asterisk users - Jan 2006 - RE: Building from scratch would like the benefit of (TOO LONG...)

I use Cisco 7940's and 7960's over here, loaded with SIP, and they do
very
nicely. Also, the SCCP channel for * is under heavy development, and may
offer a future option to convert in that direction, too (SCCP, or skinny, is
their native tongue, not SIP). We got our phones from John Putnam at Global
Technology Solutions - competitive price, very prompt service, and delivered
them with the firmware I wanted to use (SIP). 763-488-1870. BTW, John got us
some new phones, and some refurbs. I am always skeptical about refurbished
anything, but these phones are in tip top shape.

The 79XX's are either configured by hand at the phone, or by a config file
served to the phone via TFTP. This is nice when you have 20+ phones to
configure. Static IP's are allocated via the DHCP server over here, but
maybe you can also set the IP via the config file - I don't know since I
don't need to know.

To do some research on these phones, I recommend google'n "Cisco SIP IP
Phone Administrator Guide", as it is these phone's bible, and provides
all
the info you need to know as to their capability. 

Good luck.

Sincerely,

Brent A. Torrenga
brent.torrenga@torrenga.com

Torrenga Engineering, Inc.
907 Ridge Road
Munster, Indiana 46321-1771

219.836.8918x325 Voice
219.836.1138 Facsimile
www.torrenga.com

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I would like any comments about those choices and also some comments about
what phones would be good.  I can make the business case for almost any
reasonable budget - I just need to know what would be best and if I need any
other cards (Noise cancellation?) - If so I would probably have to go to a
2U server like a 2850.

The phones are my biggest question mark right now.  I know basically nothing
about IP phones.  The only thing that I do know is that having 2 ethernet
ports would be very helpful since there is only 1 network connection per
desk and that is already plugged into a PC.  I would like phones that allow
static IPs (which I assume all do) so that the programmers can allow a
Customer Service rep to bring up the sales
record(s) of the person they are on the phone with based on their phone
number.

Thanks for any help,
Warren