Shortels do work on other switches at least $dayjob$ they are using Cisco exclusively. Like Matt I am not the phone guy but I sit across from two of them. The only complaint I hear them make is during upgrades of older phone systems. They have to go out and manually "fix" things in the remote offices. That said I know they like the ability to put new staff and offices into the central phone server and preprogram the new systems and then go out and drop them in. I don't know where it went but whey were looking at setting up internal conferencing thru the system for a while.
Jon On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 1:54 PM, Matthew W. Ross <[email protected]>wrote: > > I would be interested in hearing of any licensing gotchas or things to be > > aware of. > > One license "gotcha" we just recently experienced: We have a user who uses > their "Personal" license. This gives the users an extension, mailbox, > etc... But this user wanted a feature which was only available to the > "Workgroup Agent" license. (What the user wanted to do was to sign in/out > of the workgroup remotely, which apparently a "personal" license can't do.) > What we found out is that we can't upgrade the license, nor can we get a > refund. If we choose to do this, we just have to purchase the additional > license (at over $200). > > > Which vendors switches are you using? > > Shoretel makes you choose and stick to a vendor. I am unable to purchase > additional licenses/phones/switches from a different vendor without > completely transferring my vendor. We are using NCA ( > http://www.ncanet.com/) and we have had "good to excellent" support from > them for over 10 years. We briefly looked into other vendors in our area. > > If your question is more of a "which hardware switches do you use": A mix > of the Shoretel 120s (IP phone capable or 24 analog lines) and the Shoretel > 24As (Cheaper, 24 analog extension only switch). Oh, and a Shoretel T1 for > our PRI. > > > I'm not as involved in the financial side of this, I'm coming at this > more > > from the technical side (I currently have zero knowledge of phone systems > > but obvious once you move from a monolithic analogue system to an IP > system > > it starts to merge with network/server stuff). > > I'm not really a phone guy. My predecessor was a phone guy. He is the one > who got the school to move to Shoretel, and I thank him for it every time I > use it. While now there are good, useable alternatives, it's worth looking > into other solutions. But I have been extremely happy with this product. > > > --Matt Ross > Ephrata School District > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Paul Hutchings > [mailto:[email protected]] > To: NT System Admin Issues > [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Wed, 09 Nov 2011 > 09:51:16 -0800 > Subject: RE: ShoreTel > > > > Thanks Matt that helps and awful lot as it's the nitty gritty that tends > to > > get overlooked. > > > > I would be interested in hearing of any licensing gotchas or things to be > > aware of. > > > > Which vendors switches are you using? > > > > I'm not as involved in the financial side of this, I'm coming at this > more > > from the technical side (I currently have zero knowledge of phone systems > > but obvious once you move from a monolithic analogue system to an IP > system > > it starts to merge with network/server stuff). > > > > Thanks again, > > Paul > > ________________________________________ > > From: Matthew W. Ross [[email protected]] > > Sent: 09 November 2011 4:48 PM > > To: NT System Admin Issues > > Subject: Re: ShoreTel > > > > Shoretel is the the phone system we're using. > > > > Pros: > > > > * Very easy to use. > > * Works great for windows environments. > > * Has good support for mass deployment of analog phones (which some do > not, > > and we use a lot of). > > * Can be used as your intercom (Using IP phones). > > * Support has been good for us. > > * Outlook integration (We don't use this, but it's there.) > > > > Cons: > > > > * Windows Centric (There is now a web based client which is a big > > improvement in this front). > > * Serious product lock-in: > > ** Their switches will only work with Shoretel. > > ** Their IP phones will only work with Shoretel. > > ** They license you per extension, and those licenses cannot be > > refunded/transferred. > > ** SIP phones do work, for an additional fee. > > * "Optional" support is not so optional. It is also primarily through > your > > vendor, not Shoretel. > > * Not cheap. > > > > I hope this helps. > > > > > > --Matt Ross > > Ephrata School District > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Paul Hutchings > > [mailto:[email protected]] > > To: NT System Admin Issues > > [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Wed, 09 Nov 2011 > > 07:14:01 -0800 > > Subject: ShoreTel > > > > > > > Anyone here using Shoretel for their phone system? > > > > > > From what we've seen so far we're confident they're a good fit both in > > terms > > > of features and architecture, and (most importantly IMO) the client > > software > > > appears to be pretty good to use. > > > > > > Any tales (on or off list) of how they have performed would be > > appreciated. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Paul > > > > > > -- > > > MIRA Ltd > > > > > > Watling Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, CV10 0TU, England > > > Registered in England and Wales No. 402570 > > > VAT Registration GB 100 1464 84 > > > > > > The contents of this e-mail are confidential and are solely for the > use of > > > the intended recipient. 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