Topic: anybody using mitel's 7000CS communication server offer?

[albatroz]

Sometime ago a guy from Mitel posted a good price
offer for a pbx solution here
http://no.longer.valid/news/article.php?storyid=11

Just wanted to know if someone has bought it and is using it.

[compsos]

Not yet but was going to start reviewing VoIP for clients soon. So I am interested too.

[SSBN]

I am a MKC reseller and have used there VoIP products a lot. It works very well and is as reliable as your internet connection. We find it sounds better than a regular phone. There are only two complaints I have. You can’t pass the voip traffic through most firewalls for the server. It currently only supports SME 5.6.

[albatroz]

Interesting...
How affordable and competitive they are compared with the avalanche of new asterisks based (pbx-hosting)services. Recently I sent an email to sales@mkc and it bounced.

I am a MKC reseller and have used there VoIP products a lot. It works very well and is as reliable as your internet connection. We find it sounds better than a regular phone. There are only two complaints I have. You can’t pass the voip traffic through most firewalls for the server. It currently only supports SME 5.6.

[SSBN]

Well it is about 75us(cost) per user for the software. This is a one time charge. Then all you need is PSTN (600 for a 4 port) and your phones (300 to 500 per phone). Then a 5.6 server. They will sell you one if you don't have one set up. They give you a web based GUI for all VoIP configuration. Very cheep except for the phones.

The only speed bump is working with you firewall. The VoIP server has to have a public IP address connected directly. The protocol to my knowledge can’t be passes with current iptables. So this will cause a bit of a network design problem. I have found two ways around it.

1: Ok security: Buy another public IP for you network. For you voip server make the lane card a different subnet from you primary LAN. Turn off DHCP. Connect it to you LAN switch. Configure the phones on your new subnet.

2: Best Security: Buy another public ip. Place your VoIP server in front of you firewall. Add separate rj45 wiring to the office and a new switch. Connect the phones to the new wiring/switch. This is how Mitel will do it if you pay them to set it up.

[albatroz]

Very cheap, taking in count that you can now
get China-made SIP phones for $150.

Well it is about 75us(cost) per user for the software. This is a one time charge. Then all you need is PSTN (600 for a 4 port) and your phones (300 to 500 per phone). Then a 5.6 server. They will sell you one if you don't have one set up. They give you a web based GUI for all VoIP configuration. Very cheep except for the phones.

The only speed bump is working with you firewall. The VoIP server has to have a public IP address connected directly. The protocol to my knowledge can’t be passes with current iptables. So this will cause a bit of a network design problem. I have found two ways around it.

1: Ok security: Buy another public IP for you network. For you voip server make the lane card a different subnet from you primary LAN. Turn off DHCP. Connect it to you LAN switch. Configure the phones on your new subnet.

2: Best Security: Buy another public ip. Place your VoIP server in front of you firewall. Add separate rj45 wiring to the office and a new switch. Connect the phones to the new wiring/switch. This is how Mitel will do it if you pay them to set it up.

[SSBN]

How do the China-made SIP phones compare to the mitel 5055 in quality and features. 150 is a good price but do you get what you pay for or are they just as good.

[albatroz]

Yes you are right, but it is a way to low the price
of a whole solution. Imagine a $150 difference
per phone + shipping + taxes (40%) to a country like Peru, where I am.

How do the China-made SIP phones compare to the mitel 5055 in quality and features. 150 is a good price but do you get what you pay for or are they just as good.