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Adding DECT to existing Aastra setup

timboothby
Posts: 18
 Member Since:
2007-09-11
Submitted by timboothby on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 5:06am.

Hi,

I have an existing Trixbox setup running a number of 55i and 57i phones. The phones great, very happy with them.

I'd like to be able to add a small number of DECT handsets, maybe half a dozen. Ideally (but not essential) they would have the capacity to work at both of our sites (we have two offices close to each other with an optic fibre between them). I'm not worried about seamless handover - being able to walk from one site to another without dropping a call. I'm just looking for basic functionality, being able to make and receive calls when people are away from their desk as a supliment to their desk phone.

If we could get them in the UK, I'd go for 57i CT handsets, but apparently these aren't certified for use in Europe. So that leaves me a choice of Aastra RFP 32 DECT basestation and phones, or going with kit from another manufacturer. As I say, so far my experience with Aastra kit has been good, but I'm a little put off by the cost of their DECT gear (Approx £500 per base station and £175 per handset).

My second worry is how complex are these to implement. Another post on this forum basically says that the Aastra DECT gear is designed to be installed by professional insatallers. I have found the installation manual, but can't find any specific advice on getting this working with Asterisk / Trixbox.

So has anybody any experience of getting the Aastra DECT gear working with Trixbox? Is this reasonably straightforward for someone who isn't an Asterisk/DECT expert? Do they work well?

Or - would I be paying too much for features I'm unlikely to use and am I better off getting gear from another manufacturer. If so, any recomendations please?

Many thanks,

Tim

‹ Problem with Aastra 57i phones automatically answering calls MBU 400 and Call Parking ›

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SkykingOH
Posts: 9681
 Member Since:
2007-12-17
It's just another SIP phone.
Wed, 09/16/2009 - 5:37am

It's just another SIP phone. Works fine with Asterisk/trixbox

--

Scott

aka "Skyking"


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Norskman
Posts: 175
 Member Since:
2006-06-02
DECT phones in the UK
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 2:04am

Firstly I am based in the UK and have DECT phones working without problem.

As far as I can see, the price and performance of DECT phones with an Analogue BT phone line far outweighs any SIP DECT phone / cordless phone.

Look at BT's range to name but one, sleek colour display.....and they come in packs of 4 as well.

how to make them work, simple for every extension on Trixbox you connect the DECT base station to an FXS device - there are lots of them out there. Around £20 each.

Yes, all phones connected to that base station will ring at the same time, just like the usual analogue phone. So it may be a hinderance if you have lots of extensions - but as far as reliability and and design and use - nothing beats it.
Same for the call quality - DECT phones are really there now and have been for quite some years.

So I would avoid re-inventing the wheel. This solution will cost far less as well.

I specialise in Satellite services carrying data, video and voice. I can advise on services, design and requirements definitions...

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I specialise in Satellite services carrying data, video and voice. I can advise on services, design and requirements definitions...


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steph51
Posts: 6
 Member Since:
2009-09-18
MBU 400
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 10:29am

Have you tried the Aastra MBU 400 instead of the Aastra 57i CT? I have one of these in our office right now. It basically consists of an access point (which you then configure via a web interface) and then you can add up to 8 handsets (it comes with one). Its about $300 and I got it from a voip supply store that sells aastra equipment (I think voxilla has them too). They have color screens and they sound crystal clear, they are real cool.


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syadnom
Posts: 52
 Member Since:
2009-03-21
roaming
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 10:22am

I know that hand off wasn't a key requirement but you do need to roam between the two physical locations. I would say that a MBU 400 will not do this for you because it doesnt have any provision (AFAIK) to link two units together for handoff or roaming.

Instead, you should look at the RFP32(indoor)/(outdoor)34. You use aastra'a omm software to program the units and you can have up to 256 of these in a cluster and they do live handoff and roaming seamlessly. 8 active calls each unit and they can overlap if you need more simultaneous calls. if you put one at each location then your users could roam and handoff seamlessly.

The nice thing about these is that you configure each line as a standard SIP extension so they work nicely in ring groups and/or findmes.

Another nice thing is that you can actually put these units anywhere that has network connectivity to this SIP server/gateway and you can litterally roam anywhere in the world as the RFP32 is really a SIP gateway/proxy and a DECT access point.


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PaulOliver
Posts: 20
 Member Since:
2006-08-11
We are a UK company and use
Tue, 10/13/2009 - 9:32am

We are a UK company and use a DECT SIP cordless network currently supporting 13 handsets across 3 buildings. We use a mesh of 5 RFP base startions around the site so users are just issued with the cordless phone and a charging cradle which they can use anywhere within our coverage area.

The initial setup & configuration isn't as obvious as it could be, in particular working out what settings need to be made on the RFP base stations. However once they are up and running the system works very well. Audio quality is comparable to analogue DECT systems and the call handover is completely transparant if you're moving within range of the base stations.

Paul.


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