How to locate expert BCM50 support vendor? (other than yellow pages)

[BCM50]

I am impressed with the collective BCM50 knowledge shown in this Tek-Tip forum - I've have always thought forum posters usually make great IT professionals. (but the web is a big place and you can't always hire them locally)

However, flaterly aside, I am having trouble locating a BCM50 expert in my Seattle, WA business area. Any ideas on how to get an above average local BCM50 help? My current vendor does not qualify, he is light in BCM experience ;-)

I've combed the local yellow pages, google, and even spoken with some proud "Nortel Elite/Premium Partners", but sense this is just a branding thing. While it sounds important, and may justify high $500 minimum service calls, I am not willing to jump in and sign their faxed contracts to "get started". Money usually flies out of my wallet seconds later! I never get past the vendor sales office to an actual technician - so I can not assess thier actual skill and passion level.

Is there preferred Nortel vendor on this site or FAQ listed by area?

Thanks,

Joe
Seattle, WA
(15 extension, new BCM50 customer, insurance agency)

 

[senk1s]

BCM50 ...got a nice user name.
The product is relatively new one (even for nortel) ... so the level of expertise is going to be lesser compared to Norstar or the 'other' BCM.
This forum (and most others) do not encourage promotion. Someone with BCM/ Norstar experience - should be able to get this done.
NT Website has location based partner listing - talk to them and find certified/ capable people

 

[HighWireChick]

Agreeing with senk1s, the BCM50 is a very new product. I'm a Project Manager with jobs all over the US and at times there are companies I call in the northeast that still don't even know what a BCM is, much less have a tech for it.
One thing I've found helpful is switchboard.com. In the search catagory enter telecommunications, and then type in your city and state. It'll then pop up to another page with "most popular catagories". Click on the first one ~ Telecommunications Telephone Equipment Services and Systems, and that should take you too all of the local providers in your area. As for knowing if they're BCM50 qualified or not, you just have to call around.
Also, I wouldn't close my eyes to the bigger companies. Not all of them will charge you $500 an hour or make you sign a contract, and with a bigger company, you have a bigger chance of having the best technicians in the country.

 

[parry5]

$500 for a service call? Dang! I'm working in the wrong geographic area! BCM50 is so new, even the tech support at Nortel is "spotty" at best. Tier one support have given me conflicting answers for a number of questions. We've put in 3 systems locally, and have had some "issues" that Nortel has not helped with (like not being able to load keycode information manually - seems like KRS is the only way).

I know I'll be looking on this forum for the near future, to see what other techs are experiencing, with the hope that Nortel can get some more (better) support for us...