[OT] VOIP provider recommendations

[Dan Jenkins]

Bill McGonigle wrote:
> On Dec 17, 2007, at 18:01, Dan Jenkins wrote:
>> A client of mine is looking into VOIP and has a proposal recommending 
>> IPTelesis, who I have never heard of.
>> They need 40 telephones and 9 voice paths according to the proposal, 
>> which is estimated to cost $850,
>> including 500 minutes domestic long distance.
>>
>> I am not that familiar with VOIP pricing (though I do use Vonage and 
>> the like). Just wanted to get
>> anyone's take of this vendor and if the pricing seems reasonable.
> What else does that include?  Are they running their own PBX or does 
> that include PBX hosting or an onsite PBX?  Is that a monthly or 
> yearly cost?  Does it include the telephone rental (what kinds)?  How 
> many phone numbers?  A separate switch and cable plant for VOIP?
Thanks for the information.

Sorry for the incompleteness. This is a first draft proposal with lots 
of gaps which I barely skimmed before asking my question.

The $850 is a monthly cost. The proposal mentions auto-attendant, 
unified messaging, unlimited local calling and the above 500 Long 
Distance monthly minutes in the $850 price. They have no existing VoIP 
equipment at all. The proposal mentions Polycom IP phones and an 
Edgemarc router. They also mention integrated VoIP/cellular at $40 per 
"call path" using Meru access points. PBX systems are mentioned as 
ranging from $7,000 to $25,000. No more details provided.
> Lacking data, here's a scenario:  if instance they own their own 
> phones and asterisk box, and want 9 phone numbers the provider I'm 
> using (Junction Networks) would charge $31/mo (.029*450+9*2=31.05) 
> plus some setup costs.  I paid, I think $72 for my Grandstream phone, 
> the drone-worker models are like $40.   My Asterisk box is an $800 
> machine.  If you got all of the phones I got, over 3 years that's 
> worth $80/mo.
The Polycom phones are range from $170 to $380 each.
> Assuming everything's provided running on your existing cable plant, 
> it sounds like a it should be a $400/mo package with a 2-year contract.
New building - new cable plant will be needed - not included in this 
proposal. An existing building may need some phones until they move out 
of it. Some phones in Western site to be integrated into new phone system.
> Note, I've seen $10,000 Panasonic VOIP PBX's which don't do everything 
> Asterisk does, so this may be a proprietary model vs. open source 
> issue re: cost.
PBX model not even specified in the proposal. No existing equipment. 
(Well nothing usable. The old PBX is being retired.)

I just want to be able to suggest another alternative. Or at least to 
give a broader perspective than a captive proposal. Preferably open 
source. I have not used Asterisk, but one of my associates has and said 
good things about it.

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