An
IP PBX based on the
SIP standard saved a Pennsylvania oil and gas company from
having to revive its dying phone system when moving into a new
building.
When Pennsylvania General Energy (PGE) moved to a new location,
the company didn't want to take its old phone system with it.
According to Glenn Slocum, of SDC Associates Inc. and technical
supervisor for PGE, the old system clipped conversations and
frequently caused echoing, making it difficult to conduct
conference calls and other conversations. While some considered the
old system still somewhat dependable, Slocum added that it was
becoming increasingly tough to manage and expanding its footprint
would be an expensive upgrade.
PGE launched a search for a new PBX and evaluated several
vendors along the way. Ultimately, PGE decided on SIPxchange from
Pingtel Corp., a Bluesocket Co., for standards-based open source
VoIP.
According to Slocum, before going with Pingtel, PGE tried
software from another vendor, which didn't work as planned. While
he wouldn't say exactly which software-maker it was, he said the
experience was so bad that "everyone was really jumpy over
here."
The original software choice had features that didn't work and
other issues, like the lack of a proper license from the
distributor, sending PGE back to the drawing board.
After deciding on Pingtel, which required not much more than a
software swap, Slocum said things fell into place right away.
"Features that did not work on the old one worked right away," he
said.
The new system brought with it some growing pains, like
balancing so volumes were correct. But those kinks took just a
short time to work out, prompting a collective sigh of relief from
Slocum and upper management, who feared a repeat of the last
software debacle.
"Management was shocked," he said. "Especially after our first
attempt with all of the problems we had."
Taking the VoIP plunge, Slocum said, was an easy choice for PGE,
which wanted to replace the aging system, but also wanted to future
proof its communications infrastructure to ensure it could adapt as
technologies shift and change. The new system, he said, was able to
integrate with the host of new Polycom phones PGE had just
purchased, meaning it wasn't a wasted expense and it cut down on
overall system replacement costs. PGE uses the phones to monitor
the presence of employees using busy lamp fields on the Polycom 601
attendant console. Additionally, an AudioCodes MP-118 standalone
FXO gateway connects the solution to the PSTN.
SIPxchange, Slocum said, has Web-based management, which makes
managing the phone system, including phones, gateways and other
devices, much easier than under the old system.
"We have to be VoIP in the future," he said. "IT seemed like an
opportunity for us to get that in place and be where we want to be
in five years. Why put something in that we're just going to
replace in a few years?"