atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Nortel Telephones & Systems Disabled phones on Opt. 11

My friend says that after it rains, there are several Meridian phones on an Option 11 that are disabled, always the same 6 or 7 phones, all on Loop 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34. She can reenable the phones, but the users also have to unplug and reconnect each phone. I don't recall the version number, but this system was purchased around 2002. All of the afftected phones are in the same building with the PBX, but the PBX does serve 4 buildings.

It is under a maintenance contract with AT&T, but they want to replace it with an Avaya PBX and are saying it is at the end of its useful life. (They had no problem when they were BellSouth Business Systems to maintain until 2002 the SL-1 Meridian installed in 1987.) So she was hoping to have something specific to ask them to fix.

Thanks.

David Willingham
Atlanta, GA

If money is NO OBJECT let avaya replace it and keep the main. contract.

You would be far better to get bids on a new system from a Toshiba, Samsung or other dealer you could find in you local yellow pages.

I am NOT an option 11 installer/programmer by any means, but if all the phones are on the same circuit card I would swap the circuit card or call them to come out when the phones are down after it has rained and not just do their job for them.

You could have a cable with a hole in it in the building attic or some other place where it leaks, perhaps a phone closet getting wet.

When the phones are down, track the cable pathway for each phone and see if you can find a wet spot. Map out where the connections go before it rains and be ready to look at all the connection points.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll pass them on.

The reason they like the Nortel is that my friend knows how to do basic programming. That way the customers don't have to wait several hours for reenabling a port. Also, they can do moves and changes without waiting 2 weeks for a service order. If they get a new system, they will no longer be able to do their own programming.

And right now they don't pay for the onsite voice mail, but if they go with a new system, they will have to pay $5 per month per mailbox. They don't have to pay for the new Avaya system upfront (rather, monthly per line charges), but they probably would have to pay for any other kind, and they don't have money in their budget for that.

The state agency that provides phone service was formed around 1984 (Divestiture). At that time,they purchased all the equipment that was being leased from Southern Bell and hired techs to maintain it. The PBXs stayed under maintenance contracts but state techs did the moves, adds and changes. The state techs also installed single line sets and Comdial key systems. In 2009, all the techs (me included) were laid off and AT&T, which already provided some 100,000 Centrex lines, took over all the equipment. They are in the process of "refreshing" some 30 PBXs and 500 key systems.

As far as programming goes, most any Samsung, Toshiba or other dealer would provide the programming software and train an IT tech to maintain the system and they can remote into it and make any changes.

I remember swapping out an older Avaya system for a new Digital Samsung switch. The lease payments on the new system were less than the AT&T contract for service and did not include adds, moves and changes, just fix it if it breaks.

An inskin voicemail would be part of your system and there would be no $5 charge to anyone.

I woukld look at the cost of your individual AT&T contract for maintenance and contact some local vendors. Both Samsung and Toshiba have national account programs and can have substantial discounts on large amounts of new equipment. It is very possible you are paying more for maintenance than you would for a new system.

Also Samsung has a 5 year warranty on all new product and Toshiba has a 2 to 7 year warranty on theirs. That gives you a long time line of not paying for any parts that become defective for years and years and from my experience both Toshiba and Samsung are extremely reliable.

If you are getting you lines from AT&T you might also look at how long you are under contract and get bids for PRi circuits from other local dial tone providers (CLECs - Competitive Local Exchange Carriers). Most likely a new system would work on PRi circuits and you could see how much you might be able to save on that.

Before they "refresh" everything at the AT&T no bid cost, you might contact local phone dealers about a National Accounts Program and see if you could not save some money, I know the State of California was involved with the Samsung NAP so they must have negotiated a very good deal.

Sounds like you need to look at the source of the leak and not the phone system.
Roof, phone room, under ground pipe leading from tel rm to phones, cable leading to another building.

Depends if all users are grouped together and if on same card.

Cable tech to look around and also make sure everything is properly grounded.