IP PBX Advice (Nortel, Avaya, Mitel, Cisco)

The Q.SIG is for integration with a trading turret system. Thanks for the comments!

Being a Mitel engineer im a little biased but I think the Mitel CX would be perfect. It has everything you would expect in a system and more.

I work for a network integrator that carries both Cisco and ShoreTel. If are comparing the two for your needs then ShoreTEl is a far better choise. First of all you mentioned Qsig which ShoreTel does support. CME is basically dial tone replacement and isn't easy to manage and upgrades are nasty. You should take another look at ShoreTel for sure.

I work for a network integrator that carries both Cisco and ShoreTel. If are comparing the two for your needs then ShoreTEl is a far better choise. First of all you mentioned Qsig which ShoreTel does support. CME is basically dial tone replacement and isn't easy to manage and upgrades are nasty. You should take another look at ShoreTel for sure.

We are using multiple Mitel 3300's and multiple Mitel SX200_ICP systems (both with Q.SIG) and have been very well satisfied with the product. The SX200_ICP systems are being used as end nodes, going into small offices with 50 or less employees and very minimal trunking requirements (no trunk-to-trunk requirements). The 3300s are going into larger offices and in locations where we need inter-machine (tandem) trunking.

Mitel's 3300-CXi product might be ideal for your application.

What will you be us>Hey all -

If you are looking at Mitel and cost is a consideration. The SX200ICP in the CX form will be a cost saving over a similar 3300ICP in the CX form. The SX200ICP is also a little stronger at mimicking a key system if that is your required setup. I only know Mitel so I tend to lean that way. Both systems are reliable and should fit your needs. They also have some more advanced features like teleworker ( running a set off the system from you home if you have DSL or other high speed ), ACD, ARS ( least cost routing ), Your Assistance ( laptop soft phone ) and all the other features of the TDM SX2000 and SX200 PBX's. The 3300ICP certainly supports QSIS as does the SX200ICP ( I believe ). Both come with a basic internal voicemail system, with an auto attendant capability for dial by name etc. The upgrade to the SX200ICP is basically plugging in a Compact Flash card with the new software and selecting the upgrade required ( pretty easy ) The 3300ICP has a windows bases "software installer" program that does pretty well everything on its own. You set up a laptop as an FTP server, download the new software from Mitel's web site into the home FTP directory and tell the software installer the IP address of your laptop. The rest is pretty easy just say if you want to backup the database and the voicemail messages and away we go. Without a voicemail backup its about 35 minutes. Any one with some IT experience should be able to handle that. The 3300 is managed via HTTP, with users having the ability to manage adding keys to their sets or groups of sets via a similar HTTP interface. If you wish to allow this type of access a separate login is created for each user or admin type person. Otherwise a central person can do all the admin. The 200ICP is managed via secure telnet. It does have a simple GUI based program for making set changes as well. Anyway hope this info is helpful. Maybe someone can give you Cisco info.

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I have a couple of 3300's that use QSIG links to an Option 61 ( Nortel ) without any problem once the Nortel VAR had everything set up ok. One site only uses its 3300 to run Spectralink wireless handsets ( supported directly via the 3300 on a 802.11b network. ).

We are doing exactly the same thing. Using Q.SIG between the Mitel and an Etrali turret system. Mitel supports the full load of Q.SIG, including CFB/CFNA reason codes, msg wtg set/clear, stepback on busy, diversion, CallerID Name & number.

Just one more note about ShoreTel. If you'd like to see some unbiased opionions: The November 8th edition of PC Magazine just hit the stands. It includes an 8-page test and review of IP Phones systems for small business, including Avaya, Switchvox, 3Com and ShoreTel. ShoreTel received the Editors' Choice Award.

By the way, you don't need Mitel's Teleworker in order to put a Mitel IP set in the home. All that's needed is a DSL line and a Cisco 831 SOHO router with EZVPN. Perhaps a bit more expensive, but it allows you to effectively reserve some bandwidth for the VPN pipe thus allowing you (or your children) to choke the remaining channel with their favorite music or video download without impacting the voice quality on the VPN segment. I'm a little unsure how this works except to be able to attest that it indeed does.

This of course is not true QOS, as upstream net.c>If you are looking at Mitel and cost is a consideration. The SX200ICP in the

I'd be interested on how that works, although if its more expensive, why would I go that route?

The 831 router (rather than the phone) establishes the VPN; ! crypto ipsec client ezvpn ezvpn-client connect auto group ezvpn key Dal#vpn1ez mode network-extension peer 65.95.214.191 xauth userid mode interactive !

we are fundamentally extending a limited segment of the corporate ntwk out across the vpn path with encryption. The phone then downloads its image and authenticates over this path, just as though it was inside the corp office. All that is needed on the remote phone end is to hard code the IP address of the RTC and TFTP (which normally are identical).

Without going into a lot of detail, the phone (and any corp office app) uses the VPN and any other surfing or emailing that you want to do goes to your ISP. The 831 router handles this. However much of the VPN bandwidth happens to be in use is unaffected by other traffic.

The entire config on the router is less than 200 lines (and no, I'm not at liberty to post it here)

Several reasons for going this route:

1 - it eliminates having to explain to your network security cop why you need a gazillion ports opened up as you would with the Teleworker application. Some network security folks are extremely anal about this, even when it's only UDP traffic.

2 - it eliminates the need for "YAS" (yet another server)

3 - it allows you to send the user home with -any- IP phone, supported by teleworker or not and any Mfr, whether Mitel or Cisco (we have both a 3300 as well as a Call Mgr on the voice netk). The user requires zero training except to hand them a phone with a cat-5 pigtail and say, "here, go home and plug it in".

What is the cost of the 831 compared to the Teleworker option?

Other then that, interesting points you bring up although point 3 would be the same for any system wouldn't it? I would think. If you can use a set on say the 3300, there is no training needed for teleworker. You config it and send it home to be plugged into the home router.

Since when does ShoreTel support Q.SIG? They didn't as of just a few months ago. Is this a recent addition?

Based on the needs of the original poster, I would recommend a single Mitel system. However, based on my recent experience during an RFP with both Mitel and Cisco, I would recommend Cisco for larger networks. Since this is a smaller site, has minimal Q.SIG interoperability requirements, and has simple VM needs, the Mitel 3300 CX is a natural fit as long as you have a good VAR to install, configure, and maintain it.

How will i know hen it is done? :(!