sundance-communications.com/forum Forums VOIP Phones & IP PBX VoIP & Cloud Phones, Hosted PBX, General IP Phones Analog station on IP

Hello all, I am working on a project that requires putting analog door phones on an IP system. The layout is a door phone at an apartment building, of which there are 40, each building has a connection to a wireless mesh network, which brings them all back to one central location where the POTS lines are. The customer does not want to pay for 40 POTS lines from Verizon, they want to have a minimal number of lines, 4 or so, in a central location for the door phones to use. My idea was to use an IP based PBX such as a Nortel BCM series switch. I am trying to find a converter that would give normal dial tone at the door phone, something along the lines of the converter Vonage gives to its customers.

Does such an animal exist?

Thank you in advance,
Jim

If there's a network in place as you say, I'd look into Multitech. They have a bunch of gadgets for applications such as yours.

Valcom is also making inroads into VOIP paging and adapters. Since they are well-known for good products, you might check with them as well. I know that they have had an IP paging adapter for some time now.

I can't see the sense in putting an IP system in just to approach this application.

Looks like Valcom has what you want- a couple of Vip810s. on each end.

Just add one of Viking\'s door phones or even an Avaya Partner door phone and Bobs your uncle.

Of course you are going to need some kind of 40 line KSU to handle this but it need not be elaborate.

-Hal

The door stations have already been ordered and are sitting on a pallet in our warehouse, they are made by Sentex.

I read the cut sheet for the vip810 and it looks like they are matched units, one on each end. Is there anything that would allow a one to many configuration? Or a device that would allow the door phone to connect directly to the KSU over IP, not have a set of matched units which then connect to a KSU? I was trying to avoid having 40 or so devices piled up at the central location.

What do you want, everything? Your application isn't exactly something that's done everyday. You are not going to find an off-the-shelf product that is going to fit your needs exactly.

This comes pretty damn close and I think 40 of those little units in one location is going to be the least of your problems. They will get your remote doorphones back to the central location, now think about how you are going to handle those 40 lines effectively at a cost that's justified by their minimal use.

-Hal

Look at Multi Tech and call thier TS.
Each door phone would require a device, the central location would only require 1 4 port device which would be connected to the 4 PSTN lines, if I read your post right.

I just elected not to bid on a job where there is a main site and 20+- remote sites. Each of the remotes needs a fax, credit card scanner and a modem. The consultant was adamant that every device had to pull dialtone from the PBX at the main site in spite of the fact that they would have an analog line at each site. It would have involved 5 or 6 eight port multi tech boxes at the main site, a 4 port box at each site and 40 or 50 analog stations on the PBX. Imagine the # of service calls going forward!! My suggestion to put a 1 x 4 line share device at each site and use the analog line there was dismissed since the remote devices wouldn't be billed in 6 second increments. When i suggested they make the analog line have an unlimited calling plan and use the savings from not purchasing 5 or 6 analog cards and 25 multi tech boxes it was dismissed as well. Sad part is the customer didn't even have that option presented to him, nor the potential service problems he faces!!

Modems and CC machines dont work much at all with multi tech.

I would echo Brokeda and Ed by suggesting you look at Multitech. You may want to get the 8-port unit for instead of the 4-port just to give some room for growth.

UpstateNY, you made the right call!

Agreed. I would shy away from any project requiring modems or POS/credit card machines through a VOIP adapter.