Avaya IP Office 412 vs Cisco N+1

[JC]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

I am evaluating VoIP systems for a new office space. The hardware and
cabling will be brand new and to specs for either system.

What are the pros and cons (preferrably from someone thats already
been down this road) to each of these systems?

We are expecting 30 users (telephones) to begin and one location
scaling quickly to 100 users and three locations.

Specific questions I have:

1) Can the Avaya system process the calls quickly and process
voicemail-to-email instantly like the Cisco Integrated Messaging?

2) Is their any gotcha's with either of these systems?

3) We have a solid Cisco VAR and service provider. How important is
after the sale availability in real world production systems?

4) How do the WiFi phones (802.11b) and Polycom IP Conference phones
work?

5) Is there any questions I should be asking?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[user]

Archived from groups: comp.dcom.voice-over-ip (More info?)

"JC" <jc@colburns.net> wrote in message
news:52fb5f5a.0404221947.799d05b1@posting.google.com...
> I am evaluating VoIP systems for a new office space. The hardware and
> cabling will be brand new and to specs for either system.
>
> What are the pros and cons (preferrably from someone thats already
> been down this road) to each of these systems?
>
> We are expecting 30 users (telephones) to begin and one location
> scaling quickly to 100 users and three locations.
>
> Specific questions I have:
>
> 1) Can the Avaya system process the calls quickly and process
> voicemail-to-email instantly like the Cisco Integrated Messaging?
>
> 2) Is their any gotcha's with either of these systems?
>
> 3) We have a solid Cisco VAR and service provider. How important is
> after the sale availability in real world production systems?
>
> 4) How do the WiFi phones (802.11b) and Polycom IP Conference phones
> work?
>
> 5) Is there any questions I should be asking?
Yes, have you looked at the Nortel BCM and the Mitel 3300 (or maybe the
SX200 ICP). Cisco is over priced for the small/mid market. If you're talking
100 phones per location, the Mitel is better then the BCM, but if it's more
like 75 phones per location the BCM is perfect. Let's see, BCM one box
includes Integrated Messaging and can do a multi-site centralized Voice-Mail
everything works EXACTLY like you are in the same location, supports Symbol
wireless phones (just like Mitel and Cisco) but adds a customized firmware
to support softkeys and features just like the desk phones. The Mitel does
all this too, is still less money then the Cisco, but would be more then the
BCM.

As for after sales service, this is EXTREMELY important especially with the
Cisco. How long has you Cisco VAR been doing Voice? How long Data? Don't get
me wrong, Cisco makes the best routers and switches but the Call Manager
just isn't ready (and I was trained on it, and I'm certified in Cisco IP
Telephony).

>
> Thanks in advance for your help!

Good luck

--
Randall Cohen
Sr. Systems Engineer
Alternative Communication Systems, Inc.
Email: rcohen"_at_"acsvoicedata"_dot_"com
Remove the "_at_" and "_dot_" and replace with @ and . respectively.