NEC is announcing they are discontinuing all Premises based system 5

[DoubleDriveLine]

You can download all your licenses and keep them backed up. If you reload your LMC just install the license file and don't let it every sync the database.



There are 10 kinds of people in the World.

Those that understand Binary and those that don't.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Why is everyone suggesting changing to solutions such as Asterisk when you can stay with NEC using Univerge Blue?

 

[ipLDKInstaller]

NEC should be asked to provide a final license free edition for all products like Panasonic did when they withdrew from the market. It's the least the could do for our continued custom.

//Andrew

 

[DoubleDriveLine]

Why is everyone suggesting changing to solutions such as Asterisk when you can stay with NEC using Univerge Blue?

Very simple costs. If you go the Switchvox route of Asterisk the yearly maintenance cost are far less than NEC Univerge Blue. Even if you include the costs of getting SIP trunks.

If you go the route of IncrediblePBX (Asterisk) and SIP trunks it is even cheaper. There are no yearly maintenance costs to contend with.

Last year I moved our Church off their old Toshiba to IncrediblePBX and SIP trunks. They were paying $150/month for 2 POTS lines. We now pay about $5 a month in SIP trunk costs. Univerge Blue for the number of phones they have would be at or over the $150/month.





There are 10 kinds of people in the World.

Those that understand Binary and those that don't.

 

[CoralTech]

I just cannot possibly buy into NEC cloud service. The way they are doing this is absolutely terrible to their long term dealers. Seven months....really?

 

[JPBXGuy]

Theres a million and one hosted options I personally sell the SL2100 because the cleint isnt a hosted option. Everyone isnt a good fit for hosted voip some like digital phones and a pbx they can plug their existing POTS lines in and go about their business. Some only have cat3 in the building and cabling isnt an option either due to price or is a house turned business and cabling in these locations is a nightmare. I've been with NEC for 12 years and this truly hurts, to put it into prespective I've sold 5 this month already. and typically do 3-5 Sl2100s month in and month out.

 

[phadobas]

As ipLDKInstaller said: "NEC should give a final, license-free edition of their pbx software." I couldn't agreem more!!!

As for cloud, besides cost, I woulnd't ever trust an outsider to host my phone system and have access to all my internal informations. Besides, a hosted solution relies on good internet connection. While that exists most of the times, imagine just a few hour of outage on my end or on their end. For us, it would be a disaster.

 

[formerNECguy]

Personally, this kinda sux. After working on NEC products for 27 years, its like loosing a family member. I guess I'll be able to free up some space in my memory by deleting the command manuals for 9300/9500.

 

[TheseGoTo11]

We spoke with our Mitel rep this week and they will not be taking over NEC premise based products, NEC will not allow it. We just purchased Business Connect to replace Global Navigator & ACD and we are trying to put the brakes on that project and just wait and see what happens. All our 9500s are up to date with new CPUS and firmware so we are good for a while, hoping NEC opens up licensing so we have the ability to use our existing equipment for a few years until the dust settles.

 

[DoubleDriveLine]

My NEC Dealer Sales rep told me this week he was talking to NEC and they are coming up with some type of Bridge Program. No details yet but apparently they are trying to bridge their customers from Premise to Hosted.





There are 10 kinds of people in the World.

Those that understand Binary and those that don't.

 

[OzzieGeorge]

So let's look at on Prem options other than the obvious. How about Asterisk as previously mentioned, coupled with Grandstream multiple ATAs it could be an option. Also 3CX is still available as an on Prem system at the right licensing level and again coupled with Grandstream multiple ATAs it would be a contender.

Anyone got any more suggestions?

 

[OzzieGeorge]

I must admit, I may have made a good decision in the past as one carrier here used Cisco 8 port ATAs to deliver POTS services over the internet and I have collected them as I decommissioned them so I have about 10 8 port ATAs on hand for future projects!

 

[phadobas]

When looking at good on-prem replacement systems, what comes to my mind is asterisk, freepbx, and freeswitch (so far). But I have to be able to mimic or duplicate existing NEC functionality as closely as possible:

1) Try using NEC phones with stanard SIP firmware
2) Have multiple lines show up on a phone as rollovers
3) Have one phone's line show up on another phone (line appearance)
4) Group pick / Call Forward / Transfer
5) 3-party and Multiparty conference
6) Privacy Release (or barge-in), where you pick up the line of an ongoing phone call and you are in it and a 3-party conference is created)
7) Speed dials (or one-touch dial)

For now these are the things I can think of

 

[bjsvec]

Cisco, Avaya and Mitel are the "obvious" choices for a certain class of customer that still thinks they want or need a traditional, on premise system and a big name.

There are at least a dozen Asterisk flavors to choose from and work with to create your own on premise or cloud or hybrid solutions.

Zultys is a great choice for a similar experience to NEC from the reseller perspective as well as having solid on premise, VM and hosted options.

Grandstream maybe for small and cheap? They have unbelievably cheap hardware and just announced a cloud platform last week and seem reasonably capable. I've been evaluating their new network stack lately and it is capable, but so inexpensive I still can't really believe it. WiFi 6E APs <$100, 8 portPOE switch <$30, Gig router with POE ports and 2x SFP for <$80. This all has a free, optional cloud management portal and mobile app for management and monitoring too.

Also stay in touch with your NEC reps and see what they are going to do to help bridge the transition and dig into Universe Blue if you want to stay NEC. My understanding is they may be the only path to allow you to reuse NEC desk phones easily.

teamonesolutions.com

 

[jeremycw]

So the real question is what happens when the LMS portal is no longer available ?

Some systems were recently purchased with long term support so they need to keep the LMS going for a while. At least through 2031 from what I understand.

NEC should be asked to provide a final license free edition for all products like Panasonic did when they withdrew from the market. It's the least the could do for our continued custom.

I couldn't agree more. I'm requesting they do. I run 11 9500s and 29 9300s with over 10,000 handsets and while I may not be the largest, I'm hoping I can bend someone's ear.

 

[CoralTech]

I hope so with the licensing, but I doubt it. Not a big fan of Asterisk in any form and I have had in in a lab since it was out bleems ago. It's a great system if you want to time sink your day or God forbid you have to take over someone else Asterisk system to work on.

 

[NECreseller]

I am one of the agents of NEC in the part of Asian region. Several agents here are preparing to sue NEC. They deliberately concealed the facts and demanded a large amount of inventory from us by the end of March this year. Then, in April, they released the news of ending overseas sales to global counterparts without informing us beforehand. This could result in our inventory being stuck, and it may introduce uncertainties into some deals that were about to be finalized. Are there similar situations elsewhere? NEC in Japan refuses to take responsibility.

 

[Teleco4]

Does anyone have an idea for homes that can't possibly rewire? I do a fair number of big houses and apartments. Some even have old quad wiring especially at doors. In my own house, I have an NEC door phone connected to old door bell wire.

 

[IPEXE]

yes the news is true NEC is ending its business like Panasonic done.

 

[neax]

NEC

N Now
E Ending
C Communications