[Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US

[Storm3 Communications]

Right, I was reading about them a few months back.
I was really excited there for a second.. 'WOW! three provinces away, ..I'm
famous!

So, how are you finding Asterisk? I may be building a toll bypass circuit
with it in a few weeks. While I'm talking about it, is there a gui with
asterisk?


_____________________________
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: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 8:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US


> Perhaps I am associating you with the wrong company ... there is a Storm
> Communication in the Ottawa area that is an ISP
>
> It was recommended by users on a LUG mailing list I subscribe to but if I
remember
> correctly, they didn't provide service in my area
>
>
>
> Storm3 Communications (admin at stormserver.net) wrote*:
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Brian Johnson" <bjohnson at jecinc.on.ca>
> >To: <asterisk-users at lists.digium.com>
> >Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2003 11:46 AM
> >Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US
> >
> >
> >> I'm right here ... where are you?
> >
> >Right about here..
> >>
> >> Just kidding, I'm in Stratford, Ontario, Canada
> >
> >I'm in Lethbridge Alberta.
> >>
> >> As an aside, I looked at switching to your company for internet access
> >from
> >> Bell HSE but switched to istop.com instead.
> >
> >My company? What made you choose istop.com?
> >
> >>
> >> We have a branch office in Kemptville (currently using Bell HSE - but
only
> >> until I get time to get them switched to something else) that I'd like
to
> >> connect to here via VoIP
> >
> >
> >>
> >> I have ordered two digium dev lite kits to try to connect the two (with
> >> asterisk)
> >
> >I'm looking at doing something similar, but I can't my asterisk box to
work
> >right.
> >>
> >> For two small offices, it's questionable whether it's worth the effort
...
> >> but it's a learning experience that will hopefully pay off by easing
the
> >> opening of additional branch offices and providing an integrated whole
> >
> >It might be. Let me know how that goes.
> >
> >
> >
> >_____________________________
> >Kris Cote
> >Director of Internet Engineering
> >StormServer Internet / Storm3 Communications
> >admin at stormserver.net
> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >> > From: asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com
> >> > [mailto:asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com]On Behalf Of Storm3
> >> > Communications
> >> > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 22:39
> >> > To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
> >> > Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] OT: PRI costs in US
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > 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
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >_______________________________________________
> >> > > >Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >> > > >Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >> > > >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >> > > >
> >> > >
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >> > > Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >> > > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >> > Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >> > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >> >
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >> Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >> http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Asterisk-Users mailing list
> >Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
> >http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
> >
>
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