atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems NEC Telephones & Systems To much technical info for the general public

I have no problem sharing info or documents with my customers. I even have cheat sheets that I leave on site to make it easy for anyone to support them. If I am doing my job right and charging a fair price the only customer I lose is worth losing. As for sharing info in a forum I will try to help anyone trying to learn the skill but try to avoid the ones just trying to save paying for qualified help.

This indeed may be the case in some instances but that is why everyone is supposed to fill out their profile. The rules of the forum are in place for a reason. Breaking them because you don't agree with them is another matter.

First off fill out your profile and if you lie I can tell. Second, the techs here are pretty well known. Don't expect any kind of real answer until you have participated for awhile and provided information that shows that you are a telecom tech. Third, just don't give out any tech level information in the public forums period. Techs have private forums here where we can go to talk to other techs.

-Hal

Absolutely. I can think of several names right off who we have helped learn the trade. Unfortunately there are many more that are too cheap or work for somebody too cheap to pay. They couldn't care less about the trade, the only reason they come here is to get somebody to solve their problem for free.

-Hal

Exactly, so why restrict it to certain people in the old mens club?

Phones are changing, Asterisk is big, and the whole idea is open to everyone. If they can't figure it out, they will buy a branded system. Technology is changing fast, how many TV repair shops are there now? Things are becoming simple for people to do themselves. Hosted services are growing all the time. Thinking that locking the few people out of one way of doing it just motivates them to look for options.

It's also obvious who is someone that is asking you to lead them by the hand, as opposed to a specific technical issue.

I appreciate all of you that support us techs on the site. Makes it easier in a small market, can't be up to speed on all the stuff out there. Also gives options where the dealer pisses off customers.

Asterisk is not big at all (just look at market share NEC is HUGE). Got it, used it, programmed it, and came away unimpressed. FYI once you customize it's quite proprietary. Reminds me of the 80 and SYSOPS on mainframe company computers.

When you buy an NEC system that requires a dealer and certs you are buying into a service contract. Just anyone off the street isn't going to do well on these systems and in fact may be jeopardizing either an SWA or warranty by not being certified. NEC carries a line of systems that ANYONE can install and sell. You still need to do some small online training for these but at least you get NEC support.

This is precisely why vetting the installing company is SO important. Off soapbox.

I agree that customers need to ensure they are working with someone solid if they want a solid system. It's up to the customer and there are options. As technology is rapidly changing, it critical for installers, vendors, and manufacturers to be noticing whats really going on, and really change with it. I see so many installers of various systems that just want to do the same thing and quickly become dinosaurs. Manufacturers go out of business because someone came up with a newer, simpler, cheaper technology.

I have sparkies that do phones and cameras and security and home automation, they aren't experienced, qualified or licenced as required in some places. Often do a horrible job. Not much I can do, hope the inspectors catch them and do something. They do a horrible job often and when I get brought in, the customer doesn't want to pay for real stuff, not a customer I care about then anyway. I get the last bit of security stuff or just monitoring from them and thats it.

It's clear hosted PBX and related services are improving and growing, and may be one of the technologies that kills traditional phone systems and services. It's comparatively cheap to offer.

I am at odds to recommend a ILEC PRI vs SIP trunking which is cheaper. Particularly on a budget. Old approach is, yah, PRI is more solid and guaranteed. SIP etc can do almost as well and better with the right company and infrastructure, with some probably minor service issues. Eventually SIP and whatever will be a no brainer, and is in some places.


Holding customers hostage that want to do some aspects of their system them self doesn't serve anyone in the long run. Many system customers I know have a bad taste in their mouth from this kind of thing.

As said, some 'qualified' installers are worse than some customers.

I agree, you want solid and robust, get someone that knows their shit and can do it well, and get yourself involved to your comfort level.

Some years ago I was setting up and managing a facility and had to do the Meridian M1 and Call Pilot training. There were two facilities with M1s and I was the second on staff guy trained on it. The dealer did the initial install and we took over most everything from there, they were available if we needed anything, yet never an issue. Those things were stupidly unfriendly to what systems are now. May as well have been assembly language.

Here is an article about what I am saying about technolgy, once the hundredth monkey effect hits, everyone will want Hosted/VoIP etc.

https://www.techzone360.com/topics/...mb-perceptions-usage-business-phone.htm#

The problem is things are being forced on something that essentially not needed nor wanted. Everyone wants hosted? Perhaps people that aren't informed or cannot do math properly. There are VERY few instances where hosted is a better fit. Not to say they aren't out there but when you do the hard math it's cheaper to have an in house system and generally has better tech support and more reliable. I have won EVERY battle vs hosted by simply bringing a calculator and looking 5 years down the road. If they need more operating expenses you can do fair-market. They need capital expenditure you do dollar buy out (hosted can't do this one). I agree the older systems were harder but they were pretty damn bullet proof too as you didn't usually have non-certified people try and do programming. Digital phones are still very viable these days although more and more are going VOIP. Not an issue other than showing a complete lack of training on some IT staffs on routing principles. Oh, how many networks I have had to fix and I thought my computer days were over a long time ago . Seriously though, if you are wired for digital phones why not stay that way? Deploy VOIP where you need it and when it makes sense to do so.