IP Phone system

[mdrabble]

I was thinking in the a couple of offices such IT Support or Finance, etc where we have a phone per desk.

 

Incoming calls would be handled by the hunting group - and rings both phones -

Outgoing calls, I don't staff will see the individual phone numbers of the actual extension - I would rather they see the group number, if that make sense.

[Bedders]

I was thinking in the a couple of offices such IT Support or Finance, etc where we have a phone per desk.

 

Incoming calls would be handled by the hunting group - and rings both phones -

Outgoing calls, I don't staff will see the individual phone numbers of the actual extension - I would rather they see the group number, if that make sense.

 

3CX lets you assign an 'Outbound Caller ID' to each extension, and you can assign multiple inbound DDI's to the same extension (or group).

 

EDIT: Adding this video link on hunt groups.

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by Bedders

[mdrabble]

Just got hold of 2 yealink T19 phones and I’m impressed how easy they were to configure.

 

Hunt groups now working as well.

 

3CX called to ask if they can pass my details to a partner so I can get 30 day pro licence so I can test all the features.

 

Just in the process of getting SIP pricing.

[m25man]

Nothing wrong with Yealink phones but do be wary of the cheaper models.

Only 10/100 LAN ports and no support for EHS switching.

 

I started by buying the cheaper models then came unstuck later.

If the old buy cheap buy twice phraseology certainly applies to SIP phones.

 

The microphones in the handsets are susceptible to damage through moisture contamination.

 

When they start crackling too much they need drying out for a bit.

[mdrabble]

Only using those 2 phones for testing.

 

Will probably be looking at different phones nearer the time.

[localzuk]

We went for the T41 and T48's across our trust. Build quality is so much better than our old Grandstream models.

[Steven_Cleaver]

We use 3cx with Yealink phones are pretty good 3cx system is pretty easy to manage, using hunt groups, Menu Option for main switch board that can be switched over easily for out of hours or different one for Holidays as some of us are in all year. Easy to reroute calls if someone is off sick, voice mails etc. Can do some quite complicated setups with it for example put a new Gate system that needs to ring the Reception but external calls would have hit our Menu system so re-routed to another phone that was only used for calls out and from here redirected to reception so acts like internal call missing menu driven system and receptionist knows it is someone at the gate.

 

We used a company called Burconix (who were excellent) to help with initial setup as our old telephone system was on its last legs and was old PBX system and didn't have time to sort everything, but has worked out great and we are about 18 months in now.

[SwedishChef]

im looking at the same, i'll end up with the same quotes...LG, Mitel/Shortel/Avaya etc.

 

3cx...might be the way to go, (although looking for an HTML5 compliant client to work on Chromebooks)

 

we want a simple to manage web interface this migt be it, (as well as roaming wifi enabled voip phones)

[caffrey]

Are there any places that give a free or trial sip trunk to help test this ? (That are compatible with 3CX)

@mdabble what suppliers have you been in touch with and approx costs ?

Edited November 9, 2017 by caffrey

[Davit2005]

Are there any places that give a free or trial sip trunk to help test this ? (That are compatible with 3CX)

@mdabble what suppliers have you been in touch with and approx costs ?

 

SipGate or Voipfone offer trials are cheap if not free apart from calls. If you want to have specific numbers i.e. Local numbers that costs about £2 upwards.

 

The free version of PBX only gives you one SipTrunk I think no no good for redundancy.

 

I use 3CX with Sipgate at home but with a fall back to Voipfone if need be. I bought some cheap Cisco 504 SIP phones off the Internet for £40 a pop which have templates in 3cx.

 

Calls to Ireland are 1.7per/min compared to the 50p per/min I was paying BT.

 

If you go for 3cx make sure you buy phones that are compatible, I've found makes deploying so easy. Just add the phone to 3cx by using it's MAC address, allocate to a user extension and set the vlan on the switch port, plug phone in if not already plugged in and it jus seems to work :-) .

[dgsmith]

Are there any places that give a free or trial sip trunk to help test this ? (That are compatible with 3CX)

@mdabble what suppliers have you been in touch with and approx costs ?

 

See my previous post in this thread - spitfire. I spent considerable time asking and looking at every 3cx compatible SIP provider, and they were the best value. I think since then, Gamma have joined the mix of supporting 3cx and are marginally cheaper (by such a negligible difference), though not sure if they offer a free trial like others.

[caffrey]

Testing this system, it seems almost too easy - there must be a catch! I bought a refurb phone to test and had it running within 5 minutes of taking it out of the box

 

Seems the biggest cost is the hardware itself

[mdrabble]

Are there any places that give a free or trial sip trunk to help test this ? (That are compatible with 3CX)

@mdabble what suppliers have you been in touch with and approx costs ?

 

Just signed up to SIPGate.co.uk which offers a free 30 day trial - this will allow me to test internal/external features.

 

I've spoken to a number of companies, most have said they could provide a SIP trunk at a nominal cost so I can test things.

 

I've been in touch with the following companies.

 

Spitfire (from 3CX list of suppliers and have SIP Trunk settings already configured in 3CX)

M247 (Current ISP - seeing if we can get things cheaper as we currently have connection with them)

Lloyds IP Communications (Current phone company)

VoIP Unlimited - Mentioned on here in a previous post

 

Some of the people I have spoken to have tried to push their hosted solutions!

 

It is quite amazing how many calls I have had from companies offering VoIP services who I havent even approached! Shows they look at their web traffic.

 

For phones - I have taken the compatible phone list from 3CX and for testing I have purchased 2 Yeaink T19P - basic phone which would be suitable for some offices, will probably get a better phone for people who use phones constantly.

