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Option 11 and IP Telephoney

Howdy,

We have a companion system that is connected to our Option 11. We purchased it 6 months before they discontinued it. Don't you love salesman? The support for the Companion system is going to be discontinued at the end of

2007. So we are looking at the different options available to us. We like the wireless telephones so we are looking at a replacement for our current system.

Nortel offers the 2210 and 2211 handests as a replacement, as well as the attendant hardware to implement the VoIP required to implement this wireless solution.

My question is, has anyone had any experience implementing the VoIP on an Option 11? Also, how does anybody like the 2210, 2211, 2212 handsets? If you have any experience with these how do you like them? Are they worth it? The sets seem expensive, more so than the companions. The companion phones seem somewhat delicate (We have broken several of them). Do these new handsets hold up very well?

Thanks for your time.

John

Reply to
John
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The 2210 and 2211 sets are rebranded SpectraLink sets and controller with enhanced firmware. In my experience the SpectraLink sets have been tough and well performing. Able to withstand several hits even out of the softcase. Visualize dropping the 2211 phone multiple times onto concrete floors and knowing the phone will work the next time you pick it up. They are that good.

There are some honest question you need to answer though: Do I need a converged wireless VoIP solution? (Voice and data on the same) If not on the same wireless access points then, do I want to maintain a separate set of wireless VoIP access points? Do I want to enable security features on the 802.11b deployment. (2210 and

2211 phones operate here) Is my Option 11 going to support VoIP anyway for my long term plans. (The connection to the rebranded SpectraLink controller and Phones is VoIP) Do I have the skill set in house to support the equipment?

The answer to all of there questions to all of these question should be a yes except for maybe the last one. Even the last question could be good leverage to justify renewing your skill set to your boss and getting some nice schools along with he upgrade.

However, if you don't need VoIP for the long term, don't want the expense of the whole VoIP deployment, or do not want to have voice and data on LAN, then SpectraLink also sells a wonderful 900 MHz mini-cell system. The interface to the PBX is via your standard Digital line card and uses 2616 licenses per phone. The phones are tough. The whole setup allows easy roaming and communicates over a fantastic distance. The phones and the controller can be found on eBay too.

I can give you more experience details on setup system if you need it.

Reply to
Chris Romero

Thanks for the reply Chris.

I can't beleive that Nortel is rebranding the phones. Although, from what I have heard of SpectraLink, they do provide a quality system. We currently have the Companion phones and they are not durable at all, so it is good to hear a testament to the 2211's durability. I picture our current 3060 sets hitting the ground and cringe, knowing I'll be programming a new one.

While having wireless available in our facility would be nice, I can see it being a headache for us. That is a decision our computer guys would have to make. I personally would love having wireless available for my laptop, same me some cables when I am programming out on the shop floor. As things stand right now, our wireless sets would be our only our only VoIP. We were viewing this installation as a test of the VoIP to see what sort of problems we had with it, and what we needed to do to implement and maintain it. You are right, it would be a good way to get some additional skills.

I prefer the 900mhz system since I don't like the VoIP, I prefer to keep the two seperate, that way if one goes down, they both don't go down.

I will pass your comments along, and I do appreciate them.

John

Reply to
John

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