[Asterisk-Users] Convertnig from Norstar to * to save money

[Kris Boutilier]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Robinson [mailto:mike.robinson at citel.com]
> Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 2:16 PM
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Convertnig from Norstar to * to save money
> 
> 
> Snacktime, it sounds like you are trying to build a business case for
> the migration from Norstar to *. If so, there is a solution that makes
> the business case a no-brainer.  There is a gateway that 
> enables you to re-use all your Norstar phones and wiring but replace the PBX itself
> with *. You get rid of the Norstar and move to the full IP PBX
> capabilities of * (and eliminate the PBX maintenance $), but you don't
> have to spend a bunch of money on new IP phones and the LAN upgrade to
> power them. Since the cost and hassle of the migration is reduced, the
> business case is much easier to make.  

I would suggest that there is also a strong case to be made for using * to add the extra brains to an existing Norstar system, especially if you have a larger Norstar deployment or _heavily_ entrenched users. 

We now have a fairly successful deployment using four Asterisk machines acting as 1xPRI-PSTN and 3xPRI-CPE gateways to present three seperate Norstar locations as a single universal dialplan, transported via IAX. The trick is to think like a of Asterisk as a private PSTN (ie. the PRI-NET side) and then build everything in using extention numbers (as a form of for vertical service code) and ditch the obsolete 'feature' codes concept Nortel use for Voicemail and so on.

However, if you're only serving one unexpanded MICS KSU then ditching it may be more realistic.

:-)

Kris Boutilier
Information Systems Coordinatior
Sunshine Coast Regional District