IP or analog conference phones for CM/SM 2

[chippowell9]

Looking for suggestions for Polycom conference phones for our new Avaya CM/SM environment.

In the past we’ve used analog Polycom SoundStations, which we loved. But I don’t have an analog card yet on my Avaya gateway. Easy enough to get an analog card and then buy analog Polycom SoundStations like we used to. I’ll have to get an analog card eventually of course.

However, I realize I could instead buy something like the Polycom IP 6000 and configure it as a SIP station.

What’s driving this: one of our executives wants to emulate the setup we did for a fellow executive on our Nortel CS1K, which is this: Nortel M3904 on desk, extension 1234 (SCR key 0). Analog Polycom SoundStation also on desk, same extension, 1234 (DN 1234). Both phones ring simultaneously, and the executive can answer either one, or initiate a call from either one. Works like a charm. And she doesn’t mind having two phones on the desk…go figure!

So I’d like to accomplish something similar with the other executive who is on our Avaya platform. His desk phone is a 9641 H.323 phone. What’s the best way to put a Polycom conference phone on his desk and allow both to ring simultaneously, and to allow outbound calls from the Polycom to carry the same extension as the 9641 phone?

Thanks for staying with me on this. Thoughts/ideas?

 

[TriniTech87]

Can you use a hybrid ?? meaning both VoiP & Analouge??

 

[DAVIDPAYNE]

Go with an IP speaker phone. Assign it the real extension. Setup the 9641 using bridge app. for the extension.
That should do the trick.

 

[gwebster]

Why not use the B189 which is an H.323 conference phone from Avaya?

 

[chippowell9]

Thanks for the input, all. I’m going to try the B189. Reading the installation guide, the requirements below threw me. I’m still very new to CM, so I don’t understand all this 100% yet. I don’t have those circuit packs below (we have a G450 and a G430 gateway). But others have told me I don’t need any of that…the B189 is an H323 phone that is plug and play like any other.

Another question: What set-type to configure as? Elsewhere I’ve read 9620, but the install guide doesn’t say.

From Avaya document: “Installing and Maintaining Avaya B189 IP Conference Phone” May 2016

Verify that you have installed the following circuit packs on the switch:
• TN2602 or TN2302IP Media Processor circuit pack. Avaya recommends that sites with a TN2302 IP
Media Processor circuit pack must install a TN2602 circuit pack to benefit from increased capacity.
• TN799C or D Control-LAN (C-LAN) circuit pack.
Important:
Release 6.0 or later requires TN799C V3 or greater C-LAN circuit pack(s). For more information,
see the Communication Manager Software and Firmware Compatibility Matrix on the Avaya
Support website.

 

[dialtonebone]

You don't need any of the stuff mentioned about the medpro or CLAN. Odd/old documentation or they tested it with "legacy" equipment (TN board anything). If you have working H323 phones today, you have what it takes to make the B189 phone work. Register the phone to your PROCR address.

 

[chippowell9]

Yeah, that's the problem with documention sometimes. I'm looking at a doc from May 2016, so not old, but definitely odd. The third item on the documentation's Pre-installation checklist is "Verify that you have installed the following circuit packs on the switch..."

This is why, I hate to say it, but I'd rather just ask more experienced people than read manufacturer documentation. Otherwise I end up spinning in circles and having to reach out to the user community anyway.

 

[dialtonebone]

Not a problem - you came here with a clear question that wasn't covered in documentation. That's why this forum exists