sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information New phone system: digital pbx or voip?

Hi, I've been assigned to find a new phone system to replace (or upgrade) our old Toshiba Strata DK424 and Active Voice Replay Plus voicemail system.

Basically, we need DID's, a new voicemail system that we can manage effectively (i.e. backup without floppies)... web management.... and other basic things like... sending a call straight to voicemail. We're about 25 users right now, looking to expand to 35 within the next year.. and potentially up to 150-200 in the next 5-6 years.

With respect to our Toshiba system, it seems like it can be upgraded to do all of these things. We're waiting on a quote for a PRI to enable DID's, integrated Toshiba voicemail, and web administration (which the system is already capable of, we just need the software and to get it setup).

However, I feel like the system is starting to age and we have an opportune time to get into something a little more modern. We've been looking at the Inter-tel Axxess, Vertical TeleVantage, Nortel BCM.. and with respect to VoIP, the 3com NBX V3000.

The latter is my personal favorite, being a network administrator who prefers computers over traditional telephony. Also, I like that everything is just ready to go with the 3com... no extra cards to buy, etc.

Does anybody have any feedback or recommendations? Good / Bad experiences?

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space travel's in my blood.

If you buy anything new, buy a hybrid system that gives you traditional "wired" phones on-site and permits VOIP where it's needed, like with networked offices or remote users.

Don't fall into the 100% VOIP technology yet. It just isn't there, even on round #2. Don't get me wrong; it works, most of the time. Still, traditional telephones and connectivity are pretty much the norm and have been for decades. Also, the "wired" phones and assocated hardware are MUCH less expensive than VOIP.

I don't know a whole lot about the brands you have been shopping, but you might want to consider Vodavi (www.vodavi.com) and their product line. Yes, we sell it heavily in our area and have been very successful with it.

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Ed
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How come there's always enough time to go back and fix it a second time?

I agree 100% go with a system that will support both after all what happens if you broadband is down? (You are out of business) it's just not up to snuff yet to go all IP. Telrad also make a very robust system that will support both.
Check it out you have nothing to loose. https://www.telradconnegy.com/



[This message has been edited by dtmf (edited August 03, 2005).]

Hybrid is the way to go today. IP is getting there, but it's just not 100% yet. I would use digital phones for your desks and if you have multiple offices use IP trunking to connect them. I am partial to Avaya Definity, but that is just me. Everyone likes there own thing. If for some reason you go with an all IP system. Stay away from Windows based phone systems i.e. Cisco.

I got this link from the octelwarrior on another board. Enjoy.

https://img282.imageshack.us/my.php?image=realization1zq.jpg

Stay away from pure IP..IMHO. Looks like you are looking to grow. Tadiran makes a cool system that's a hybrid and has a cool feature called flexicall allowing you to have cell phones as a virtual extension to the system. Very cool for outside sales people.

www.tadiranamerica.com

I am going to echo what everyone above said, do not go full VOIP.
For the most bang for your dollar, a Toshiba CTX would allow you to keep your telephones and avoid a good-sized chunk of your upgrade expense.
Other than that, there are, at a rough guess, 10-15 systems that would handle your needs admirably well, provided that they are installed and supported properly.
Find a good vendor!

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Avaya Telephone Repair
Toshiba Telephone Repair

I would recommend the Avaya IP office and use the 44XX (Magix) handsets. That way you would be set for the future. System does everything you could ever need. Will expand up to 360 phones.

Inter-Tel is also a good choice. Can have IP phones added to it. Will grow as large as you wish. Full of many features. Very Pricey, but well worth the investment in your business.

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Voice and Data Cabling in DFW, [email protected]
DnR Communications

Here's one reason why we all agree to stick with Hybrid for now:

Imagine your phones going down, needing rebooting, needing constant upgrades and patches (or "enhancements", as some call them) like your servers and workstations do. Most can live a day or so without their computer, in many cases. Now imagine going a day or more without your phones. Most companies rely on their phones for business to happen. Cell phones have taken a little pressure off of the phone systems, but the traditional phone systems were made, and usually live up to, running 24/7/365 (for many years) without much need to mess with anything. Going with an all-VOIP system, you are consolidating more into fewer components, which leaves more to fail at one time when something goes down. That's just one example or reason.

Of course the phones are more expensive, and sometimes cannot even do as much as a traditional digital phone. That part varies, as some IP phones can do more.

Anyway, I agree with mostly everyone who's commented: stick with a hybrid solution and get the best of both worlds, and a whole lot less headache. Then, once you've decided to go that route, find the manufacturer that best fits your needs and has things you like. Also be sure to find a service company that can capably handle servicing the equipment. That last part is key, as many of the larger name companies will wrap you up in a contract, then not give you the kind of service a local company would give you. Good luck in finding what you are looking for.

My opinion, although I am not a Toshiba guy, would be to go with the recommendation of the upgraded Toshiba system, which sounds like it will allow plenty of room for new technology, but also allow you to keep some of the older technology and equipment to help keep costs down.

I didn't see in your profile where you were from. Can you fill out the profile a bit more? Thanks!

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| Signal Communication Systems - Fresno, CA |

| Telephone Systems, Voicemail Syste... & Data Cabling - Central Valley, CA

We currently have 9-10 NBX systems in our offices throughout the Northeast, So I'll comment on that option.

- We're running V3000's with everything from multiple T1's down to half a dozen POTS lines, depending on office size. 75+ users at the corporate office at any given time, as few as 7-8 at the smallest office. True end-to-end VOIP is only done between a couple of the larger offices, where bandwidth is available for it.

- Assuming you have a robust network infrastructure, reliability should not be a problem. As others have pointed out, it will not be 24/7/365, but it is pretty darn close for us. Generally, the NBX systems do not crash.

- You will want to run a decent UPS, as an NBX that loses power can take a long time to boot up again. Properly shut down it will come back in a minute or so.

- Our typical minimal office configuration would be an NBX v3000, V5000 expansion chassis with an analog line card (up to 4 extra POTS lines), HP 48-port ProCurve POE switch, Cisco router, UPS and 15 phones. This setup allows us room to expand quite a bit, while still being in the ballpark of a traditional PBX with a service contract.

- Configuration is relatively straight-forward, and being able to remotely monitor the systems has been a real plus for us. Feature-wise, there is everything you could want.

The downside is that a VOIP system will be one more that you as a network admin will be responsible for maintaining, configuring, training users, etc.
The time investment can be significant, and that alone may make going with a traditional PBX or hybrid more attractive.

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-Steve

[This message has been edited by UpstateNetworks (edited August 04, 2005).]