Maintenance Contract Question...

[dehlert]

We are in the middle of contract negotiations with a Nortel Partner and they are requesting language in the contract that requires a yearly port "true-up".

So, my question to everyone is, what do you consider to be a "port"..??

Do you count an analog card with 16 ports as 16 ports or do you only count the ones being used..??

Do you count a PRI Trunk card as two ports or 46 due to the number of voice paths..??

How do you handle VoIP phones..?? Do they have ports..??

Do you count just licensed ISMs..?? How about SIP or H.323 sessions..??

See where I am coming from..??

If you don't have a port "true-up" in your maintenance contracts, do you have any "adjustment" language that would be comparable..??

Thanks in advance.

David Ehlert
County of Fresno
IT Analyst - Communications

 

[PBlaney]

Most contracts have some type of statement like that "true up". Look and see how they priced out your current contract. # Of TN's, trunks, VM ports, CRT, and OTM......ect cost per month per item. Most partners will do a current inventory then give you a per month cost. The yearly true covers all your new adds and deletes you performed over the year of that contract. It just gives them an option to increase and you an option to decrease depend on how your company grows or shrinks during the year. A little advice lock in on your per port cost for the term of your contract 1, 2 or 3 years.

 

[johnpoole]

i would think that built not equipted is what they want.. ld 81 cnt sets and add the trunks to that..

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[MagnaRGP]

I would think that if they are maintaing PBX hardware, then you count physical ports as you can't replace a single faulty TN on a card.

Trunks are also per card, same goes for PRI (you can't replace one faulty PRI on a dual card). SIP/H.323 is 32 or 24 ports per card rel 4.5 and under.

Sets would be based on ISM's though as you can't use more sets than you have ISM's for.

 

[acewarlock]

The correct answer is to ask you Vendor what they mean but a "Port True-up" and to give you a break down of how they arrive at the counts. Until you get that info, where all guessing at what they mean. Not everyone interprets things the same way, so you need to ask and get it in writing.

 

[dehlert]

Acewarlock,

That is what we are waiting for from the vendor. We just wanted to see how others would define a port true-up.

Thanks to all.



David Ehlert
County of Fresno
IT Analyst - Communications

 

[acewarlock]

It could be how many Ports are programmed.

It could be how many Lic. you have.

It could be how many cards you have in the switch.

It could be how many cards you have on site.

It could be how many phones you have on site.

As you can see it could be anything the Vendor wants to make it. there isn't any set rule.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[NARSBARS]

You are spending the money, you define a port.
I put our systems out to bid for maintenance and left it up to the bidders to gather the information or go on what I provided. 120 Key systems and nine PBXs. I do not pay for OTM, or mail, or anything except "active ports" as defined by Telco sets, whether M series, 500s, or IP.
You can get killed with all of the language in the vendor writtnen contracts. Our vendor supports all equipment and all applications used by the "active ports", with the exception of any third party equipment. The only gotcha is we agreed, with a hefty discount, to buy all of our phones, cards, etc. from them.

NARSBARS