How to "share" a pri between a PBX and Fax Server (FOIP ?)

[MSDI]

Hi,

I am trying to find a way to purchase a pri and use 11 channels for the pbx and 12 channels to send faxes.

I found in the forum there are devices that can switch circuits like this one:

http://www.adtran.com/web/page/portal/Adtran/group/3013

But I was wondering if there is not an easier way.

If I were to do it with a Nortel BCM, I would have connected the pri to the phone system and use 12 anolog output connecting to an analog fax board, but I would then loss DID functionnality (And I need this)...

I wonder with new ip pbx system (cisco/asterix) there wouldn't be a way to input the pri, and "output" a fractionnal pri for the fax board. Or if there is a way to simulate a pri over IP (kinda to keep did functionnality) and terminate it into a FOIP Board of some kind.

Banging my head on the walls on this one... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

 

[doktor]

The Aastra MX-ONE and the RightFax(Open Page) can easily do this w/o loss of DDI functionality.

///doktor

http://www.kandu.dk/spg153996.aspx

 

[jsaad]

you can't go wrong with an atlas 550 or 800.

 

[trvlr1]

If you have the hardware available, PRI to your PBX then PRI to the fax server from the PBX, I know you have 12 channels of analog, but if you can stretch $$$'s to a PRI inteface, you will be much happier with the results. When sending faxes, they should use least cost routing from the PBX you have already set up. You may even have the capacity on your existing circuits to be able to handle the increased call volume and save on the cost of a new PRI circuit. This also means less hardware to monitor and maintain.

 

[MSDI]

Hi trvlr1,

Are you telling me (sorry for the newbie question)

That I could have something like this:

TELCO <-PRI-> Nortel BCM <-PRI-> Fax Board

I thought a PRI could only be used to connect to an ISP... if you tell me I could do something like that to supply lines to my faxboard using a PRI I would manage internally, I will definitely read on this. It would be so much better !

Thanks

 

[hawks]

I'm with jsaad, I would look at the Atlas. The following site shows a set up with it attached to a server.

http://www.castelle.com/support/faxpress/6.x/technotes/routing/Adtran_ATLAS_550_config.pdf

 

[trvlr1]

I have never worked with a BCM, so I do not know it's capabilities. But I do not see why it would not be possible. We have locations with a PRI circuit between 81C's and 61C's to fax servers. Of course the PBX to Fax server is just a cable, no external telco circuit needed. The principal should be the same. You would need a different board in your fax server, I know they are not cheap. If you discuss with your Vendor, I will bet they have hooked one up to a BCM somewhere. If this is possible to do, get a completely different range of DID's for your faxes than you use on your BCM, this will ease the confusion of what number goes to what, if you intend to do inbound.

 

[jsaad]

i'm pretty sure the bcm won't do a PRI to the fax server. it won't emulate a CO.

 

[SYQUEST]

If the BCM can do point-to-point PRI, then there is no reason it can't do point-to-fax PRI, as long as the fax module supports PRI!

Unless you can find a valid one...

....JIM....