Mac and small biz - telephony?
Hello sages of the AI forum(s):
Once again I come to the well of knowledge seeking clarity for a confused mind (and sober too!). I am starting a small company and need phone service within the office.
Currently there are phone and data lines installed but a new "backerboard" had to be run as this space was split from a larger warehouse. With that, I am faced with a decision- run voice and data lines, install a cheap analog phone system - or - run data only (or Airport) and find (THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN) a Mac-based telephony system to replace a PBX.
Is there such an animal? Everything I have seen only adds functionality to current systems, or replaces longdistance with VoIP...any guidance is, as always, graciously appreciated.
Cog
Once again I come to the well of knowledge seeking clarity for a confused mind (and sober too!). I am starting a small company and need phone service within the office.
Currently there are phone and data lines installed but a new "backerboard" had to be run as this space was split from a larger warehouse. With that, I am faced with a decision- run voice and data lines, install a cheap analog phone system - or - run data only (or Airport) and find (THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN) a Mac-based telephony system to replace a PBX.
Is there such an animal? Everything I have seen only adds functionality to current systems, or replaces longdistance with VoIP...any guidance is, as always, graciously appreciated.
Cog
Comments
If you want to do VOIP you will only have to run data lines but the cost for a basic VoIP system is around 5K to start and that is for all most nothing. IP phones are arond $350 in to the thousands depending on what you get. There is a company called BizFon www.bizfon.com out of salem NH that sells basic VOIP solutions but once again for what you gat is is a huge investment and the system can only manage unser 100 phones.
If you want a solution for VOIP solution for larger companys look in to the 3Com NBX. I am just finnishing up buying one of thoes systems for the company i work for the tag on it was $71,000 installed. We got voice mail, redundent line cards, and aroung 120 IP phones for that price.
I am going to assume that you are a smaller opperation so my advice would be don't go with VOIP there are all kind of things that you have to think about like upgrading your switches. Normal switches work on a first come first serve basis. for VOIP you need a 802P (IEEE standard) swiych that will put voice traffic before data traffic. at 20K a call it is not a lot of band with but if you don't have the 802P switched when large files are being passed over your network the call quailty goes to s*it.
Look in to the att 955 system. You can get it at staples. It is a 4 line system with the ability to have up to 24 internal phones. Also includes individual voice mail, and auto attendent. I have been placing this system at smaller sited for years. 5 phones will cos you about $600.
Check it out at staples http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Brows...e=1&Sku=571918
-AG
Originally posted by agallant
There is Astric Linux .......
Look in to the att 955 system. You can get it at staples. It is a 4 line system with the ability to have up to 24 internal phones. Also includes individual voice mail, and auto attendent. I have been placing this system at smaller sited for years. 5 phones will cos you about $600.
Check it out at staples http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Brows...e=1&Sku=571918
-AG
AG:
Thank you for sharing all of that. You saved me lots of research time...I'll definitely check out the ATT system you mentioned. Thanks...
Cog