Re: Is GNU-Comm ready for "System Integrator"/ commercial installation?

Zenaan,

	For now, the best place to post this question is to the
bayonne-devel mailing list [email protected].

-Rich

On 17 Jun 2003, Zenaan Harkness wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> an old-hand PABX installation guy and myself (was a software guy) are
> looking to provide IP Telephony solutions to our clients. VoIP is new to
> both of us, all telephony is new to me personally (besides actually
> _using_ phones, to state the obvious).
> 
> We have an existing client, which may "upgrade" (I hope) from existing
> traditional PABX installation (due to be installed in two weeks), to
> PC-based software/ hybrid setup, if we can put a quote together in the
> next week and a half.
> 
> The client is actually two companies with one common executive (who, in
> the current setup, would simply have two phone handsets - for access to
> a line from each company's PABX). The companies are otherwise entirely
> separate. They are moving to new premises, currently with a transfer of
> the existing PABX equipment (have to get the make and model yet sorry).
> 
> The requirements:
>  - two companies
>  - 30 employees in one, 12 in the other (say 50 handsets to start)
>  - potentially growing to double or triple over next few years
>  - two permanent fax lines
>  - one permanent security (POTS) line
>  - requirement for two or more POTS lines for modems
>  - ISDN (or similar) pipe to backbone provider, through which telephone
> lines and internet connection come through
>  - Based in Sydney, Australia.
> 
> What I need to figure out, so as to be able to put a proposal together:
>  - hardware (cards, server, handsets)
>  - software (PABX, voice mail, fax; OSS/Free Software vs. Proprietary)
> 
> If there is a better place to post such a question, please let me know.
> 
> I am happy to be pointed at reading material. In fact I'm just starting
> out here wrt telephony stuff (was a programmer and software designer for
> a few years, then technnical doco and management), although the other
> guy has been installing traditional (proprietary I guess you'd call
> them) PABXs for years.
> 
> Once we get a few VoIP clients, I imagine needing to contract for
> customization and/ or features development. Ideally we can use Free
> Software (including drivers) from day one (I see it as the most
> efficient development model long term - spreading development cost over
> all the users). Even if we have to start out with (some) proprietary
> software, as soon as there is some revenue to speak of, I will be
> directing this to OSS/FS solutions - I'm certain it's cheaper in the
> long run for System Integrators/ Installers (like ourselves), and
> therefore clients.
> 
> I've spent the recent weekend reading a bunch of bits on different
> websites, including the gnucomm overview - although that appears to have
> been last updated in 2000 or so... so getting a grasp of "the big
> picture" is proving a little challenging for me at the moment.
> 
> Any help appreciated
> Zenaan
> 
> 

-- 
Rich Bodo | [email protected] | 650-964-4678