Can someone please help me with understanding this... VOIP related...

[spotdog14]

Ok, so the office i work for is moving into a new office. At the old office we have some old ass Partner PBX that is ancient, so we need a new phone system. The company i work for has decided instead of using the people that we usually use for tech/phone stuff that we are going to use an "IT Firm" to do "everything" for us.

Im not going to get into the details on how much they suck already, but i am trying to explain to the office manager a few things and im not that well versed in VOIP, so if someone could look at my situation and give me some insight that would be great.

Ok, we have a 10 line package through AT&T that we have a contract with for another year or so, we own our old PBX system but need a new one. The "IT Firm" wants us to move to VOIP, but the cost to moving to VOIP is considerable (at least the price they quoted) over getting another PBX system (which they keep calling digital, isnt it all analog?).

So my question is dont people usually move to VOIP because it is cheaper then a new PBX system, and it will save them money in phone bills? But how is this going to work since we have a contract with AT&T, this is what i am confused about, and the damn "IT Firm" is slower then shit to get us actual quotes that are broken down and itemized....

 

[edicted]

Ok, we have a 10 line package through AT&T that we have a contract with for another year or so, we own our old PBX system but need a new one. The "IT Firm" wants us to move to VOIP, but the cost to moving to VOIP is considerable (at least the price they quoted) over getting another PBX system (which they keep calling digital, isnt it all analog?).

PBX systems usually digital. Even the 15+ year old Rolm/IBM PBX we had used digital phones, etc.

So my question is dont people usually move to VOIP because it is cheaper then a new PBX system, and it will save them money in phone bills? But how is this going to work since we have a contract with AT&T, this is what i am confused about, and the damn "IT Firm" is slower then shit to get us actual quotes that are broken down and itemized....

It depends. If VoIP is going to cost an initial investment of say $10K for the gear (IP PBX, handsets, etc.) there could very well be savings after X number of months.

I would say this, let your manager make the call and decision on what they are going to do with this IT Firm, do the grunt work, and if the pieces fall in place, great, if it blows up, the IT Firm is on the line for their deliverables.

You can't fix the world of IT Management.

 

[spotdog14]

PBX systems usually digital. Even the 15+ year old Rolm/IBM PBX we had used digital phones, etc.



It depends. If VoIP is going to cost an initial investment of say $10K for the gear (IP PBX, handsets, etc.) there could very well be savings after X number of months.

I would say this, let your manager make the call and decision on what they are going to do with this IT Firm, do the grunt work, and if the pieces fall in place, great, if it blows up, the IT Firm is on the line for their deliverables.

You can't fix the world of IT Management.

haha, alright well thank you for the info. it makes a few things a little more clear for me. I didnt realize that the PBX systems were digital, but i guess it makes sense since it does display the time, date. etc on the phone.

 

[Eulogy]

Step 1: Let the firm muck it up.In the meantime, learn VoIP as much as you can
Step 2: Let Firm's junk die
Step 3: Step in with new found knowledge
Step 4: Profit

 

[TechLarry]

PBX's are Digital. That's why they like to blow up Laptop modems !

Ok, so the office i work for is moving into a new office. At the old office we have some old ass Partner PBX that is ancient, so we need a new phone system. The company i work for has decided instead of using the people that we usually use for tech/phone stuff that we are going to use an "IT Firm" to do "everything" for us.

Im not going to get into the details on how much they suck already, but i am trying to explain to the office manager a few things and im not that well versed in VOIP, so if someone could look at my situation and give me some insight that would be great.

Ok, we have a 10 line package through AT&T that we have a contract with for another year or so, we own our old PBX system but need a new one. The "IT Firm" wants us to move to VOIP, but the cost to moving to VOIP is considerable (at least the price they quoted) over getting another PBX system (which they keep calling digital, isnt it all analog?).

So my question is dont people usually move to VOIP because it is cheaper then a new PBX system, and it will save them money in phone bills? But how is this going to work since we have a contract with AT&T, this is what i am confused about, and the damn "IT Firm" is slower then shit to get us actual quotes that are broken down and itemized....

 

[archivalbackup]

PBX's like VoIP can have both digital or analog devices, they just have to be configured and hooked up to the correct type of port. Yes a digital PBX port will kill an analog modem, however you can setup a PBX to have an analog port (I have an analog phone hooked into our PBX sitting right here on my desk).

VoIP is the same deal. Analog devices (fax, modem etc) connect to FXS ports, Digital VoIP phones connect to ethernet ports (usually with power inline).

VoIP is great stuff, but requires a very good knowledge of QoS to make sure things run properly.

 

[archivalbackup]

PBX's like VoIP can have both digital or analog devices, they just have to be configured and hooked up to the correct type of port. Yes a digital PBX port will kill an analog modem, however you can setup a PBX to have an analog port (I have an analog phone hooked into our PBX sitting right here on my desk).

VoIP is the same deal. Analog devices (fax, modem etc) connect to FXS ports, Digital VoIP phones connect to ethernet ports (usually with power inline).

VoIP is great stuff, but requires a very good knowledge of QoS to make sure things run properly.