[asterisk-users] question on nortel sip connection

[Watkins, Bradley]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com 
> [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of 
> Jerry Geis
> Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 9:55 AM
> To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
> Subject: [asterisk-users] question on nortel sip connection
> 
> I am using asterisk 1.4.32 and wish to connect using SIP to a nortel 
> 1000 switch
> with the ability to have 90 calls at a one time outgoing or incoming.
> 
> the nortel reseller is asking me what to do. I dont know 
> nortel at all.
> 
> I thought I just needed a "SIP trunk and IP address of the 
> their server 
> and an account name, and provide her my IP address".
> They didn't know what to do with that.
> 
> What do I tell them?

I've successfully set up SIP connectivity to a Nortel CS1000, but it
required a SIP proxy in between.

The major issue I came across is that Nortel (at least in Succession 4.0
and 4.5, not sure about later versions) uses the maddr URI parameter in
an RFC-compliant but otherwise unseen (at least insofar as I've come
across) way that Asterisk does not handle gracefully.

In order for this to be successful, you'll definitely need to determine
what version of Succession they're using and, if it's 5.0 or later, if
they are using the newer COTS-based servers with the SIP proxy
functionality.  You'll probably still need your own proxy, but but some
initial testing I did when I had the time indicated that some features
(transfers, in particular) may work a lot better in the never
version(s).

You'll also need to figure out exactly what will be handled by the
Asterisk system, because call routing can kind of weird with these
boxes.  At least in the older versions of Succession, they tended to
treat SIP trunks as second-class citizens.  As a result, you may end up
needing to configure the Nortel to think of the Asterisk box as a trunk
of last resort.

One other thing:  were you planning on using voicemail on the Nortel
(i.e., CallPilot)?  That *can* work if you want it to, but it's yet
another can of worms in setting this up.

Also, when I've done it in the past I have had precisely ZERO assistance
from any Nortel reseller.  So expect to end up learning far more about
that side of this setup that you had wanted to.

Feel free to ask questions about the particulars, but that's the quick
lay of the land.

Regards,
- Brad