5E on Ebay. For real? Bogus? [Telecom]

There's been some local chatter about an Ebay auction for a #5 ESS switch.

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One of our local recently-retired Ma Bell boys says it's bogus and presents some fairly convincing arguments.

Any opinion from the gang here ??

Reply to
jsw
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The switch sure looks like a small operating unit, so it is real, but that sure is a very different way to sell one. Over the years I have seen a few racks and a frame or 2. I'm sure a small company would like to get there hands on it.

Reply to
Steven Lichter

"Steven Lichter" wrote

Then again, maybe not. Obtaining one via Ebay, I'd think that they would be hard pressed to get any information or spare parts or software upgrades through legitimate channels. IIRC, they aren't very "user friendly". ;-)

Reply to
Who Me?

It certainly looks legit.

My guess is that it is from a CLEC that subsequently got out of the dialtone business or is now doing VoIP in a big way and doesn't need two Lucent 5E's anymore (they may have others they're still using).

My vote is legit but not from a Bell (or former Bell) Telco.

John

Reply to
John P. Dearing

There are plenty of companies that sell rebuild spare cards and the such for the 5ESS, plus I seem to remember talking to a manager for a small company in the Pacific Northwest that service contracts can be bought and anyone working on one of these will be very well trained by one of the schools or having been a Bell employee. I had training on them when I was with GTE as a COEI installer and have kept up on the changes since I had gone to school and am on the tech update mailing list. I don't do much with them anymore as I only work about 6 months a year; by choice and try not to get involved in major site work anymore, which leaves me to ironwork, cabling and power.

Reply to
Steven Lichter

For what purpose? Anything today is tons smaller and more effiicient than that. I was considering a bid of $12, but I was afraid I might win it :-)

If you want to see some of the alternitive, start here

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Carl Navarro

Reply to
Carl Navarro

I agree, from what pictures are posted and a few seem to be the same, a lot of the frames are not there so it may not have been a complete switch. As I said it is strange to see on on eBay, but the company is a known equipment broker.

Reply to
Steven Lichter

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