Is Avaya better than Norstar? 3

[joeyarticle]

I have just bought a Norstar MICS 7.0 with CP 100. It is just a little late to be finding this out, but I am getting the opinion that Avaya may be a better system.

Does anybody who works with both Avaya & Norstar have an opinion which is better based on price & features?

Thanks

 

[endlesswinter]

norstar is the best... in my eyes!

 

[acewarlock]

It All depends on what you need and what you want the system to do. sometimes Nortel is better and sometimes Avaya is better. Not an easy question to answer.

 

[whender]

In my opinion I like Nortel better. The Magix is hard to program and not as user friendly. The MCIS will grow with you and give you a life long usually trouble free service. And, this is a better forum than the Avaya one.

 

[DigitelD]

We have a customer that has had a Norstar for almost 15 years and still is using many of the original phones with no problems. You cannot beat Norstar's record.

 

[hawks]

Don't know if this helps but we service both and probably about 80% of the sites that we go to have Nortel systems.

 

[kurmann]

I deal with both systems and much prefer Avaya as its cheaper and much more user friendly.. Avaya is all Modular as well which makes it easier to deal with. I use the ACS system in both my office and the home. Also Sell Nortel everyday and the Nortel speakerphones are much better and voice quality is better. the Nortel is easier to install, but Avaya is much easier to program and use in my opinion. Both systems are extremely reliable. Expensive to add ATA and share analog lines or devices with Nortel, Avaya you can just add any analog device without additional hardware.. You can't go wrong with either system though- they are the best 2 out there

 

[DigitelD]

As with any system out there, there will be differing opinions. I know those who don't care for either.

 

[HarryNorstarGuy]

I think most of the answeres pointed to satisfaction with the Nortel System, even kurmann compared the Partner ACS to the nortel, Partner ACS is a much smaller system then the Norstar MICS, that system is analog and offers the aility to easily share analog lines, however, it is no comparison to the MICS, the Magix, is more of a system that compares to the MICS, but the magix has the same limitation when it comes to sharing analog lines, this being said, I conclude the same as all others, the NORSTAR is the system to go with, if you have any particular questions how something is to be done, please post a question, I will try to answer.

 

[senk1s]

joeyarticle i think is going thru the proverbial buyer's remorse

i did that after buying a camry ... and when a friend of mine got an accord. "touchwood" both are good cars

 

[acewarlock]

The main thing to remember when looking to buy a new system is to know what you , what you would like and what you can live with. and don't believe the salesman, they will tell you anything you want to hear to make the sale.

 

[jkupski]

I have a MICS that we put in place three years ago, which replaced a Merlin LEGEND (which is basically the same thing as a MAGIX.)

I can say without any reservation that while there are a few missing features that I find annoying (holiday schedules being one of them) the Norstar is a better platform all around and is easier to work with.

 

[photon33]

First you can't compare legacy Avaya(Legend) with MICS.
Legend did not have TDL sets, Messaging Voicemail,etc.
A fair comparison is Legend to legacy Nortel 8X24

From an installer's perspective:
Nortel CICS beats Avaya Partner For a small office.
Merlin Legend beats 8X24
Avaya Magix beats Nortel MICS.
Avaya IP Office beats Nortel MICS.
Avaya IP Office beats Nortel BCM.

Don't get me wrong the MICS is a very good basic system. It is just easily defeated when you compare a networked Norstar system with centralized voicemail to a networked centralized Avaya System.
For the VoIP systems,compared to Avaya, a BCM network with centralized voicemail is a joke too.

 

[DedMeet]

Hrm.. Avaya VS Nortel.. This is a question like AMD vs Intel.. Personally I think it is a matter of opinion. There is a lot of He said she said in this business and pointing fingers, Nortel is better, No No Avaya is. Both systems have their ups and downs. Personally I will Install an Avaya VoIP System AKA IP Office over a BCM in a heart beat, But I will install a CICS/MICS before i ever look at a Partner system. Reasons for this again it is a personal thing. I have been on training for everything except BCM im learning this on my own. Im finding new things every day in regards to the BCM but it still doesnt touch the IP OFfice. There is not a thing you cant do and it is soo Simplified. Same goes for CICS/MICS, These systems are a no Brainer. I can teach my 13yr old cousin to program these once you understand the basics you can make them do almmost anything you want.

So In conclusion I believe it is a prefrence system is not better then the other they are equal in many aspects and each have their ups and downs just like everything else. Ohh and Intel is WAY better then AMD to comment on what i said earlier

-DedMeet

 

[ralstonral]

The Mics have to be compared to the Avaya Acs system
I have worked on both and it definitely the norstar

 

[NARSBARS]

We have 10,000 users. A couple of dozen PBX sites including remotes and 125 key systems.
Two thirds of the PBXs are AVAYA. All of the key systems are Nortel. Avaya can compete PBX to PBX but there is, no way, no how, no time, at all, any where when and how that the Avaya can compete against Nortel.
This has been a fair and balanced opinion.

NARSBARS

 

[DigitelD]

Any question?

 

[joeyarticle]

Wow, I stepped away for a few days and got the answer I wasn't looking for. That they are pretty equal. It seems like they are similar in so many ways.

I must say that I spent about 6k for the system and setup and it has been working good so far. My installer has gone MIA and so I've spent a bunch of time learning/messing up stuff trying to get it all setup right. Everywhere I go I look at phone systems and ask about the features. For example I was just in Best Buy last weekend and they use Avaya. I was in Verizon and they use Nortel. Who knows, but I guess since I've spent the money, I ride it out from here.

My next fun will be to install the Call Center and try to get queueing working. Any tips or things to watch out for?

Thanks.

 

[ncgenie]

Pay someone who is very familiar with the product to do your programming and you too will become "Norstar satisfied"! Avaya is a good system but I'm partial to a Norstar.

 

[gutwrench]

Programing basic call center on CP100 is a breeze. Set up your Call Piolot Manager interface and it's all web based and almost fun in comparison to Cintech ACDs that used to be semi-standard for Norstar. Call center basic is almost the same as Cintech Minuet (that used to come free with NAMs).

I agree with ncgeinie, spend a couple (hundred) dollars on a qualified tech who will show you what's going on beind the curtain. You will be happy you did.