First time impression of IP 1

[aeronet]

Usually work on Partner and I was called in to talk about replacing a clients IP. I was not impressed. The sets are funky and have a bulky and hot power supply and use CAT-5 that sticks out the back of the set.

The sets seem to have trouble staying on line they are trying to locate the control unit or said something like "DISCOVERING".

Any way what do you guys think about IP? Maybe I am not being open minded.

 

[tmgpbx]

Well I don't like Partner's, and the IP Office is a little better. Just sounds like DHCP and TFTP was not setup correctly. The CAT 5 sticking out is a little bulky, but it is better than running an additional cable run for your phones and PC's. One cable 2 IP items.

I'm enjoying IP, especially when you have multiple sites linking to one call processor. The calls in between offices is cheap, since you are already connected anyway. It just has taken the technology to get stable enough that the quality is pretty good.

 

[crashtest1000]

If you don't get your head around IP you may as well give up it is the way we are going no choice

 

[mattKnight]

And the bulky power supply is only one of the options for powering the phone...

Take Care

Matt
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

 

[aeronet]

what other options of rpowering are there? It seems like getting power to a phone is a lot harder and more expensive than running cat-3. if a client needs basic key system features then is IP overkill and more expensive?

 

[wontwork]

You can use a POE switch to power the phones!

 

[janni78]

If you are installing it only one office there is usually no need to use IP phones instead of DS phones.

On remote offices there is a benefit with IP phones since they remote user will get the same functionality as to main office worker.

 

[aeronet]

Most of my clients are single office set ups. What is the average cost for lets say a 5x9?

 

[kmefford]

ok to compare apples to apples (or green apples to red apples actually)

Partner R7.0
8 6 button phones
1 18 button phone
NPL : $2809


IP Office 406 v2
8 vcm channels
2 expansion cards for 8 analog lines
8 5602 phones and power cords
1 5620 phone with power cord
mounting bracket and power cord
NPL: $6755.40

Big difference in price. Labor and cabling would change the costs some which would bring the prices a little closer together.

Also given the configuration, the IP office has more features for the money.
The Partner is only capable of 5 lines, 9 analog/digital extensions plus MOH capabilities. To add any other auxillary equipment would incur additional costs.

The IP office is capable of 8 lines, 8 digital extensions, 2 analog extensions and/or paging, "several" IP phones, 8 port layer 2 switch, MOH, and basic voicemail(available computer required)

If the user of the above Partner wanted to add more phones, they would have to not only purchase additional phones but also purchase a carrier and new module.

If the user of the above IP Office wanted to add more phones, all they would need is a new phone with power supply.


Not a fair comparison at all for a small office. IP phones and the IP Office in general isn't justified until you get over around 20-30+ phones.

 

[bsmo]

Hey, why not compare with a SOE instead of a 406 ?

 

[kmefford]

Because he said 5x9 The SOE will only do 4 lines.

 

[janni78]

But if you gonna count on price for a single office you have no need for a VCM card and IP phones.

That just brings up that price.

 

[crashtest1000]

Think of how much more money you will make if you sell the IP Office who wants to sell $2000 solution that limits you customer to a key phone when you can sell a IP solution that gives them way more options including CTI and networking

 

[IPGuru]

Dont forget that IPO come with VM Lite, this has got to be worth a few bob.

5,9 is an nfortunat scenario as it does not map well to the IPO architecture which would do either 4,8,4 ( Soe , 4 trunk, 8 DS & 4 pot) or 8,24,2 on a 406 with an 16 port DS expansion module.

a single 406 with 2 atm 4 boards & 54XX handsets is a better match that the sugested 56XX + VCM solution

 

[kristiandg]

Also don't forget you can add an ATM 4 to an SOE, thus giving it 8 lines.

Kris G.

 

[kmefford]

Yes, it would have been nice if he wanted to compare a 3x8 such as the R6 Partners and of course 54xx sets would be a more logical choice for such a small office but the question had to do with VOIP vs. standard digital sets.

In the case of a small single site office, VOIP at least as far as Avaya products are concerned, is not justified based on cost alone.

 

[bigjerms]

They are different switches for different situations. Partner is a great pbx and does the job for many, but IP Office give you ability to do lots and lots of cool things that Partner will just not do.

It also can be a headache because of all the requests for what people want it to do. With the partner you can often say sorry it just doesn't work that way. The IP Office fortunately or unfortunately can probably do it, but it will take time which some people just don't want to pay for these days.