asked on

To VOIP or not

Hi, I inherited a Mitel 3300 system that can host both digital and VOIP phones. There is a need to add some phones on the system and I'm not sure which way to go. I know VOIP is easier to support but I don't see any other benefits in order to justify the price. Basically VOIP phones add more expenses with the headset, license and the bandwidth consumed compared to a much cheaper digital phone. I know that the main advantage of VOIP is going through a SIP trunk rather than the traditional PRI but it's not the case for us and I'm worried that by the time we can move on to SIP, the phone system and the phones will be obsolete. So, as of now the price of a VOIP phone would be close to $600 + Internet, while a digital phone costs $150 tops.

Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Bryant Schaper

Go digital. VOIP phones are no easier to manage, and you will introduce the network as a factor instead of dedicated wiring. The only thing you have to watch for is how many digital ports you have available. Line cards can be pricy but if we are just talking some wires and phones, VOIP will cost more and offer little.

Saving seem to derive more from reduced infrastructure and maybe PRI vs internet access, however running VOIP over the internet can be dicey without QoS/CoS to ensure quality,.

Alan Dala

ASKER

Thank you for your response. It makes sense. I was hoping for some hidden benefits of VOIP...It feels so wrong to go back to digital and punching lines again. :-)

Thanks again.

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