(Soon to be) New User BCM50 Purchase Advice 1

[robl3000]

I am hoping that some of the more experienced members can point a (soon to be) new user/owner of a BCM50 in the right direction, before I order some new equipment/keycodes.

Currently, I am using an opensource Asterisk-based IP PBX, but I am planning on migrating to a BCM50. As I have worked with as an administrator or installer of several systems in the past (Asterisk, Nortel Norstar, Panasonic KX-TD816, Nortel Meridian 11C), I plan to self-install a BCM50 for the learning experience.

However, after reading through 1000s of pages of PDF documentation, I still have a few questions before I make a purchase. Most of my questions center around ordering the correct key codes.

This system will use SIP trunks exclusively and all phones will be UNISTIM Nortel Phones. I know I need a BCM50 with Rel 3.0 for best SIP support.

#1 - I see mentions of VoIP Trunk Gateway keycodes and SIP Trunk keycodes. Which do I nee? Do I need both for this application? I will not be using H323, but only SIP.

#2 - What does Nortel consider a Trunk in regards to SIP? Is that a single SIP account with a provider that carries multiple concurrent calls? Or is a trunk code needed per concurrent IP call? (10 concurrent calls from a single SIP provider account is 1 or 10 trunks?)

#3 - Voice Messaging keycodes -- do announce only or CCR messages count as mailboxes that require licenses?

#4 - As an end-user doing a self-install, will I have access to KRS?

#5 - I will have 3-4 remote IP phones, each at a different location (home users). It looks as if a VPN will be needed between each location. Is it recommended to get a BCM50e or a BCM50 with external router/vpn/firewall?

#6 - Which series of phones integrate the best with the BCM50 - 2000, 1100, or 1200? Currently I am leaning towards the 1230 and 1220 for the install. Anyone have any feedback in regards to phone choice?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

 

[biv343]

I'll answer as best I can.
1. If you're using SIP trunks, you'll need to order SIP trunk keycodes.
2. You buy trunks in the number of concurrent calls you want to support. 1,2,4,8 are the multiples. A BCM50 maxes out at 12 IP trunks, whether SIP or H.323.
3. Only subscriber mailboxes count against licenses.
4. No. Whoever you buy the system from will need to generate the keycodes for you.
5. Personally I'd go with an external router/firewall. Gives you more flexibility.
6. All will work. Its a matter of preference and visual appeal.

 

[robl3000]

biv343, thanks for the quick and thorough response; it was extremely helpful.

I will pull all of the part numbers and place an order this week.

 

[kwtaylor]

Robl, Do you mind me asking why your migrating away from Asterisk. I have few manager around here that keep threating to go that route and would be interested in know why your leaving it?

 

[robl3000]

kwtaylor -- (this really should be a different thread). Asterisk is great, extremely flexible open source, etc.

However, Asterisk is not a PBX out of the box and is high maintenance. Asterisk is more of a telephony platform -- a phone system construction set. Adding / changing features requires righting dial-plan scripts.

The second issue with Asterisk, it lacks tight integration with any specific model of phones. Again, it is up to the installer create the logic and manually edit the configuration files to create seamless integration.

Nortel, on the other hand, will handle phone provisioning and seamlessly integrate with their phones. Nortel already has almost all of the needed features programmed already.

I will continue to have Asterisk installs, but I see value in the Nortel BCM50. This install will be educational for me and will have the needed feature set.

 

[kwtaylor]

Deja Vu...

You've basically said everything I and another tech have been expressing to the upper management.

I just was curious to gain the insite of someone who has utilized the system and what would drive them to migrate from it. Not looking to bash anyone or any manufacturer just looking for real world facts and input.