Buying new phone system. Here are my options.. Opinions? 3

[eod]

I've been handed the task of purchasing a new phone system for our office.
We are currently a 30 person office planning to open another site that'll have maybe 4 phone systems.
From poking around with local vendors, I've come down to the following packages.

One company is offering us:
Avaya IP Office 406
Expansion modules (terminal modules, phones, etc)
Voicemail Pro, etc.

Another is offering:

Toshiba CTX setup
modules, voicemail, etc.

And the last company we are considering is offering:

A Inter-Tel setup.
modules, voicemail, etc.

The prices all come out around the same, so price isn't really an issue. Our main concern is picking a good solid phone system that'll have a upgradable and long life ahead of it, while being easy to maintain. I know I didn't give a lot of details but the area of phones is a bit gray to me and I've only begun the search. I hope that you guys can help guide me in this purchase decision..

 

[MattWray]

My pet is the Shoreline VoIP.

http://www.goshoreline.com

My .02 cents....

Thanks,

Matt Wray
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, CCNA

http://www.sss-steel.com

http://www.total-tec.com

 

[PhoneGuy2000]

I don't sell them, but I really like the Mitel System. It has been out a while and they have had more time to perfect it than most.

Shoreline is an OK product but not widely installed or supported yet. Proof will be in the pudding. We will see how the client Matt installed for us feels after we reach the 6 month window...

Hi Matt!

Just having fun with ya...

lmcneill@rx-tech.com

 

[MattWray]

Thanks,

Matt Wray
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, CCNA

http://www.sss-steel.com

 

[dydavid]

Inter-Tel VOIP Axxess experience requested ?
thread461-640232

Thank you - Dave Y

 

[Axxessman]

EOD
My biased opinion is to go with the Axxess
I will answer several of the issues that have come up in this thread.

1.Inter-tel is on of the pioneers in VOIP ,way before the others started Inter-tel had a VOIP VOFRAME product out.
Inter-tel gives you great functioning IP boxes and recently added SIP capability to its Voip capabilities.The system is based on a TRULY open architecture and maintains proven Telecom reliability but adds through CTI or OAI a plethora of options.

2.Inter-tel Axxess currently can grow from a 64 port system to over 20 nodes of 1000 ports each.Its voicemail can be networked with other nodes or one central voicemail can be used by several nodes .

3.As far as administration Avaya and most others are light years behind..the definity is still using a Dos Windows interface which is only a glorified terminal .The Axxess GUI is windows based and you can programme the system via serial(direct),modem,or IP.The complete programming manual is included in the context sensitive help mode.One other interesting feature is the ability to create and programme a database on your Hard drive and then upload the new software to the PBX.Backing up a database is a simple task for anyone with PC experience and as long as you back up on a regular basis ,you will never lose time trying to reenter a DB.

If you do choose the Axxess with VOIP I would recommend the IPSLA in most cases because it gives you an analog ext over IP which can be shared by several people or even wired into another system as an IP OPX instead of the IP Exec Terminal which althoug it looks great can only exist in one physical location

Hope this helps,best of luck

Axxessman

 

[eod]

Axxessman if you read a little more of the thread you'll see due to the strange upperbrass politics of my company we ended up going with the Avaya IP Office which turned out to be a total nightmare, so our vendor switched us to a Merlin Magix.

I hate the Magix almost as much as I hated the IP Office. My suggestion the whole time was to go with Inter-tel.

Now I'm the one stuck with this outdated thing.

 

[IPGuru]

EOD , I would be verry interested in knowing what problems you had with the IPO, We find most instalations go without a hitch but have taken over some sites that have been appaling.
these have invariably been due to a poor understanding of the syetm by the installer.
I realise that you have now changed system but i would be a shame to give a system a poor reputation because of a poor quality installer

 

[shipwright]

I grew a beard while reading this thread,time to shave LOL