BCM 400 vent 4

[DanWells]

We've had a Nortel BCM 400 for over two years. When we originally purchased it we did so to make use of existing handsets and to gain unified messaging. Everything worked as advertised until we upgraded our email system from Novell GroupWise 6.5 to 7.0. While a PC had the Groupwise 6.5 client loaded with the CallPilot client installed could have the email client upgraded and usually work, we could never get the Callpilot piece to install into the GroupWise 7.0 client. We kept all our users back at the GroupWise 6.5 client. We kept inquiring about a fix for this and back in April of this year we were told that a fix was available if we upgraded the BCM from 3.6 to 4.0.
We did this and the nightmare started. Voice mail would crash several time a day. After a 10 days of the service provider and Nortel working on the problem with no resolution, we had the service provider (Blackbox) back-rev to 3.6. We have since had intermittent problems with voice mail (though the last time I insisted that they rebuild the voice mail from the ground up rather than using a backup and it has been 4 weeks without a problem, knock on wood).
Nortel told Blackbox that a patch would be ready in three weeks. It has been more than three months and no patch and the indications are from Blackbox that no fix is forthcoming.
We are on the cusp of needing more capacity than the BCM 400 can supply. We will not choose Nortel again and very likely not use Blackbox again either.

I do have one question, is there a standalone client for fax and voice mail for the unified messaging portion of the BCM 400?

 

[tech2233]

Stopped selling it. Just service it now.

By Nortel's own admission, a 3% failure rate is unacceptable.

 

[MagnaRGP]

Why are we applauding Nortel for manufacturing inferior product and then making excuses as to why the products merits are justified."

This is the key point. Nortel doesn't MAKE anything anymore. They design stuff and manufacturing is outsourced to the lowest bidder, who in turn buys components from the lowest bidder, who paints those components in lead paint ad inifinitum. There was an admitted bad time which oddly enough co-incided with accounting scandals. But now that their corporate head is out of their corporate a$$, they can concentrate on product and quality (many bad vendors and suppliers have been dumped, and others are forced to spend money to upgrade and certify to continue being vendors, thereby confirming commitment) and not on how to do their books.

Point -- If I have an Avaya key system installed 12 years ago, can I keep all my sets and not have to re-train my users so that I can implement VoIP to my new satellite office on the other side of the country? Does Avaya IP Office allow that? How much will those 75 sets that I have cost to replace? How much time will you charge me to retrain all of my trained monkeys on how to do things like they have for the last 10 years?

Point -- BCM 4.0 while not perfect, is far-and-away more reliable than 3.X ever was. Software updates are far less intrusive and most are transparent to call processing. Again, older problems attributable to COT products (WinNT4).

 

[acewarlock]

Back to the original Question.


"I do have one question, is there a standalone client for fax and voice mail for the unified messaging portion of the BCM 400?"

 

[DigitelD]

Sorry Ace but I must insert something here. Maybe I can go onto the Avaya forum and everytime I post I can trash Avaya. I have installed and serviced Avaya.

SHK Certified (School of Hard Knocks)

 

[NARSBARS]

No.

NARSBARS

 

[DigitelD]

NARSBARS, of course that would not be in my character to do that. I was just making a point. I think Avaya systems are good systems. I just prefer Nortel.

SHK Certified (School of Hard Knocks)

 

[NARSBARS]

Apologies all around. I posted out of order, with no intent of flaming or downing anyone.

My "No" was a reply to "I do have one question, is there a standalone client for fax and voice mail for the unified messaging portion of the BCM 400?"

Perhaps I should look before posting.


NARSBARS