[Asterisk-Users] The Minimum Cost of Setting up an Asterisk Phone System?

[Steve Murphy]

Everyone--

Here's a cost analysis, rather crude and inspecific, of using Asterisk
to implement a phone system. I'm really quite naive and new to all this,
so I'd appreciate any corrections, tips, pointers, etc, from those in
the community, who have far greater experience, knowledge, skill, etc.
than I. Am I forgetting something important? Am I way off in my
estimates?


The Minimum Cost of setting up an Asterisk Phone system:

Fundamental Building Blocks: 

1. No more phones serviced than one computer can handle.
2. Computer = self-built or whatever, approx. $500 
3. OS = Linux. $0
4. Phones.
   Cheap Touch-tone phones: $30 each (Estimate at what I can get
     at Walmart, quantity one purchases. No digital readout, no
     programmable features. 
   Voip Phones $250 estimated per-phone average cost. Realize that
     costs can vary widely here!
5. Channel Banks. Looking at what's available on Ebay, I estimate you
   should be able to pick up a fully loaded, 24-channel FXS/FXO bank for
   $650 average. Low = $200  High = $4500. I have no way of telling
   which channel banks are compatible with asterisk. Assume that they
   are.
6. Digium cards:  FXO card = about $100. FXS card = $125. 
                  4 port FXS=$300. Prices approx. See their web site
                                   for exact prices.
                  quad span T1 (96 lines total) $1500
                  Single span T1 (24 lines) $500
7. Wiring. Cost of Wiring is not calculated. Assume that the premises
           is wired, with patch panels, closets, etc., already in place.
8. UPS, power supplies, etc: Not specifically included in the estimates.

9. Used equipment can be cheaper, but: if you need a lot, you may not
necessarily be able to wait around for everything you need to show up on
ebay. And what you get may not be what you wanted, etc. 


Scenarios: 

2x4 system:
            Computer: $500
            2 FXO   : $200
            1 4-FXS : $300
            4 phones: $120
            --------------
            Total:  : $1120     cost/phone = $280

2x8 system:
            Computer: $500
            2 FXO   : $200
            2 4-FXS : $600
            8 phones: $240
            --------------
            Total:  : $1540     cost/phone = $192.25

96 line system ( FXS/FXO mix 88/8)
            Computer : $ 500
            QspanT1  : $1500
            4 ChanBks: $2600
            88 phones: $2640  
            ----------------
            Total:  : $7240     cost/phone = $82.27

192 line system (FXS/FXO mix 176/16)
            Computer : $ 500
            2 QspT1  : $3000
            8 ChanBks: $5200
            176phones: $5280  
            ----------------
            Total:  : $13980     cost/phone = $79.43

Voip 2 x 4 System using gnophone on desk computers, already networked:
            Computer : $ 500
            2 FXO    : $ 200
            4 gnophones: $ 0  
            ----------------
            Total:  : $700     cost/phone = $175

Voip 2 x 4 System using VOIP phone:
            Computer : $ 500
            2 FXO    : $ 200
            4 VOIPs  : $1000 
            ----------------
            Total:  : $1700     cost/phone = $425

Voip 2 x 8 System using gnophones on existing systems on existing
network:
            Computer : $ 500
            2 FXO    : $ 200
            8 gnophones: $ 0  
            ----------------
            Total:  : $700     cost/phone = $87.50

Voip 2 x 8 System using Voip phones:
            Computer : $ 500
            2 FXO    : $ 200
            8 VOIPs  : $2000
            ----------------
            Total:  : $2700     cost/phone = $337.50


Voip 24 x 192 Phones, using gnophone on existing comps & network:
            Computer : $ 500
            1spanT1  : $ 500
            1 ChanBnk: $ 650
            192 gnoph: $   0
            ----------------
            Total:  : $1650     cost/phone = $10.18

Voip 24 x 192 phones, using Voip Phones:
            Computer : $  500
            1spanT1  : $  500
            1 ChanBnk: $  650
            192 gnoph: $48000
            switch/hubs: $ ?
            ----------------
            Total:  : $49650+     cost/phone = $258.59+


The fantastically low prices of using gnophones on existing systems is
only available IF: 
             1. Your desktops are all running linux
             2. Your sound cards are compatible with linux/gnophone
       (for me, the sound cards/systems seem to be the
        stumblingblock/hurdle to get past!)

Cheap $30 phones are an option, but you will not get:
    Intercom capability
    Message waiting capability
    CallerID type stuff.

Gnophones may or may not provide intercom, I haven't gotten that far as
to find out.

VOIP phones are expensive, but MAY provide intercom, and other fancy
feature, if Asterisk will allow them. It's not clear yet to me that
Asterisk will allow intercom. Looks like you might get message waiting.

Also, the decision to put large numbers of Voip phones on an already
busy data network, or to put in a separate Voip network, will affect the
prices.

murf



-- 
Steve Murphy <murf at e-tools.com>
Electronic Tools Company
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