[Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US

[Storm3 Communications]

Brian, where are you?


_____________________________
Kris Cote
Director of Internet Engineering
StormServer Internet / Storm3 Communications
admin at stormserver.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Johnson" <bjohnson at jecinc.on.ca>
To: <asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 7:02 AM
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US


> I don't think I'd be stepping on toes if I told you guys we're paying
about
> $35/month per analog line with callerid, line hunting, call waiting, etc,
etc
> (basically the works minus voice mail) through AT&T
>
> That's Canadian so you'll have to work out the currency conversion
> ie $1 USD = $1.65 CND
>
>
> Jon Pounder (JonP at inline.net) wrote*:
> >
> >
> >Hey I hear ya, I am in much the same situation.
> >
> >PRI or channelized T1 is not really a cost effective solution until you
are
> >over at least 10 lines, and need features like the DID or callerid, hunt,
> >etc. that you would pay a few bucks more each per line so the per line
> >analog cost would have been driven up over $50/line.
> >
> >My thoughts were BRI's as well since they work out to about $40/B
channel,
> >and you can add and delete in fairly inexpensive groups of 2. You get all
> >the CLASS features of the PRI, but without having to buy a ton of lines
to
> >get them.
> >
> >BRI channel bank is one option I guess, but fairly rare and expensive.
> >
> >I would love to find a bri to pri T1 multiplexer at a reasonable cost. I
> >have seen a few for sale minus the BRI cards so no deal on them.
> >
> >The ones I have seen do much more than is actually needed here so likely
> >the cost is excessive when bought new.
> >
> >I am still not really clear why the isdn modems that seem so common
> >can't/won't work in this situation. Is it simply an issue of software
does
> >not exist ? Does the modem do something other than simply dump the
> >composite digital datastream into the serial port ? I am familar with how
a
> >channelized T1 can be output/input via a v35 HSSI port - Does this same
> >concept not extend to the BRI isdn and a regular speed serial port ? Is
the
> >issue that a conventional serial port is topped out at 115k and bri would
> >be 64+64+16 ? If so, how does the modem work in bonded bearer channel
mode
> >for data ?
> >
> >Anyone got answers ?
> >
> >
> >At 06:40 AM 3/2/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >>Hello!
> >>
> >>Several of my customers would like to add a backup to their Internet
> >>connection.  ISDN is a good solution:  decently fast for a dial-up-type
> >>connection, yet still faily affordable.  While I was at it, I decided to
> >>look at a couple of more creative telephone service options to possibly
> >>improve their service or lower costs at the same time.  These customers
> >>range from having just a couple of POTS lines without a key system up to
> >>as many as 18 POTS lines into systems such as AT&T Merlin or Nortel
> >>Norstar systems.
> >>
> >>My first thought on the higher end was a PRI line.  However, the cost
> >>seems *very* prohibitive.  The average cost for a PRI line was
$550/month,
> >>just for "dial tone"!  I've heard others say that PRI becomes cost
> >>effective in the 8 line range, but the cost for the office with 14 lines
> >>($25/line * 14 lines) is only $350.  It would take 22 lines before the
PRI
> >>would equal the cost of individual POTS lines!
> >>
> >>As an aside, I did a survey of several of my customers with 10-30
> >>employees.  Most of them have POTS lines only (from between 4 and 10)
fed
> >>into some sort of PBX.  Only one of them has a PRI line, and they wish
> >>they hadn't gone that way:  they thought they would need more lines than
> >>they do, and now they feel that they're way over-buying.
> >>
> >>Am I missing something?  When is a PRI competitive with POTS?  And if
I'm
> >>not missing something, is there an alternative between POTS and a PRI,
> >>particularly for 5-15 lines?  None of the telephone companies I called
> >>offered channelized T1 options for local service (let alone frac-T1),
only
> >>PRI.  Are there other options?
> >>
> >>Finally, any alternatives for smaller companies?  I tried to get a
simple
> >>BRI ISDN line for Internet backup for the company with 18 POTS lines.
> >>#$@%@ Ameritech (excuse me, SBC) charges $10/month more if you don't
sign
> >>a 36-month contract and wouldn't give it to them without a credit check,
> >>several pieces of company information, the names and telephone numbers
of
> >>at least two officers of the company and a personal guarantee from an
> >>officer!  This for a customer who has had 18 POTS lines for *15* YEARS!
> >>
> >>I hate SBC...
> >>
> >>Thank you for reading my rant.  I would greatly appreciate any
information
> >>or suggestions you might be able to give me.
> >>
> >>Tim Massey
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >>Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >>http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >
>
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