[asterisk-users] Cisco 7940G licensing with asterisk

[Jason Parker]

Matthew Rubenstein wrote:
> 	I just got SIP firmware images from Cisco for installation on 7970G.
> Cisco requires you buy a SmartNet account (about $15, no other
> dependencies apply) that entitles you to download a SIP firmware image
> file from their protected support website. The 7970G now needs a
> different image than the other 79xx phones, but the same rules apply to
> all of them. Those rules do not require any other license or other
> restriction, once you have legitimately obtained and installed the
> firmware on the phone, to use the phones with Asterisk (or any other 3rd
> party system). Of course, to use the phones with Cisco's CallManager
> product, you must have a licensed copy of the CallManager product, with
> all the other restrictions and fees that come with it.
> 
> 	FWIW, the procedure of buying that SIP image from Cisco was a
> nightmare. I had to buy the SmartNet account from a reseller which did
> nothing to ensure that I completed the download transaction that was the
> stated purpose (as they described it to me) of buying the license. Then
> navigating to the license I needed, among the many versions and
> revisions, was confusing and opaque. The SmartNet account took days to
> send to me, and didn't work for the required access when it arrived.
> Cisco consumed an entire workweek to deliver the license that didn't
> unlock the website, then of course ignored requests for support through
> the weekend (into which their late delivery forced my request to be
> made). When I finally got Cisco to respond, they did deliver a
> knowledgeable and honest support tech who stuck with me until I had
> everything I needed to proceed. Though every stated "maximum" turnaround
> time for every phase in the process was exceeded, sometimes by many
> multiples.
> 
> 	But since the image can be used only with a Cisco phone, which must
> (ultimately) be bought from Cisco, the kafkaesque procedure is
> intolerable. The image should be a one-click download that charges your
> credit card and comes with a SmartNet account, if they absolutely must
> charge the $15. In a sane world, the SIP image wouldn't have any
> restrictions, a free download that people could just email each other
> (or its URL), because its distribution would market Cisco phones. But
> probably Cisco knows that the SIP image lets (free) Asterisk compete
> with its proprietary CallManager, so they make it both a revenue source,
> and as complicated as possible.
> 

The way I understand it, that $15 doesn't actually even give you the right to
use the SIP firmware.  It only gives you the right to "access" the download area.

The whole model is silly, at best.

-- 
Jason Parker
Digium