asterisk users - Apr 2005 - Convertnig from Norstar to * to save money

Snacktime, it sounds like you are trying to build a business case for
the migration from Norstar to *. If so, there is a solution that makes
the business case a no-brainer.  There is a gateway that enables you to
re-use all your Norstar phones and wiring but replace the PBX itself
with *. You get rid of the Norstar and move to the full IP PBX
capabilities of * (and eliminate the PBX maintenance $), but you don't
have to spend a bunch of money on new IP phones and the LAN upgrade to
power them. Since the cost and hassle of the migration is reduced, the
business case is much easier to make.  Also, any nervous execs feel more
comfortable with the switch because the phone on their desk doesn't
change and you can always go back quickly if things don't work out.  See
the wiki link below for more info.
 
http://www.voip-info.org/tiki-index.php?page=Digital%20Telephone%20Adapt
ers 




-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Glassman [mailto:jrglass@columbus.rr.com] 
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 7:10 PM
To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] RE: Asterisk-Users Digest, Vol 9, Issue 67


Message: 6
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2005 16:24:18 -0700
From: snacktime <snacktime@gmail.com>
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Getting a good deal on a PRI
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
	<asterisk-users@lists.digium.com>
Message-ID: <1f060c4c05040716243cd11793@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

We have 10 incoming POTS lines to our offices, and a nortel norstar pbx.
I've been looking at replacing it with * at some point in the future,
and the point that looks most cost effective is when we move to PRI.

Problem is, I'm not really sure how to go about getting a good deal, or
what questions to ask.  90% of calls will be inbound.  I called up Qwest
and they quoted me $800 month.  I haven't called up any CLEC's yet to
see what they can do.

Any suggestions?  We are in Seattle, Washington.

Chris


In Columbus Ohio we pay about $600.00 per month for a PRI from Time
Warner. Unlimited incoming/outgoing.  


Jeff

On Fri, 2005-04-08 at 17:16, Mike Robinson wrote:
> Snacktime, it sounds like you are trying to build a business case for
> the migration from Norstar to *. If so, there is a solution that makes
> the business case a no-brainer.  There is a gateway that enables you to
> re-use all your Norstar phones and wiring but replace the PBX itself
> with *. You get rid of the Norstar and move to the full IP PBX
> capabilities of * (and eliminate the PBX maintenance $), but you don't
> have to spend a bunch of money on new IP phones and the LAN upgrade to
> power them. Since the cost and hassle of the migration is reduced, the
> business case is much easier to make.  Also, any nervous execs feel more
> comfortable with the switch because the phone on their desk doesn't
> change and you can always go back quickly if things don't work out. 
See
> the wiki link below for more info.
>  
> http://www.voip-info.org/tiki-index.php?page=Digital%20Telephone%20Adapt
> ers 
> 
Mike,

I checked out the link.  Seems like a good idea.  Do you have direct
experience with this?  

Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Glassman [mailto:jrglass@columbus.rr.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2005 7:10 PM
> To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] RE: Asterisk-Users Digest, Vol 9, Issue 67
> 
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2005 16:24:18 -0700
> From: snacktime <snacktime@gmail.com>
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Getting a good deal on a PRI
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> 	<asterisk-users@lists.digium.com>
> Message-ID: <1f060c4c05040716243cd11793@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> We have 10 incoming POTS lines to our offices, and a nortel norstar pbx.
> I've been looking at replacing it with * at some point in the future,
> and the point that looks most cost effective is when we move to PRI.
> 
> Problem is, I'm not really sure how to go about getting a good deal, or
> what questions to ask.  90% of calls will be inbound.  I called up Qwest
> and they quoted me $800 month.  I haven't called up any CLEC's yet
to
> see what they can do.
> 
> Any suggestions?  We are in Seattle, Washington.
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> In Columbus Ohio we pay about $600.00 per month for a PRI from Time
> Warner. Unlimited incoming/outgoing.  
> 
> 
> Jeff
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Robinson [mailto:mike.robinson@citel.com]
> Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 2:16 PM
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Convertnig from Norstar to * to save money
> 
> 
> Snacktime, it sounds like you are trying to build a business case for
> the migration from Norstar to *. If so, there is a solution that makes
> the business case a no-brainer.  There is a gateway that 
> enables you to re-use all your Norstar phones and wiring but replace the
PBX itself
> with *. You get rid of the Norstar and move to the full IP PBX
> capabilities of * (and eliminate the PBX maintenance $), but you don't
> have to spend a bunch of money on new IP phones and the LAN upgrade to
> power them. Since the cost and hassle of the migration is reduced, the
> business case is much easier to make.  
I would suggest that there is also a strong case to be made for using * to add
the extra brains to an existing Norstar system, especially if you have a larger
Norstar deployment or _heavily_ entrenched users.

We now have a fairly successful deployment using four Asterisk machines acting
as 1xPRI-PSTN and 3xPRI-CPE gateways to present three seperate Norstar locations
as a single universal dialplan, transported via IAX. The trick is to think like
a of Asterisk as a private PSTN (ie. the PRI-NET side) and then build everything
in using extention numbers (as a form of for vertical service code) and ditch
the obsolete 'feature' codes concept Nortel use for Voicemail and so on.

However, if you're only serving one unexpanded MICS KSU then ditching it may
be more realistic.

:-)

Kris Boutilier
Information Systems Coordinatior
Sunshine Coast Regional District