Avaya - General thoughts needed please

[cava83]

Currently have a shitty samsung office serv 500 & 100, it's very annoying and difficult to configure. Currently having some issues with it and or BT for our ISDN 30's in one office.

Looking to probably change to an Avaya IP Office 500, starting off with standard then moving up to preferred.

Just wondering how you guys are getting on with it and 6.0, additionally, if you have failover PSTN backups, or what ever else you have?

We have 7 offices, ranging from 2 employees to a max of 50 per office.

Any thoughts really appreciated,

Thanks,

Gabi.

 

[H182]

We have it, generally works well most of the time. Few teething problems with the software console used on reception since upgrading but support are working on it. Just added another office and they work fine between each other. The handsets are fairly customisable with regards to button choices and forwarding etc. I don't have a great dealing with it so can't tell you more.

Oh and make sure you get surge protectors/ups's for the equipment, one of ours went boom after a power cut and cost over 1k to replace.

H

 

[cava83]

Ah I see.

We do have UPS's.

Are your phones powered through PoE switches or have direct AC adaptors?

What is the issue with the receptionist if you don't mind me asking (pics)

Thanks very much for all the info,

Gabi

 

[H182]

POE switches to an extent.. They're actual phone modules that are part of the avaya system though.

Issue with reception is that the software sometimes flickers and changes displays on its own, occasional hanging.. no pics, you wouldn't want them.

 

[H182]

POE switches to an extent.. They're actual phone modules that are part of the avaya system though.

Issue with reception is that the software sometimes flickers and changes displays on its own, occasional hanging.. no pics, you wouldn't want them.

 

[Mot!]

Avoid, get some cisco stuff. Your money's better spent there..

I recently deployed 600 avaya handsets/system, including onex - all cheap crap and as far as the users are concerned, they'd rather have our 10+ year old index system back (so would I!)

Who's your preferred supplier?

 

[cava83]

Currently have a maintenance agreement with one company who look after 3 of our sites, they were our preferred supplier, not too bothered now.

Cisco - normally very expensive, don't have huge amounts of money to implement it or to pay for software upgrades.

You a supplier?

 

[The Hoff]

Mitel are worth a look, nicer consoles than the Cisco (last year) though still require some time to adjust to. We went through Alternative Networks - fking useless!

P.S And cheaper too.

 

[iain187]

we have 2 sites with mitel and 2 sites with avaya, i only work on one of the avaya sites. we use 9620 handsets. if you have any specific questions i can have a nose in work but it largely doesnt break much so i leave it be (And cant tell you too much off the top of my head!)

 

[Longy]

We've installed a few avaya ip offices 500 and there has always been problems with them one way or another - depends on what features your after - i hate the console software on avaya although the PBX configuration software is nice and easy to programme. The new Samsung IP stuff is pretty good including having remote fall over systems which are seamless if one PBX fails.

 

[Cookie]

We have Cisco shizzle

PoE <3

 

[Mot!]

AD integration on the Avaya stuff cost $$$ too..

 

[cava83]

If you could do it all over again what would you use?

We've installed a few avaya ip offices 500 and there has always been problems with them one way or another - depends on what features your after - i hate the console software on avaya although the PBX configuration software is nice and easy to programme. The new Samsung IP stuff is pretty good including having remote fall over systems which are seamless if one PBX fails.

 

[Longy]

As an IT guy I would do the IP Office but our telecoms guys would say Panasonic/Samsung

 

[cava83]

Awesome.

I'll be installing it, so will be needing your help !!

As an IT guy I would do the IP Office but our telecoms guys would say Panasonic/Samsung

 

[The Hoff]

Awesome.

I'll be installing it, so will be needing your help !!

Cancel your holidays and plans for the next 6 months, get yourself some self-help guides to managing stress and be prepared to hate on users. Personally I'd avoid, but it depends on what scale you're talking I guess.

If possible leave your current system in place until you are absolutely categorically certain it works as it should be. Our Mitel system had bugs/problems and unknowns for a good 2-3 months after the install 'finished'.

 

[cava83]

Our Samsung office serv 500 & 100 has to be the most annoying thing I have used. Nothing can be programmed properly via a gui, all has to be done by the handset unfortunately.

I did contact Samsung to train me up, so I could have the "reseller" status and then I could download all their "reseller" samsung manuals to see if there is anything further I could do, their reply was sure, no problem, until I told them what we had, as soon as I did it was "sorry, we do not support those phone systems any more, they are legacy".

We just need something that can provide our current functionality, which anything will do and then I will expand from there.

I will work with a comms company to get it up and running, will install it on the existing ISDN network and then look at changing it to SIP.

Funnily enough, I am currently having issues with it at the moment, I am yet to figure out if it's the ISDN network or the telephone system, the alert intermittently comes up on the NTE box, I've had BT replace the box, I have had the telephone company change the PRI card on the Samsung system and the power supply, including the Cat Cables, still having the problem where the lines go down and up, for hours at a time. Currently, it's still down since Saturday lunchtime. BT & support company blaming each other.

Hate on users - Already there, got smart arses being a pain in the ass saying "oh, the phone system is down, this is why we cannot meet our targets, this is going down on our monthly reports" my reply was "use your f**king company mobile phone then".

Awesome.

The two least rewarding jobs in normal businesses = IT & HR.

 

[Longy]

The samsung uses two different programme tools depending on the age of the system, one is Office serv manager and the other is IT Tool. Still even using the gui it can be tricky on old systems. If you want m8 I can see if our telecoms guys has a PDF for your system if it will help for the minute?

We only supply Office serv 7100s and onwards.

 

[cava83]

PDF would be great. I believe the tool is officeserv manager, do you reckon you could get it for me? Happy to pay for it if it works with our system.

Thanks Longy, owe you big time!

The samsung uses two different programme tools depending on the age of the system, one is Office serv manager and the other is IT Tool. Still even using the gui it can be tricky on old systems. If you want m8 I can see if our telecoms guys has a PDF for your system if it will help for the minute?

We only supply Office serv 7100s and onwards.

 

[dk]

gabs, if you are looking for a new system then speak to steve burnley at our place, we do all the phone systems, we've just gone cisco.

all have their pros and cons though.

 

[cava83]

dk,

Thanks buddy. I'll speak to Lorna and see what she says, cisco's are nice, sadly we don't get the discounted prices such as you guys do

They certainly do have their pro's and cons, how can you didn't go the avaya route|?

Thanks,

G.

gabs, if you are looking for a new system then speak to steve burnley at our place, we do all the phone systems, we've just gone cisco.

all have their pros and cons though.

 

[Longy]

I got the OfficeServ Manager tool for you m8 - its 48mb i haven't got a host for it so do you have a FTP site or something so i can forward it to you?

 

[Longy]

Also got you the manual for the 500 which is 7mb PDF

 

[Cookie]

*sits in the corner and fondles CUCM*

 

[cava83]

Legend. I'll try and sort out a drop box folder for you to place them in.

Thanks ever so much,

G.

 

[cava83]

What's that mean cookie, never heard it before ?

 

[Cookie]

What's that mean cookie, never heard it before ?

Cisco Unified Communications Manager

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CUCM

 

[cava83]

Longy - your inbox is full ......

Thanks,

G.

 

[Longy]

Sorry m8 been off-site all day, PM away.