I own three systems in my lab and I will talk about each of them. Be warned, the UCx is my favorite.
Avaya IP Office 500 V2 RLS 8.1:
Pros:
-Can use certain Nortel telephones and Avaya Based Telephones are sleek and full of features.
-Chock full of features such as call park, paging, intercom, CLID, etc.
-Can be expanded easily
-Avaya Support is very easy to find.
-Very reliable and engineered on years of Lucent/Avaya legacy.
-A wide array of legacy and new IP Phones are supported.
-SIP trunking is very easy to set up.
-Call voice quality is extremely clear.
-CLID information comes across all phone displays clearly and accurately.
-Internal Telephone paging is easy to setup.
-The online Manager program is fairly easy to use to setup short codes and extensions.
-Deskphone based programming is available.
Cons:
-Nortel IP Phones only work in SIP mode, not Unistim. Nortel 1100/1200 SIP phones sound extremely distorted voice quality wise.
-Not all Nortel Feature Codes function exactly as they did on the Norstar/BCM.
-Base model is inexpensive, but once you start adding key codes, a fully fledged system can get expensive when compared to Digium/E-MetroTel or even a BCM.
-Features are sometimes complicated to program. For example Call Park has to show park appearances on each phone instead of being able to just assign a general code such as 101 to be dialed at any phone.
-Too many key codes and an expensive licensing system.
-No built in Paging output, has to be "jimmy rigged" with an analog CO port.
-Having to restart the system to make a change go into effect, every time a move or change is made.
Nortel BCM 50 RLS6.0: (Not manufactured anymore but since it's in my lab, I'll list some features about it)
Pros:
-Full of legacy Nortel Norstar features
-T-Series Digital telephones are still manufactured by Avaya
-Many companies rebuilt and refurbish the Hardware and Software and come with long term service contracts.
-All parts are available on the Grey Market
-Used phones are easily available on Ebay.
-Extremely simple installation.
-An external Paging output is built in.
-Music on Hold has many options such as an audio input and an internal music player using .wav files.
-Deskphone based programming is available.
Cons:
-Product is technically discontinued
-Limited Caller ID Information on Phone Displays
-No Internal Hold Music
-Nortel Unistim BCM Software IP Phones are dumbed down version of CS1000 telephones
-No interchangeable functionality of Nortel Meridian 1 Telephones or CS1000 telephones.
-Hard Drive based with a fan
-No SIP phone capability
-Javascript and PC Based dependent for Element Manager programming.
E-MetroTel UCx50 RLS 4.5
Pros:
-Developed by Nortel Norstar/BCM/CS1000 engineers who are former Nortel employees.
-Norstar/BCM Feature Codes still work the way they did on the Nortel platform.
-Interchangeable functionality between all Nortel telephones released after 1990 including M2000, M3900, M7000, T7000, 1200/1100E/2000 Unistim IP sets.
-Support of most SIP telephones by manufacturers such as Cisco, Aastra, Polycom, Grandstream, and even Nortel SIP phones.
-Interchangeable license structure. For example: if you currently have a digital telephone and you want to upgrade it to an IP set, you do not have to purchase a new IP license. One license covers every type of telephone.
-Simple license/keycode structure. One extension/dn license covers all features on the system such as voice mail, find me/follow me, etc.
-The ability to run the system without any Nortel telephones as a pure SIP PBX.
-Familiar Nortel "Joan Kenley/Meridian Mary" voice prompts.
-24-7 no wait technical support
-Feature key or CS1000 softkey choice for Unistim IP Telephones.
-A quiet server model that can be expanded as needed.
-Server Virtualization is easy to set up.
-Web RTC/Next generation IP telephone clients availability.
-Sold by established Nortel base around the world.
-Features are easy to program via a web based GUI interface that can be used on a Mac or PC, no annoying Java script updates to deal with.
-The system doesn't need to be restarted every time a new feature or change to the system parameters is made.
-Multiple Music on Hold options such as an input, streaming or pre recorded.
-Most SIP trunking providers are already auto populated, so you just fill in the parameters and you are ready to go.
-PRI/BRI/SIP/Analog and GSM trunking are all compatible on the system.
-Call Waiting can be announced with a familiar Nortel M1 Buzz, or Norstar ringing or silence.
-Call Ringing Cadences can be changed to match either a Norstar ringing pattern or a CS1000 ringing patter.
-Call Buzz tone pitches can be adjusted.
-Paging can initiate silently or with a default Nortel page tone. An alternative page tone of your choice can be uploaded into the system.
-Held Line Notification works just like on the Norstar telephones.
-Low cost when compared to other systems out there today. An entry level system with telephones will cost less than $1600 with all features built in, including voicemail.
Cons:
-Feature 86 for background music no longer functions, but there are other ways to make it work gain.
-No external paging output, but a SNOM PA1 works perfectly with the system.
-CLID Information reads on one line on the M2000/M3900 sets instead of the Nortel 2 line style.
HINT: I obviously like the UCx product as it's the main system I use in my lab. All three systems are SIP trunked together and work together interchangeably.
If I have one good word for the UCx, its "interchangeability!"
Joseph Sus Jr. Nortel Emetrotel Consultant