PBX phone systems - is it hardware or software-based? Easy to learn?

[PeeluckyDuckee]

Are PBX softwares that run on Windows? New to PBX phone systems, may have to learn it soon, so would like some heads up on it. Easy to learn?

 

[Tallgeese]

Not normally...usually seen as proprietary systems. VoIP vendors has been looking to try to take some of this market.

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

how much does a proprietary pbx system cost generally? I'm at www.virtualpbx.com right now. Seems possible to use software for pbx management...

 

[Tallgeese]

Although, sometimes special function software (billing, tracking, etc.) does run on Win-based systems.

And, VERY small phone systems (not quite full PBXs) are sometimes Win-based.

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

its kinda like routing, only not TCP/IP, but PSTN.

 

[Tallgeese]

<< how much does a proprietary pbx system cost generally? >>

How much $$$ have you got to spend?
Honestly, BIG BUCKS (easily can reach 6 figures for a bigger system).

 

[ScottMac]

Yeah, and it's a COMMAND LINE CONSOLE...no stinkin' GUIs..

Big bucks...no kidding...

A small office PBX (about the size of a PC with some extra connection hardware) from 3COM starts in the US$26,000.00 range. Then you add some features..it start to really get pricey.

The Lucent and Nortel PBXs start at about double that. THey do have some "Not really PBX" PBX equipment, but it's not cheap either.

A good alternative would be something like SphereCall (something like that). They make POTS interfaces that communicate with IP trunks, controllable with a PC application (like for conferencing, transfer, speed-dial, etc). They have units that'll talk ATM or Ethernet, and also have pure IP telephones.

The Cisco and Nortel (and Alcatel, and,and,and) VoIP stuff is not really any cheaper than a PBX for larger installations. The big problem seems to be the sales & marketing of VoIP. The customer think they can just drop a VoIP system on their network and VOILA! telephony happens! .Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. The network has to be qualified up front, tested for latency, code & hardware upgraded....the "behind the scenes" costs are (more often than not) a major chunk of change.

We get lots of calls from companies that put in VoIP and can't understand why the quality is so poor, or why there's so much "static" on the line....then we find out their network is old / poorly designed/implemented...they get mad, but it's always their choice....make the network perfect (and still have (usually) sub-toll-quality) or ditch the VoIP system.

I'm still confused aout how an Internet novelty has become such a big deal for corporate America. It can work OK, but "cheaper" is a word that should never enter the conversation....

EDIT: I just re-read the original post....geez..nutin' like wandering OT a little...sorry. If you just have to administer an installed system, it's not too bad, pretty easy to learn. Make sure you get a current copy of the operations manual. Also see if you can do the class for whatever PBX you'v've got.

FWIW

Scott

 

[luv2chill]

I'm busy learning Nortel's BCM (Business Communications Manager) product. It's a Norstar-type key system that actually runs complete on a (Nortel supplied) PC --a PIII 700 IIRC. It's pretty slick actually... everything is administered through a web interface (trunk/station setup as well as voice mail). It uses Windows NT embedded and works with a wide variety of legacy Norstar equipment (including the phones).

It's VoIP capable and you can also use it as a stateful packet inspection firewall. Basically, all the capabilities are present in SW... you unlock them with key codes purchased from Nortel (at astronomical prices).

So we're all wired for VoIP and the box is fully capable of it, but we're not going to implement it yet. It's nice to know that the capability is there though for future use.

My favorite part is the fact that it's programmable via a web browser... really makes admin'ing the thing a lot easier.

l2c

 

[ScottMac]

Lux2Chill: Have you seen/played with the Nortel Succession product yet? If so, what do you think of it?

Just curious...

Scott