager can emulate Network side signalling. My questions are:

1: If we do this, what PRI signaling types are supported
2: Does the IWATSU support more than one signalling type per board / system, or am I going to be stuck using the same signalling imposed by the PSTN?
3: Is the dial-plan in the IWATSU robust enough to allow us to easily do extension dialing over that link, AND to allow the Cisco to access the PSTN through the IWATSU?

Has anyone here ever done a CCM integration? any hints / gotchas you could point me to?

Thanks in advance!
-Steve Jones

1. I kinda did this between an ADIX and an Altigen
we just used T1 cards between the two configured as E&M wink start.

I say 'kinda' did this because the network dial tables in the Altigen weren't as flexible as the ADIX, so, while I could call any extension and the voice mail on the Altigen from the ADIX, they could never get it to work the other way.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that the altigen guys were pure DD's (data dorks) and had no clue how a basically analog networking scheme worked.

All their network expierience was from Altigen to Altigen, which apparently is plug and play. Took me 2 days to explain that the only language both systems spoke was DTMF, and when I asked if they were sending digits inband, both of their guys who were there said, in unison, 'what's inband?'

Anyway, sorry, this turned into more of a DD rant than I planned...

2. Same as the Altigen, the only language both your systems speak is DTMF

3. Adix netwoking is very flexible, but can be confusing too. Also extension numbers have to start with different digits, that's what tells the ADIX if it;s a 'local' call or network.

have fun

Steve,
I am about to begin a project connecting Cisco Communications Manager 7.13 to an Iwatsu exisitng system. How did your project work out? any advice?

Thanks,

Owen

Steve
Iwatsu systems do not support QSIG networking (over PRI). The best bet is a T1 Tie Line connection between the Iwatsu (ADIX or ECS) and the Call Manager.
The T1 card is the IX-DTI-T and T1RCV (DTMF receiver). The dial plan in the Iwatsu system is very flexible and will allow Iwatsu stations to dial Cisco extension numbers from ICM. I don't know how the Cisco networking dial plan works. They may have to select a line key (tie line group) and dial the Iwatsu extension number.
The only alternative to the T1 tie line is SIP FXO/FXS - which the Iwatsu ECS supports (not ADIX). However, working out the kinks on that will be very time consuming and may not work at all.
The Cisco will be able to access anything in the Iwatsu (including outgoing trunk groups) assuming the Cisco can dial DTMF over the tie line.