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MICS 8.0?
- Thread starter djtt
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #21
Oh I haven't missed anything and there's no doubt that VOIP is here to stay and ya gotta love the free ld & networking (if you don't mind giving up some dependablity and line quality for now) but I guess I'm in a little different position than most techs.
Many of you may already be aware of this fact but if you really know your Norstars and you're doing your job and your customers right, you can bet they're gonna be calling YOU if your company goes under or if they fire you or if you make a smart career move because really great Norstar techs are getting harder and harder to find!
Most of my current customers have been with me since the early '80s to mid '90s. They have followed me around from company to company over the years as I got shafted by one interconnect after another (through no fault of my own, sound familiar anyone???). Many of those companies wanted me to burn my customers by telling them they needed parts or extras when they really didn't or by recommending unproven systems & software etc. without letting them know about any of the drawbacks. Others wanted to continuously send blood thirsty, salivating salesmen out who would promise the moon and the stars above and then leave me there hanging on cut day to deliver the impossible to the ignorant and the gullible.
Funny thing though, after your customers have been with you for a long time, it's really hard to think of them as customers anymore because they usually become good friends. They will also tend to rely on YOUR knowledge and opinions much more so than your company or their sales rep.
So whenever they ask me for something that I still don't have a lot of faith in yet, they usually have no problem waiting until I feel like the product is REALLY ready for the marketplace, especially if I can offer a cost effective solution using their existing resources. Of course sometimes that means passing up some big fat commissions but I have found that you really do have to think long term and keep the customers best interests in mind and they'll love you for it.
I'm also still a firm believer in stand alone voice and data systems as catastrophic failures will seldom take both systems down simultaneously if they are properly configured and separated.
I'm sure it would be mere childs' play for Nortel to incorporate VOIP capabilities into a new MICS software version but let's face it, they're far more interested in pushing BCM-50s now and I think they'd love to just dump their winning MICS/CICS line all together. Damndest thing is that the MICS is still practically bulletproof (UNTIL you start piling on all of those gooey, precariously perched, network related who hahs and add-ons). Call me old fashioned but I'll wait a while longer on VOIP.
Phonehed in Dallas
Many of you may already be aware of this fact but if you really know your Norstars and you're doing your job and your customers right, you can bet they're gonna be calling YOU if your company goes under or if they fire you or if you make a smart career move because really great Norstar techs are getting harder and harder to find!
Most of my current customers have been with me since the early '80s to mid '90s. They have followed me around from company to company over the years as I got shafted by one interconnect after another (through no fault of my own, sound familiar anyone???). Many of those companies wanted me to burn my customers by telling them they needed parts or extras when they really didn't or by recommending unproven systems & software etc. without letting them know about any of the drawbacks. Others wanted to continuously send blood thirsty, salivating salesmen out who would promise the moon and the stars above and then leave me there hanging on cut day to deliver the impossible to the ignorant and the gullible.
Funny thing though, after your customers have been with you for a long time, it's really hard to think of them as customers anymore because they usually become good friends. They will also tend to rely on YOUR knowledge and opinions much more so than your company or their sales rep.
So whenever they ask me for something that I still don't have a lot of faith in yet, they usually have no problem waiting until I feel like the product is REALLY ready for the marketplace, especially if I can offer a cost effective solution using their existing resources. Of course sometimes that means passing up some big fat commissions but I have found that you really do have to think long term and keep the customers best interests in mind and they'll love you for it.
I'm also still a firm believer in stand alone voice and data systems as catastrophic failures will seldom take both systems down simultaneously if they are properly configured and separated.
I'm sure it would be mere childs' play for Nortel to incorporate VOIP capabilities into a new MICS software version but let's face it, they're far more interested in pushing BCM-50s now and I think they'd love to just dump their winning MICS/CICS line all together. Damndest thing is that the MICS is still practically bulletproof (UNTIL you start piling on all of those gooey, precariously perched, network related who hahs and add-ons). Call me old fashioned but I'll wait a while longer on VOIP.
