[Asterisk-biz] Forklift a 2000 phone PBX

[Michael Welter]

I'm staring at an RFP--this company wants to replace a 2000 position PBX 
(at eight locations) with a new system.  Their mindset is Nortel/Avaya 
because they talk about 28-button digital sets.  The do specify a few IP 
phones for just one location, so they are aware of VoIP.

I'm going to bid on this--there's nothing to lose except the time it 
takes to write the proposal.  I'll bid an off site Asterisk system with 
SIP telephones.  Using the metric of 100 SIP phones/box, I'll bid twenty 
Asterisk boxes with ten boxes at each of two hosting locations.  Each 
phone will have registrations to both sites.

The big unknown is wiring.  I'm going to assume the worst, that the 
existing LAN is overloaded.  I would a) have to make LAN wiring out of 
existing Cat3 wiring, or b) install a new voice-only LAN.

Does anyone know how to qualify existing Cat3 wiring for use as a LAN?

Has anyone does an Asterisk system on this scale?

Thanks for your help,
Mike

P.S.  Sorry for the cross post, but I would like everyone to see this.