telephony 101
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Telephony 101. Part 1 Secrets Revealed. Dial “F” for Fone Fundamentals Presented by Ken Finkelson ABA 2004 National LRIS Workshop, San Diego. How do we get there ?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Telephony 101
Part 1Secrets Revealed
Dial “F” for Fone FundamentalsPresented by Ken FinkelsonABA 2004 National LRIS Workshop, San Diego
How do we get there ?Phil Anderer was “caught in the act” of an
indiscretion by his wife. He quickly realizes he will need an attorney, for she has threatened immediate filing for divorce. She was overheard leaving instructions to her attorney: “I want him left only with one pair of socks and a belt from which he can hang himself after the judgment” He called your referral service’s 800 number.
Before the call even gets here The 800 service
routes the call to the servicing local phone company (last mile)
The caller is routed into your facility where it is handed to your system
Telephone
QWest SBC
QWest Switch SBC Switch
DEMARC in your buildingVerizon
Verizon Switch
DEMARC Main DistributionFrame (MDF)
Your Phone SystemPBX -Key - or IP
Burnin up the wires These are the
“internal” connections to the phone system.
In addition to the lines feeding the rep, there are peripheral devices hooked in. These can be Voicemail, and other terminals
Your Phone System
Main DistributionFrame (MDF)
Intermediate DistFrame (IDF) a.k.a.
Floor Closet
MaintenanceTerminal
Vociemail
ACD ReportingDevice
Call DetailRecorder (CDR)
IntelligentModem
We’re finally there From the floor
closet, cables are run to individual locations on the floor, where the phones are connected.
Agent's Telephone
IDF (Floor Closet)
Floor orWall Jack
Why is this important and Why do I care ? Each of these connections bear an
expense, whether hidden or visible.
Lets start from the inside out Excluding the capital expense of the
PBX & the local and long distance charges, look at cabling and peripherals
DEMARC Main DistributionFrame (MDF)
Your Phone SystemPBX -Key - or IP
Extending the phone company’s entry point into the building (DEMARC) to where your phone system is located can be expensive. This can be accomplished by the Phone Company, PBX Vendor, or Electrician/Cable contractor. Ensure you get quotes !
Your Phone System
Main DistributionFrame (MDF)
Intermediate DistFrame (IDF) a.k.a.
Floor Closet
The cabling between the MDF and IDF or IDF’s is inexpensive (comparitively) to buy, but very expensive to pull. This is due to the size of the cable, coring, fire-stops, etc. Ensure you buy plenty of expansion so you only pull once. Generally this is pulled in by a cable contractor, electrician or the PBX vendor. Occasionally the phone company will do this, but they are not usually competitive and don’t want this type of business
Agent's Telephone
IDF (Floor Closet)
Floor orWall Jack
Same rules apply, you only want to pull once. Ensure you have sufficient station cable to handle possible future expansion. Make sure it is data quality cable i.e.: Category 5 – 4 pair – UTP (or better) with RJ45 jacks.(Lets explain that one !)
What kind of system do I want PBX Key Centrex/Essx IP-Hybrid IP
PBX and Key System Both are legacy and they technically
differ only by how they are classified by FCC-ID.
They are hard-wired to the station jack so any compatible set will ring your line at your desk
The exact wire leaving the switch needs connectivity to your exact jack
PBX hints Know what features you need and
want Get line item pricing Try to get all the features you need
up front and activate later. These are always cheaper initially and expensive later
Look for hidden costs
More hints Hidden cost examples
Does not include cabling Training not included Needs server (not provided) Does not include software license fee Installation is during business hours –
does not include overtime Does not include UPS system
Centrex & ESSXThese are same as PBX/Key except
the phone company is using their switchgear and you have no (or minimal) hardware investment. In fact, you may not even own your telephone sets. Over an amortized system life, this will generally be a more expensive option.
Voice over IP (VoIP) Basics
IP -Telephone192.168.1.5
Extension 4357MAC Address 34.56.55.43.56
10BASE-T wall plate
Data switch on serviced floor - connectedvia backbone to data-center
Patch panel - servicing closet
Core Switch in Data Center
Telehphone Controller,telephony server, etc
Desktop Computer
Fiber -Optic Backbone
Cuts down on install expense byeliminating need for "Black Riser Cable"
“Input/Output Device !”
2nd Floor
1st Floor
BasementSewer Line
(Phone Terminal)
IDF
MDF
Access to Phone Co.
Perhaps this analogy will help
Examples of IP Telephones
Example of an IP Softphone
VoIP - Advantages Utilizes Data Network Easier to maintain Done properly – will be less expensive
Less Build-out Expenses Less MAC Cheaper maintenance fees Open standards switchgear allow mix and
match (NOTE: theory great – practice; not yet)
More VoIP Advantages Sets work anywhere on network. Not
port dependent Variety of “softphones” available Can be maintained by data personnel
not necessarily voice experts One network and cabling
infrastructure This is the future !
VoIP Flavors Line Side
Means the phone or station connections inside the system
Can be “soft phones” or traditional handsets
Phones have Media Access Control Layer (MAC) addresses
Trunk Side Means
connectivity to outside world or remote offices
Telephone company is the public internet or data connection
VoIP Practical Application Faith Buena is an attorney who works
with your LRIS. She has a laptop with “soft phone” capability on it. She can plug in anywhere in your network (or even off premises) and calls can be routed to her for her specialty. She can concurrently use her laptop to access LEXIS, her docs, etc
What if I don’t want to embrace this technology, just shake hands with it ? Hybrids are available where you don’t
have to go 100% into the VoIP arena Examples of when to use Hybrids
You have a huge investment in sets or a legacy system
The system hasn’t been amortized yet The system is serviceable and has
custom applications written for it
What’s the Bottom Line ? It’s a jungle out there ! Ask for help
and use fundamentally sound purchasing techniques i.e.: RFI/RFP/RFQ.
