Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)
  • Telephone Switches
  • Coyote
    Free Member

    I’ve got a quote in from BT to replace several of our aging switches with Avaya based systems however “Those Who Know Better” have asked that I circumvent BT and do straight to the manufacturers.

    So, who are the best to look at and who are to be avoided?

    surfer
    Free Member

    Are you talking about voice switches (private branch exchanges) or Ethernet switches local area network switches?

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    Still using BT for business comms solutions..? Some rather cheaper people out there, you know….

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    Coyote
    Free Member

    Sorry, voice switches. VoIP compatible but to be installed on standard PSTN initially.

    MrGrim
    Full Member

    I work for an Avaya business partner and have found that Avaya seem to be moving away from dealing with the customer directly (if it’s Avaya you’re after).

    Feel free to drop me a mail (in profile) if you want any advice or contacts.

    Coyote
    Free Member

    OMitN, I know. BT gave us a smoking deal on lines and calls (mobile and fixed) so I’m giving them a shot at the hardware too. Also need national coverage which a lot of the smaller suppliers can’t do.

    I am however open to any information people may think useful. 🙂

    druidh
    Free Member

    Ask “Those Who Know Better” who they’d like you to consider and then spend the next 6 months doing a full evaluation of the competitors, including site visits.

    surfer
    Free Member

    You dont need to go to the manufacturers directly but BT are just another reseller.
    I have a couple of companies that we use and we have about 25 PBX’s in the UK.
    Depends on a lot of factors really if you have the in house expertise to spec and install then fine but most companies will do this and the discount they get on hardware covers there install and config charges.

    Where are you based?

    piedidiformaggio
    Free Member

    I manage a team looking after a pan-european Avaya installation which is all VoIP. We do have some Primary Rate still for PSTN, but most of it’s SIP now (that’s been something of a difficult migration!).

    Anyway, there are plenty of resellers out there that will no doubt come in cheaper than BT. As MrGrim said, Avaya don’t really deal direct, so I’d go for a Platinum Partner.

    PM me if you want a recommendation of who I’ve used

    Coyote
    Free Member

    druidh, this is my point exactly!!! We have a creaking infrastructure that needs action now not more pontification.

    Surfer, offices all over this green and pleasant land with the exception of Scotland.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I work for an Avaya business partner

    Likewise. I think we’re the biggest one in the UK now, actually. National coverage, email in profile. Have your people ring my people, we’ll do lunch. (-:

    It’s not really my field personally but I work with some of the senior Avaya engineers.

    MrGrim
    Full Member

    Small world….Been on here for years and didn’t realise there were as many here who work in a similar field.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I don’t, the people I work with do. (-:

    Cletus
    Free Member

    Hi Coyote,

    Most manufacturers work through partner companies rather than direct with customers.

    It is true that BT are just another reseller for Avaya (and Cisco). There are lots of other companies that could provide solutions from manufacturers such as Avaya, Cisco, Shoretel etc.

    These companies will be all over you to get your business – you are in a powerful position at the moment so make the most of it.

    From what you have said about multiple sites it may be that a centralised call processing system such as Cisco CallManager would be a good fit. Basically you put a bunch of servers in your data centre(s) and these control IP enabled phones at your sites. Access to the outside world is via gateways which can support traditional ISDN connections or IP based SIP connections. This solution runs on top of your data network so that has to be up to scratch.

    My day job is designing and deploying Cisco communications systems. I would be happy to have a chat with you about them if that would be of use.

    Whatever you do though appreciate the strength of your position and do not gift the business to your incumbent without exploring your options.

    randomjeremy
    Free Member

    One thing I would say about BT for sizeable installations is that they will have done it before, probably at an even larger scale than your sites. For all their faults they are pretty much the go to people for any big installation for the “big boys” (at least when I was working in the city up until last year)

    Cletus
    Free Member

    Another thing about BT is that they tend to be inflexible, corporate and inflexible.

    There are dozens of companies that can reliably deliver country wide multi-site solutions – that is one monopoly that BT don’t have 😆

    SprocketJockey
    Free Member

    I installed a Shoretel PBX and contact center at our place last year. Great system – really easy to manage and support and very scaleable too. Been very impressed with it.

    I’d personally avoid BT as a partner for this sort of thing… and I used to work for them! IMHO the organisation is just too fragmented to give a decent level of support these days. New tech has really broken the stranglehold the big guys used to have on PBXs.

    Plenty of smaller resellers out there who can still offer national coverage and will offer a better deal.

    Get several quotes from different suppliers – we were also looking at Avaya and Toshiba options from our incumbent supplier, both of which would have worked out far more expensive over the course of the maintenance contract than the Shoretel system we eventually went for, and which was a far better fit for our requirements.

    Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further.

    seadog101
    Full Member

    I have no idea what this tread is about; apart from word ‘telephone’ that keeps being used????

    paulosoxo
    Free Member

    seadog101 – Member
    I have no idea what this tread is about; apart from word ‘telephone’ that keeps being used????

    POSTED 18 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

    Agreed

    surfer
    Free Member

    Plenty of smaller resellers out there who can still offer national coverage and will offer a better deal.

    I agree. I am part of a large organisation and I use a very small company for for PBX’s. Once in they tend to be very robust.

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 20 total)

The topic ‘Telephone Switches’ is closed to new replies.