[Asterisk-Users] Re: Polycom phones

[J Thomas]

> From: Walt Reed <asterisk at linuxguy.com>
> Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Re: Polycom Phones
> To: Cory at VOIPSupply.com,	Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial
> 	Discussion	<asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
> Message-ID: <20050127141138.GC7178 at linuxguy.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> On Wed, Jan 26, 2005 at 10:20:24PM -0500, Cory Andrews said:
> > Seshu - the 480i, although a great phones, is quite a bit more expensive 
> > than the Polycom IP300 or IP500, it is more comparable in price to the 
> > Polycom IP600. 
> 
> Hmm. Your own web site has it priced between the 500 and 600. If the
> difference is good support versus zero support, wouldn't the $50
> difference between the 500 and the 480i be saved in the first 20 minutes
> you spend fighting with a problem? Another factor is that one company tests
> with * and the other shuns it.
> 
> Just the availability of the firmware alone is almost worth the $50.
> 
> I have no problem with polycom, and use their non-IP conference phones,
> but I'm not going to purchase a product from a manufacturer that refuses
> to provide even basic support (complete manuals and firmware.)
> 
> It would be Very nice to have a phone platform that is fully documented
> that had firmware that was open and "hackable". It seems that people on
> this list spend massive amounts of time trying to work around all the
> firmware bugs in various products (eg. call waiting on polycom.)
> 
> If sayson provided developer documentation for their phones and allowed
> us to write our own firmware, they wouldn't be able to manufacturer them
> fast enough. They would corner the IP phone market.
> 

I have the same dilemma with Polycom phones. Given their support
(actually complete lack of), I am quite loathe to giving them business.
On the other hand they are so darned cheap compared to other similar
phones, I sure get tempted to use them if I can find a workaround.

Compare Polycom IP-500 for $170 vs. Sayson-480i for $250 or SNOM-190 for
$220. If it were a matter of 1 or 2 phones, I will gladly go with SNOM
or Sayson, but if I have to buy 50, Polycoms become irresistible.

As a matter of fact, my current client needs 120 phones to work with
Asterisk. I have to make a decision soon about which one do I give to
him.

--jt