Look at the whole system before you sign anything. Don’t ask for $200k for a system, get it approved, and find out you need another $80K in cable !
End of Part 1 - Questions ??
Part -2- Pumping up your vendor management muscle !
Let’s go to the Gym !
Dealing with the myriad of vendors can make you feel like a 10 year old calculus student locked in a room full of school bullies. You may be smarter but there are more of them and they are bigger than you. How can you even the playing field ? Answer: bulk up with the free-weights of knowledge !
Who are the vendors ?
PBX Vendor Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Interconnect Carrier (IXC) Competitive Local Exchange Carrier
(CLEC) Cabling Contractor/Electrician/Riser
Management
PBX Vendor
Installs, Maintains, and performs Moves, Adds and Changes (MAC’s).
How is he/she paid ? Maintenance Contract Hardware Purchases MAC’s Time and Materials (T&M) where
applicable
PBX Vendor – Cost Savings
RFI yearly maintenance pricing T&M if this is prudent Consolidate MAC Activity Use independent for MAC work Use the secondary market (resellers) Pre-wire if possible Learn to do the easy items yourself !
What the heck is a LEC ?
The LEC is the local exchange carrier. In the industry they are known as the “Baby Bells” or the regional bell operating companies a.k.a. “RBOC’s”. They are a by-product of Judge Greene’s ruling that broke up the bell system in the 1980’s and created the SBC’s, US West’s, Bell Atlantic’s, Bell South’s etc.
What’s so important about Judge Greene ?
By breaking up the “Bell System” vendors can compete for your business. Today you can buy your local and long distance service from anyone in your market.
Remember when $ .10 for long distance was a bargain ? Now it’s a rip-off !!
The downside – It’s a lot more complicated.
Who are the IXC’s
The inter-exchange carriers are most commonly the big long distance carriers. AT&T, Sprint, MCI, Qwest etc.
They usually do not have local physical access to your facility and rely on the LEC’s for the “last mile” of service.
UNE-P // FCC // Court Rulings
Simply stated, for LEC’s to provide long distance service as part of their offering, they were required to provide their “last mile” to the competition at a discounted wholesale rate. These Unbundled network element (UNE-P) rates were set by the government and were (as stated by the LEC’s) below cost !
Rulings Continued
The Supreme Court refused to rule on a lower court ruling which will allow the UNE-P rate requirements to expire June 15, 2004. Ironically, IXC’s are the LEC’s biggest customers. One can assume there will be a re-negotiation of wholesale rates shortly.
CLEC’s (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier)
Want to be your own phone company ? There are over 300 in California alone. Lets say Jane Nosbisch wants to start a phone company (call it NosbischTel). She could make an arrangement to re-sell SBC service to you at a rate lower than the average. She negotiates a bulk rate with SBC for a 40% discount.
Secrets of “NosbischTel”
Jane knows she can resell service to all the LRIS groups with a combined buying power to justify the lower rate. She offers LRIS groups 20% off the going rates. The carriers agree to wholesale the bulk rate to her at 40%. She can pocket the difference. All she has to do is bill you !
What’s the catch ?
If everything works fine, None ! But, if NosbischTel goes bankrupt &/or stops paying their bills, you will be disconnected, even if you pay your bills on time. You are not the LEC’s customer, Jane is ! This also applies to outages and cases of line trouble.
Weigh the Risk vs. Reward
CLEC’s generally offer the lowest rates. You will have to weigh the risk versus reward. Take the time to create a spreadsheet and see where the numbers come out. Then weigh the potential cost of an outage and speed of recovery.
You are the best folks to make this recommendation !
Forget the old rules – There’s a new game afoot
Don’t get caught up in too much of the old naming conventions. LEC’s can sell Long Distance, IXC’s can sell local service, cable tv companies & CLEC’s can sell anything !
So how do I play ??
Try this matrix on for size
Telephone Expense Worksheet (Fixed)
PBX Maintenance
Vendor Cost Annual Term Notes
Nextiera 9,000.00$ 1 yr 3 year rates = $7700/yrAvaya 11,000.00$ 1 yr 2 year rates = $10,999/yrSBC 9,600.00$ 2 yr 1 year rates = $12,500/yrVerizon 8,800.00$ 2 yr No 1 year rate offered
And one more !
Telephone Expense Worksheet (Variable)
Local Service
Vendor Cost /Min # Minutes/Yr Annual Cost Commitment
SBC $0.040 100000 4,000.00 2 yrUSLEC $0.033 100000 3,300.00 2 yrNosbischTel $0.028 100000 2,750.00 1 mo
Long Distance
Vendor Cost /Min # Minutes/Yr Annual Cost Commitment
AT&T $0.028 29000 812.00 2 yrSprint $0.026 29000 754.00 1 yrMCI $0.024 29000 696.00 2 yrUSLEC $0.019 29000 551.00 1 yrNosbischTel $0.017 29000 493.00 1 mo
Last one – I promise !
Telephone Expense Worksheet (Variable)
800 Service
Vendor Cost /Min # Minutes/Yr Annual Cost Commitment
SBC $0.044 160000 7,040.00 2 yrUSLEC $0.037 160000 5,920.00 2 yrNosbischTel $0.019 160000 3,040.00 1 mo
What’s the bottom line ?
The bottom line is you can win the game and lower prices. Using old proven techniques like RFP/Q/I will tell you where you are and where you can go. And, you are not alone. Use forums like this one to share ideas, victories and near misses.