asterisk users - Apr 2004 - Channel Bank - New * install

I am looking at installing * as the PBX in a new office and have a few
questions that I hope someone can help me with. The installation will be
small at first with about 8 internal extensions, but will grow to 24
within a year or so.
 
First is there any benefit to using VoIP phones instead of installing a
channel bank and analog business phones? 
 
If not, what are some good analog business phones that people have used?

How about channel banks, can I get some suggestions?
 
Thanks
 
 
-----------------
-Jon Brandon
VP of Technology
Monsoon
Add me to your contacts:
<http://www.monsoonretail.com/vcards/JonBrandon.vcf>
http://www.monsoonretail.com/vcards/JonBrandon.vcf
 
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On Thu, 2004-04-22 at 12:50, Jon Brandon wrote:
> I am looking at installing * as the PBX in a new office and have a few
> questions that I hope someone can help me with. The installation will
> be small at first with about 8 internal extensions, but will grow to
> 24 within a year or so.
> 
>  
> First is there any benefit to using VoIP phones instead of installing
> a channel bank and analog business phones? 
> 
>  
> If not, what are some good analog business phones that people have
> used? 
> 
> How about channel banks, can I get some suggestions?
Dude, drop the HTML, and remember why google exists.

VoIP phones have the benefit of linear growth cost. A phone costs $X,
and for the most part will cost $X no matter how many lines you roll
out. So a new extension is just $X increase, and your system is just $X
x N extensions to deploy. Also VoIP can be deployed pretty much
anywhere.

Analog has the benefit of cheaper phones, and what I consider a better
service record. There isn't really a problem of what is and isn't
supported, or supported to what extent. Draw backs are you can either
deploy in multiples of 4 with the TDM400 or go T1 and deploy in
multiples of 24. Either way, it makes the first step beyond the current
block slightly expensive, but then the increment is a small amount till
you fully deploy your current block.

24 Budgetones would be ~$1800(assuming you find them for $75 each).
24 analog AT&T phones, $1720(assuming a channel bank from ebay at $500
and $30 phones).

So you can see where the 25th phone goes back to the VoIP phones as the
25th phone on analog will run you another $1030 for the T1 port and
channel bank.
-- 
Steven Critchfield  <critch@basesys.com>