Meridian to IP Office Migration 1

[trinetintl]

Hello everybody,

I am working with a customer that wants to slowly migrate from a Meridian 61 to IP Office and I am trying to figure out what is the best way to do it. I had this crazy idea to configure the system with a couple of PRI universal boards and use one to "connect" directly to the Meridian's E1 allowing me to use it to re-route the extensions that are not in the IP office back to the Meridian. My idea is to send the call/extension through the E1 back to the Meridian with the caller ID as the extension or menu option, then picking it up on the Meridian and mapping the DID to the extension, hunt group or automated attendant. Can this be done or am I dreaming?
A Nortel guy assured me that they can do it with the Meridian where they can re-route an extension trough the E1, which may force me to put the IP Office on the back end until the Migration is complete. Is it possible to connect two E1 ports together with some sort of a cross over cable? I have two old system with Universal PRIs here at the office and I will try but before I waste time I wanted to know if somebody out there has done it.

Any recommendation or ideas on how to do this better will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[mforrence]

Actually, the IPO supports acting like the "CO" side of a PRI - so this should be fairly easy to do. I've linked IPO to other systems with PRI without trouble. Supports Caller ID - but not a whole lot more. Only licenses are PRI channels if required.
Mike

 

[trinetintl]

mforrence,

Can you give me kind of a general idea on how you implement it? What do I need to look for on the PRI when I am setting it up? Do I need all the licenses to use it if I want the 24 or 32 channels on? You get the call via the second PRI, voicemail pro takes the call, user punches in the option or extension number that resides at the Meridian, that is as far as I get...what happen next? Do you then run a shortcode like if you are dialing out sending the DTMF with it?

Thanks,

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[trinetintl]

Just a quick follow up do you know if I cross connect the IP Office Universal PRI with the E1 or T1 PRI port on the Meridian if it is going to work? I called Catalyst and they confirmed I can cross connect PRIs from two IPOs but they do not know if it is going to work with the Meridian.

Thanks,

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[mforrence]

@trinetintl - I think you've got the idea. Call hits auto attend in IPO and user dials an extension on Meridian - you send call to a shortcode that dials on trunks to Meridian. You simply need to send whatever digits the Meridian is expecting. If the call needs to come back, plan on using another PRI channel. If you use DID, you can also route to Meridian via incoming call route. I doubt that you'll gracefully support Meridian with VMPro - it will need to retain own voicemail.
Physical connection - set IPO PRI as CO and you MAY need a T1 crossover (1 to 4, 2 to 5) cable. You'll need channel licenses to use all channels. I cannot guarantee that it will all work - but there is no reason why it shouldn't. I've connected IPO with WAY lesser PBX without drama. Good luck.

 

[trinetintl]

mforrence - Thank you for the Good luck and sorry for the drama...it is a bit stressful when you try something new and that you have never done before and thanks for answering the second biggest question I had, how do you go back? Never thought you use a second PRI I was hoping to use the same one.

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[mforrence]

@trinetintl - I wasn't implying that you had drama, but rather that I've done this a couple of times without a hitch.
If this were a "forever" arrangement, you may want to invest more time to make it perfect. But if it is for a transition that can be measured in weeks or months, try your best to move the "heavy hitters" to IPO first so that channels won't be an issue.

 

[trinetintl]

It is just a transition the problem is the massive number of extension, around 350 analog and 250 digital and they just want to start with 20 extension, kind of crazy but it is what it is...!!


RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[amriddle01]

So multiple ip offices then

 

[tlpeter]

I can't tell much but this can be done indeed with multiple IPO's already and easier in the future.


BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[trinetintl]

Correcto mundo sir....one IPO configured as US with the PRI set for T1 loaded, one IPO configured for Mexico with the PRI set as E1R2 loaded. All digital and some analog on IPO #1, all analog on IPO #2, and 32 VCM's and SCN licenses to match or at least that is the plan.

I was thinking on configuring a double port PRI but if recall correctly you cannot mix modes on the PRI it is either all T1 or all E1R2 depending on the country. I remember this because when I did my first E1 I tried to configure the PRI as E1 but could never find it until I did an offline config and selected Mexico as the IPO's country...then like magic...everything that I needed was there.

Thanks,

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[amriddle01]

It's a shame you can't link with PRI as that would save tens of thousands in networking licences (which are stupidly priced to begin with)

 

[trinetintl]

I think you can use the PRI but if I understand how everything works correctly, the programming of the short-codes to move calls back and forth would be absolutely massive and complex, as a matter of fact that is my main concern with this deal right now.
What it is a real shame is that I cannot re-use the Meridian Phones...I found a controller that converts the Meridian digital phones to IP phones but then, guess what? Yes, you need third party IP end point licenses...the savings? About $3K on the 200 plus extensions compared to getting new digital phones, absolutely great..!

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[tlpeter]

But what do you want?
You cannot just plug in every phone in to every PBX!

The customer needs to live with that.

Otherwise you get all those issue like with the Nortel phones

BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[amriddle01]

Indeed, less than 1% of systems I have installed/maintained have re-used handsets. A new system usually means new handsets, it's only Nortel/Norstar owners that seem to have a hard time dealing with that

 

[trinetintl]

I like to replace them too, in this case we tried to save them some money but it was impossible, so be it, although I have to say that I am finding myself sometime quoting TCM/Nortel sets for new sites particularly when they want wireless sets and the customer requests full functionality, I am still scratching my head wondering why did Avaya retire the 3810 wireless sets?

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[amriddle01]

There are some gaping holes in Avaya's offerings for IP Office.
As you say it needs some better wireless handsets and not just some semi integrated rebadged IP DECT crap, we need digital with standalone base units.
An Avaya badged and integrated doorphone, not just analogue.
A fax to email add on for vm pro.
A SIP softphone for iPhone and droid, people will happily to pay for this.

There is more but that's just off the top of my head stuff we get asked for

 

[trinetintl]

I totally agree, the cheap snom SIP wireless handset I tried ended up a total disappointment and I also agree that the fax to email add on is almost a must as I had customers swear to me that Avaya offers this solution with IP Office and they want it, when I know it is not true and I have to look for a third party solutions that are usually very expensive and a SIP softphone for iPhone, iPad and droid? What a dream, I could potentially boost my sales overnight if that dream came true..!

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME

 

[pmcook]

This is an example of how not to do a cutover. It sounds to me like it is absolutely out of control, the customer is demanding what cannot be doe, the expense is mounting to ridiculous levels and all for what? There is no leadership here, simply a pandering to an over demanding client. This is a "soft" transition? This is as complicated as it gets and it is completely avoidable. My biggest project so far was installing a 74 phone IPO, all VoIP, and replacing a Merlin Magix. We had it done in two days including 1 hour of training. Customer was just told this is the way it is, suck it up and you'll be done a whole lot sooner. They did and it was over and done in no time.

 

[trinetintl]

pmcook, I agree with you and I offered a complete solution including leasing. I was actually very surprised because a competitor representing a cheap brand came in less than half than our bid and he included over 500 brand new super cheap IP phones. I could not believe it when the customer called us back and wanted to stick with us and Avaya, I thought this opportunity was long gone however they only had one condition and you already know what it is.

It would be super nice to do a cut-over from digital to IP, you just pre-program and test everything in your lab, go onsite to deploy and then switch your PRI or CO's to the IP Office and you are done, super simple and downtime is close to nothing.

Thanks,

RE

http://www.trinet-intl.com

APSS - SME
ACIS - SME