BCM50 max capacity`

[mroberts]

Y'all correct me if I am wrong.... With a BCM50 I can have 44 digital sets (12 internal & a DSM32+) and the 32 IP sets for a total of 76.... yes?

I am getting conflicting documentation on this.

Thanks

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[NorstarWiz]

76 is correct.

 

[mroberts]

I have read somewhere that the BCM50 is scalable from 5 to 50 users....

So we are positive that the BCM50's can go over 50 users?

Thanks so much for the response.

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[NorstarWiz]

Absolutely. Just the way you stated. 12 Internal, 32+ MBM and 32 IPs.

 

[mroberts]

Ok, I will go with that.... thank you!

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[NorstarWiz]

http://support.nortel.com/go/main.jsp?cscat=DOCDETAIL&id=537618&poid=17141

This is a link to a BCM Administration Mentor video and it references the capacity's of 50/200/400/450

 

[hawks]

It is confusing I got this from the BCM50 product brief.


"this scalable platform grows to support up to 44 digital set users and 32 IP set users, and up to 50 users in a mixed digital and IP configuration."

 

[gm85]

What it's stating is the recommended maximum number of phones you should place on a BCM50 is 50.

While the equipment could technically "support" 72 attached devices, you will probably run into problems maxing out the equipment (voice channels) if you go above 50 attached devices.

 

[mroberts]

I quickly started that video NorstarWiz and quickly became bored. I didn't see where it was mentioning capacity. But it was an interesting video that I will save.

I just want to know what it can do, not what Nortel thinks I should do but what the BCM50 is actually capable of. I am hoping that it is 44 digital and 32 IP like you said.

I wish I could find something that would state it categorically. I am like the others in that I have found multiple sources regarding the BCM50 capacity and a full half of them say one thing (50 sets) and the other say another thing (44 and/or 32IP).

Help! Tell me someone out there has a link to a Nortel webpage where it has a definitive answer.

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[NorstarWiz]

That part about the 72 is about 3/4 of the way through chapter 1 of the video. I know it is a very basic and boring video but it is in there.

 

[Frideo]

Technically, the BCM50 can even go to 112 extensions.

The BCM50 can have up to 2 expansion units, each with 32 digital extensions.
Also, there are 12 digital extensions and 4 analog extensions on the main unit.
Finally, there are 32 IP extensions possible.
That's a total of 112.

Those options are all independent: the number of one type of extension does not interfere with the

possible number of another type.

Of course, putting 112 extensions on a BCM50 would technically work, but it would be a possible mistake. With this setup, it's possible to have at most 16 trunks into the BCM, which may not be enough for over 100 users.
Furthermore, there's no room for expansion later.
Plus there are only 10 voicemail ports.
There may even be other downsides.
(The 16 trunks comprise 12 VOIP trunks and 4 PSTN trunks: either analog trunks on a BCM50 or ISDN2 trunks on a BCM50b).

I looked at that online "BCM Overview" thing; Nortel mentions "44 digital extensions and 30 isdn lines".
They presume that any large system will have an ISDN30 in it, so this restricts the number of digital stations to 44. They seem to not want to bother mentioning analog extensions, which most users would use only for faxes/modems anyway. (It's a digital phone system, so it makes sense to not mention the analog extensions.)

Having said all that, though, I estimate a BCM450 solution with 32 IP, 112 Digital, 12 VOIP, 2 ISDN would be about 20% dearer than the BCM50. But at least there's much more room for expansion of all of those things.

 

[mroberts]

Yeah, I do know how it CAN go together. I know how it configures just fine. Also understand that I wouldn't sell the system that way.

BUT like with the BCM450, I can technically put over 300 extensions on it but the literature specifically states up to 300 extensions.

The configuration that I want is this:
BCM50 3.0
12 digital set KCs
2 exp cabs
2 exp KC
1 DTM
1 DSM32+
32 IP set KCs

This would give me a T-1 span with 44 digital sets and 32 IP sets. That is a decent ratio config wise. Not using AA will assist with the ports on the vmail.

The system SHOULD be able to do this but as we have all posted..... there is a lot of documentation that states up to 50 sets

I just want to make sure there isn't something in the 50 that will limit it to 50 stations like there is with the 450 limiting the number of stations to 300.

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[Frideo]

Ok, I see your point. I was just being verbose.
I don't know of anyone who has gone over about 44 extensions on the BCM50.

When I test online with Nortel's configurator, it won't allow me to get a quote for over 300 extensions on a BCM450. However, it allows 150 digital and 150 IP without a problem. (So I don't think you're right that you "can technically put over 300 extensions on it".)

Anyway, when I test asking for 44 digital phones and 32 IP for a BCM50 PRI system, it gives it to me (which shows that it's "engineeringly" possible), but issues this warning:

Recommendation for large Hybrid Configurations
For a BCM50 R3.0 system deployed in a hybrid configuration, it is recommended that the total number of stations (Digital phones, IP phones, analog terminals, BRI B channels for station side) not exceed 50. The calculations for the hybrid configuration total number of stations in EC do not include the spare capacity ports selected for IP phones and digital phones. Product performance may not be optimal beyond that point.

This recommendation is provided to ensure optimal product performance and is only applicable to hybrid configurations. Customers deploying fully TDM or fully IP solutions are not subject to this capacity recommendation.

So it is possible, but you may have problems with performance (whatever that means).
I've not found any documentation about this online, though.

 

[mroberts]

On the BCM450: I meant that given an expansion cabinet I have 10 bays... I could do a couple Ts and 8 DSM 32+s = 256 sets. Then go with 50 IP sets. That would be over 300 sets. It physically can do it but the literature says that you can only go to 300 sets.

I do feel better with what you said the configurator gave you on the BCM50. Basically it is saying that it is a recommendation not a rule.

Awesome! Thanks!

MRoberts

http://www.a1teletronics.com