I am supposed to be looking at a 5 year plan to upgrade our OPT 81. With this thing being EOL I am wondering what may be a reasonable path for a forklift upgrade? I don't have any experience with other equipment so I am picking some other brains out there for input....ultimately they are not looking at a VOIP solution. (Nuclear plant - security, blah, blah,...) I don't know how much longer I am going to have vendor support for the 81 but I have a complete 81 as a spare! (got it cheap last year) I also have the option to pick up an ASPECT on the cheap. We don't need any call center type switching, just straight up analog/digital support. There isn't very good infrastructure cabling inside the plant which is one hurdle I may have. What say you guys?
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Thoughts on Mitel or Avaya
- Thread starter bad69cat
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One thing I look for is "What system has the biggest customer base in my area, therefore is likely to have the most vendor support options"
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I would upgrade the 81c to Release 7.5 and sit on it for 5 more years. The hardware isn't necessarily EOL you just can't buy a new 81c.
Given you have the spares and you don't want to go IP it seems like a reasonable thing to do. Digital phones will be available refurbished for a long time. Avaya hasn't announced end of support for that equipment yet either so you have at least 5 more years of support.
We are working with our Avaya reps on our 5 year plan which includes two 81c systems and seven 61c systems and the majority of them are being moved to 7.5.
Given you have the spares and you don't want to go IP it seems like a reasonable thing to do. Digital phones will be available refurbished for a long time. Avaya hasn't announced end of support for that equipment yet either so you have at least 5 more years of support.
We are working with our Avaya reps on our 5 year plan which includes two 81c systems and seven 61c systems and the majority of them are being moved to 7.5.
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- #4
What is to be gained by moving to 7.5? We are a 4.5 I think right now? I was thinking that was a fairly expensive upgrade...
Gene, I think one issue is that there is not many vendors to pick from, but that's why one I'm looking at is Avaya or Mitel. On the surface they look similar but I haven't dug into it much yet. Part of the cost is going to have to be training either way, and I'm not all that familiar with opt 81 to start with! I don't mind keeping it if holding off makes more sense. I just don't want to get caught with my pants down when something happens. I do feel pretty comfortable with my spares level now. They didn't have any when I came on board!
Gene, I think one issue is that there is not many vendors to pick from, but that's why one I'm looking at is Avaya or Mitel. On the surface they look similar but I haven't dug into it much yet. Part of the cost is going to have to be training either way, and I'm not all that familiar with opt 81 to start with! I don't mind keeping it if holding off makes more sense. I just don't want to get caught with my pants down when something happens. I do feel pretty comfortable with my spares level now. They didn't have any when I came on board!
The only gain of the 7.5 upgrade is manufacture support and possible vendor support.
You may be able to find a vendor that will do a maintenance quote on 4.5 just remember if there is something they need from Avaya you won't be able to go there. (patches etc.)It was a very stable release so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable with that.
The biggest expense when we went from 3.0 to 5.5 on our 81C was due to our processors and the fiber network fabric. If you already have CPIV processors and FIJI then it shouldn't be too bad. It's base primarily on the number of phone licenses.
Work with the vendor to eliminate what you don't need.
You may be able to find a vendor that will do a maintenance quote on 4.5 just remember if there is something they need from Avaya you won't be able to go there. (patches etc.)It was a very stable release so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable with that.
The biggest expense when we went from 3.0 to 5.5 on our 81C was due to our processors and the fiber network fabric. If you already have CPIV processors and FIJI then it shouldn't be too bad. It's base primarily on the number of phone licenses.
Work with the vendor to eliminate what you don't need.
It is more expensive to forklift rather than upgrade but if you want to future proof your system, a forklift is better. It is the end of the line for the CS1000/Meridian. Upgrading may get you some more years of TDM but you will have to replace it eventually. Upgrade if budgets dictate it but if you have the funds and more flexability, replace it with a proper IP system. Either Avaya or Mitel, both will serve you well. And a lot less complex.
hurricaneguy
Technical User
I am in the same boat as you. I have an Option 61 on rel4.5. To upgrade would require new processors, plus replacing MErail for call pilot and Symposium express for CC. The price for that is not much less then a new system.
So far I am early in the process. We are taking bids from Avaya, NEC, and Siemens. So far Avaya is the priciest (by $200k)and NEC the lowest. The Siemens engineers have been very attentive in coming out to see our system setup so they can best replicate it. The others have not come out a all, only talking to us through our vendor.
So far I am early in the process. We are taking bids from Avaya, NEC, and Siemens. So far Avaya is the priciest (by $200k)and NEC the lowest. The Siemens engineers have been very attentive in coming out to see our system setup so they can best replicate it. The others have not come out a all, only talking to us through our vendor.
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- #9
Thanks for the input - I didn't figure Avaya would be the cheapest by far. But they do seem to have very good vendors and plenty if them. I have always liked Lucent equipment in the past so I'm pretty sure they are worth a look....
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