Phonehed in Dallas
- Thread starter
- #23
Thanks for your input. Pardon my ignorance what "who hahs and add-ons" are you referring to? I am basic small business key systems guy. Ilike working with smal mom and pops that like you said become friends over the years. I get invited to Xmas and family parties and "stop by's for a cup of coffee or lunch if you are in the area" kinda stuff.
Oh I'm talking about things like unified messaging, Voip, point to point networking or almost any other application that makes the MICS or the Call Pilot dependent on any kind of external data network is when the dependability factor always seems to drop off a bit. I'm sure that's one of the main reasons everyone thought that merging everything together into the BCM would be such a great idea but so much for that. I'm still not impressed but that's just one mans' opinion.
Phonehed in Dallas
Phonehed in Dallas
RikRodgers
Vendor
Two men's option. I couldn't have written it better myself, Phonehed.
- Thread starter
- #26
Uhhh...you mean one of them fiber module extenders maybe or are you linking two, stand alone MICS systems with point to point?
I'd have to do some calculatin' but just off hand I'm thinkin' 230 plus sets would exceed max capacity on a full blown MICS even with no trunk mods.
If p2p, I'd make sure the customer knows right up front that it's not really a bulletproof arrangement but most of the time it will probably work just fine once you get it all dialed in.
Phonehed in Dallas
I'd have to do some calculatin' but just off hand I'm thinkin' 230 plus sets would exceed max capacity on a full blown MICS even with no trunk mods.
If p2p, I'd make sure the customer knows right up front that it's not really a bulletproof arrangement but most of the time it will probably work just fine once you get it all dialed in.
Phonehed in Dallas
- Thread starter
- #28
RikRodgers
Vendor
A lot of that type motel charge their guests a 10 or 20 dollar refundable deposit for phone usage to cover any missing sets.
No offense, but you can't tell the difference between a VOIP call and a TDM call if the network is set up correctly. Reliability can actually be increased if connecting multiple phone systems. I save my customers thousands of dollars a year with VOIP. The problem is too many people try to get VOIP to work on a computer network not designed for it, or connect phones accross the internet. It's all dependent on your ability to configure a network.
SupportDude
Technical User
I can agree with a lot of what you all have to say.
Bottom line is that we're in the middle of a transition to an IP-centric world. Similar to when we went from electro-mechanical to electronic. Luckily it will take some time to evolve, so there is time to learn.
Telco's are now in the VoIP game too.
I'm not talking about those lame ass IP to the site, run it through an IAD and hand you a PRI VoIP guys. I'm talking about SIP trunks right to the switch.
VoIP takes up a lot of my time these days. It's a lot to learn and sometimes overwhelming. But, I find it fascinating and fun. It's sure a long way from T&R, A/A1, LG/L ... LOL. Never thought we'd get here from there.
-SD-
Bottom line is that we're in the middle of a transition to an IP-centric world. Similar to when we went from electro-mechanical to electronic. Luckily it will take some time to evolve, so there is time to learn.
Telco's are now in the VoIP game too.
I'm not talking about those lame ass IP to the site, run it through an IAD and hand you a PRI VoIP guys. I'm talking about SIP trunks right to the switch.
VoIP takes up a lot of my time these days. It's a lot to learn and sometimes overwhelming. But, I find it fascinating and fun. It's sure a long way from T&R, A/A1, LG/L ... LOL. Never thought we'd get here from there.
-SD-
How about a self-labeling phone-(3900 series type)for the CICS/MICS/BCM!!!
How about being able to put the MICS on the LAN like Call Pilot!!! GUI INTERFACE FOR PROGRAMMING!!
This would be nice........
MICS still has a place!!!
Try putting a BCM in a furnance room next to a hot water heater!!!
2-4 YEARS MAX!!!
How about being able to put the MICS on the LAN like Call Pilot!!! GUI INTERFACE FOR PROGRAMMING!!
This would be nice........
MICS still has a place!!!
Try putting a BCM in a furnance room next to a hot water heater!!!
2-4 YEARS MAX!!!
- Thread starter
- #33
RikRodgers
Vendor
And probably hasn't required service since it was installed.
That is why I love the MICS and CICS.
That is why I love the MICS and CICS.
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- #37
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