 

Still not sure which phone to get for the main switchboard, so I'm open to suggestions for this one.

Edited November 9, 2017 by mdrabble

[TechMonkey]

Testing this system, it seems almost too easy - there must be a catch! I bought a refurb phone to test and had it running within 5 minutes of taking it out of the box

 

Seems the biggest cost is the hardware itself

 

This was exactly my thoughts. I now think we could have done it completely in house but there was always that niggle that at least with an external company doing it we had someone to yell at.

 

We got the T19 phones for random or rough areas and T46G phones for offices with the additional modules (Stylish Exp40 Expansion Module for the T46GN SIP Handset | Yealink Easy VoIP ? leading global supplier of SIP phones) for Reception. We toyed with a couple of the touch screen models but in the end they didn't offer anything over having the module.

Edited November 9, 2017 by TechMonkey

[Davit2005]

 

Spitfire (from 3CX list of suppliers and have SIP Trunk settings already configured in 3CX)

M247 (Current ISP - seeing if we can get things cheaper as we currently have connection with them)

Lloyds IP Communications (Current phone company)

VoIP Unlimited - Mentioned on here in a previous post

 

 

It's not too difficult to set up a Generic SIP trunk in 3CX. Jus Make sure you set the Type of authentication up correctly, i.e. Register/Account based for SipGate .

[TechMonkey]

Still not sure which phone to get for the main switchboard, so I'm open to suggestions for this one.

 

Of course you could go the radical route of using the computer client.... Even more radical give them a touch screen and they could drag and drop calls between lines

[mdrabble]

Of course you could go the radical route of using the computer client.... Even more radical give them a touch screen and they could drag and drop calls between lines

 

I did think about that and suggested it (apart from the touch screen part.....) but the "higher ups" decided against it as we have a number of different people covering the main switch board - plus they felt headphones to answer a call could prove problematic for some staff

 

Might suggest it again but with touchscreen and the use a USB phone/handset to allow answering of calls.

[SwedishChef]

we use M247, speak to a guy called Kelvin in sales, he can get you sip pricing. it's about £5 per trunk with 2000 minutes to mobile/landlines

[localzuk]

we use M247, speak to a guy called Kelvin in sales, he can get you sip pricing. it's about £5 per trunk with 2000 minutes to mobile/landlines

When you say "per trunk", do you mean per channel? Or does the trunk allow more than one channel at a time for that price?

[SwedishChef]

When you say "per trunk", do you mean per channel? Or does the trunk allow more than one channel at a time for that price?

 

I thinkn thats per channel, showing my lack of the jargon!

[owen1978]

Hi,

 

I Have had a quote for a Panasonic Hybrid Telephone system based on the Panasonic NS700.

It has all the features of an IP system and works with analogue phones over the existing copper lines.

 

Sounds great as we won't have to put in extra data points.

 

Has anyone come across or had any experience which such a system before?

 

Thanks

[dgsmith]

Hi,

 

I Have had a quote for a Panasonic Hybrid Telephone system based on the Panasonic NS700.

It has all the features of an IP system and works with analogue phones over the existing copper lines.

 

Sounds great as we won't have to put in extra data points.

 

Has anyone come across or had any experience which such a system before?

 

Thanks

 

You won't necessarily get the same level of functionality on the analogue exts though (I can't speak specifically for the Panasonic, though it tends to be basic calls, transfer, voicemail only). Whilst I briefly toyed with implementing a system that would allow use of analogue extensions, ultimately it made far more sense to go with an entirely fresh new system that was all consistent, and where every phone interface was (mostly) the same, with the same level of user experience. Most places with a phone point already had network sockets anyway, and in classrooms where there is only 1 socket, the IP phone will act as a switch and allow the computer to be plugged into it.

 

Try and see if it's feasible to remove analogue altogether. Looking back, if i'd have proposed a system that allowed use of our analogues on hybrid, they'd have quickly been removed anyway and recabled with ethernet for IP phone replacement. Knowing that 100% of our phones use the same technology and can be configured is a big plus. It does depend on your environment though, and sometimes it may be very difficult for some regions to have IP phones, but you have to be certain the job to implement them would outweigh what might be some extra cost to recable.

[TTG_Alice]

We can vouch for 3CX too. A load of other schools and colleges use the system too

[caffrey]

I had no issue with 3CX when I tested it, problem I had was getting info on SIP Trunks, Spitfire didn't even get back to me and then internal decisions didn't want me to DIY it...

[mdrabble]

@TTG_Alice I've been speaking to Jonathan and all things being well, I'll be coming to Jonathan for the 3CX License.

 

I had TTG quote for the full install but due to budgets, management asked me to do as much as I can (which is pretty much everything as 3CX is simple to install and configure)

 

I looked at a number of different phones - Yealink T19PE2, T29G and Fanvil X3S and X4 - both easy to add and configure - due to cost - management want to go with Fanvil X3S and X4 for offices.

 

For the main switchboard I have recommended we go with Yealink T48Gs with a EXP40 expansion module.

 

Most of the testing has been completed (used SIPGate for testing calls ) and I am looking to switch over and install fully during the summer break as I need to install some additional network sockets for some areas.

 

Still looking at SIP trunks - but I've worked out we can save approx £130-150 per month once we move over to SIP Trunks etc. - Had two quotes so far - TTG and the company who maintain our aging analogue system - and looking for a 3rd, which may possible be our current call provider.

 

Once I've got all 3 quotes it will be up to management to decide who they use.