WiFi SIP telephones on the Mitel MCD/3300

[AH64Armament]

We are looking for a SIP Cordless handset for a customer. We've used Spectralink/Polycom handsets in the past, and they work well, however your infrastructure must be set up just so. They also recommend that you have SVP servers, and so on. Unfortunately, I've got a very short budget for these.
The customer has a Nortel Wireless infrastructure, and they've taken that responsibility to ensure the network is voice worthy.
I recommended the Mitel DECT handset, but was told they would be using them from office to office, and that the distance requirement exceeds the base unit... They don't want to install the DECT infrastructure for budget concerns.

I've used Unidata WPU-7700's - they were okay to configure and use. The battery life was horrible. I was just informed that our purchasing dept has already ordered WPU-7800's for this project.

Does anyone have any other recommendations for VoFi?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[danramirez]

Why don't you install BRIA on their smart phones and use it either over wifi and/or 3G. Advantage of this is you won't have another set of wireless phones.

Quality is great, We have installed it recently and customer is happy enough that they have asked us for more user license for their MBG.

Get an MBG so you can register users as Teleworkers when over 3G.

BRIA is part of wesley clover group so you can be sure it will work with the Mitel. BRIA can also compress voice to 729.

Good luck

http://www.hatkana.com

http://www.wtelecom.com

 

[nekminnit]

I'm currently trialling a Polycom Spectralink 8440 with a Mitel 3300 ICP - Only problem to date is battery life.. Curious as to what your problems were with your previous Spectralink handsets?

 

[AH64Armament]

Battery life seems to be a common item with regard to Wi-Fi telephones. We have a couple hospitals using Spectralink i640 sets and they got spare batteries with dual chargers. They last about 4 hours on standby, less with usage. These are using the SVP server and are programmed in the 3300 as Spectralink.

Both SIP telephones I've tested previously, had poor battery life too.

 

[LoopyLou]

Any wireless handsets will need the network setup "just so", it doesn't matter who it is. The limitation for Spectralink/Polycom is that they want the AP's to go through their certification program if you want support. The SVP server is not always mandatory depending what handsets you run. The older i640, e340 handsets needed it but the newer 84xx don't unless you have lots of handsets.

Batteries are always the weak link in wireless handsets. Got a smart phone that can last much more then a day? It is surprising how much "work" a wireless handset does in the background ( comparing signal strength, setting up handoffs with the AP's as well as carrying voice ) and that is why the batteries don't seem to last.

I have used SIP over Wifi on a smart phone but the problem with them is if you are moving, then the software app isn't able to do the same handoff to a stronger signal that purpose built wifi handsets do. The result is far more drop offs or choppy audio when moving. Also adding a wifi app to a smart phone drains its battery faster because now the handset is searching for both a cell and a wifi signal.

Does the customer have UCA? You might want to let them try the new UCA 5.1 which has a built in SIP client. Maybe that would be a better option if they have Blackberry, iphone or Android handsets ( sorry Windows 8 ).

I'd tell you a UDP joke but I'm afraid you won't get it. TCP jokes are the best because you always get them.