Nortel i2004 / PBXIAF / Conference

[atsak]

I'm about to replace a 75 node Nortel BCM400 with an Asterisk system (my third deployment; bit bigger this time). I'd like to reuse the i2004 phones if I can, and get a few Aastra's or even SPA942's for executive type phones.

I'm putting this server on a quad core 3GHz machine (IBM x3550) so I think that should be fine.

I understand one of the limitations of UNISTIM on the Nortels is that the phones can only have single "line" on them (pls correct me if that's wrong). I wondered if people could comment if they've ever implemented something that allows users to conference two lines somehow with these phones, or if they just use meetme or something like that. In our current config people have access to two intercom lines they can use for incoming and outgoing calls.

I don't think its relavent but I'm using a PRI (with probably the Sangoma card and echo cancellation).

Any comments appreciated, particularly around using the i2004 phones.

 

[craigcurtin]

Yes we have just deployed the 2004's

There are lots of gotchas with this.

Our previous setup was a BCM 400 with 75 handsets - we front ended that with an Asterisk setup with dual PRI - after we were comfortable with that setup we decided to do a big cutover and replace the BCM entirely.

We have run into lots of little issues along the way - in the end the customer has spent nearly 1/2 the cost of replacing all the 2004's with brand new Aastra 57i's. I would not recommend doing it in all honesty.

We originally tried using PIAF and the recently released scripts to update to 1.6 of asterisk - this comes with the Unistim protocol already embedded.

We ran into lots of problems with this and ended up rolling back to Asterisk 1.4x and compiling UNISTIM ourselves - we have been in touch with the developer of UNISTIM and he has been helpful but ultimately there are not going to be any changes so you are stuck with what you get.

Our biggest issues so far

1) A save config and then restart in PIAF drops all the UNISTIM phones - they take about 30 seconds or so to time out and then reboot - bad luck if a user is on the phone !

2) MWI does not work - regardless of what changes we have made

3) Problems with assigning soft keys to the phones - there are a number of limitations on how these work and what you can and can not do.

4) You can not assign 2004's to ring groups

Lots of other little things we have had to work through

Craig

 

[craigcurtin]

Yes we have just deployed the 2004's

There are lots of gotchas with this.

Our previous setup was a BCM 400 with 75 handsets - we front ended that with an Asterisk setup with dual PRI - after we were comfortable with that setup we decided to do a big cutover and replace the BCM entirely.

We have run into lots of little issues along the way - in the end the customer has spent nearly 1/2 the cost of replacing all the 2004's with brand new Aastra 57i's. I would not recommend doing it in all honesty.

We originally tried using PIAF and the recently released scripts to update to 1.6 of asterisk - this comes with the Unistim protocol already embedded.

We ran into lots of problems with this and ended up rolling back to Asterisk 1.4x and compiling UNISTIM ourselves - we have been in touch with the developer of UNISTIM and he has been helpful but ultimately there are not going to be any changes so you are stuck with what you get.

Our biggest issues so far

1) A save config and then restart in PIAF drops all the UNISTIM phones - they take about 30 seconds or so to time out and then reboot - bad luck if a user is on the phone !

2) MWI does not work - regardless of what changes we have made

3) Problems with assigning soft keys to the phones - there are a number of limitations on how these work and what you can and can not do.

4) You can not assign 2004's to ring groups

Lots of other little things we have had to work through

Craig

 

[craigcurtin]

Also definitely single line only

The only way to conference is to use Asterisk conferencing features.

Ring volume can not be controlled by the user - it is set in Unistim.conf and is over-ridden at the extension for every call.

There is not directory solution on the phone

If you dial onhook there is no timeout - you have to press the Dial softkey at the end of the numbers to force them out to Asterisk

Craig

 

[atsak]

I don't really want to do it this way I'd rather buy new phones but it's a budget thing. I think we'll end up with a 50/50 split thing (where some phones will be nortel's and some astras or whatever).

 

[craigcurtin]

Yeah thats we have for our customer

It is working OK but lots of little annoying things about the Nortel phones.

Craig