[Asterisk-Users] Re: Benjk's Question "Why FXS"

[Stephen R. Besch]

Wolf Paul wrote:
> How about a school strapped for cash, with around 60 POTS phones on
> hand and an almost free source of another 60? Versus a cost (here in
> Austria) of $99 for the cheapest VoIP phone (the cheapest Grandstream
> model). Of course that also means that FXS is only of interest if
> I can get it for under around $50-60/port -- if things cost more it
> becomes easier to argue early replacement of these POTS phones by IP 
> phones.

For that many analog phones, you probably want something like a channel 
bank(s), which can handle the both FXS and FXO lines and package them 
into T1's. These are pricey new, but if you have the flexibility - and 
many school financial officers frown on buying used or surplus equipment 
- you can get them on e-bay quite reasonably with a little effort. I was 
able to get my FXS/FXO cards (4 port) for about $25.00 (US) per analog 
line and a virtually new TSU-600 for $99.00.

Stephen R. Besch