Polycom and Juniper Networks Partner to Deliver Superior Telepresence and Video Conferencing Solutions

Polycom and Juniper Networks announced at the end of January an alliance to improve the reliability, cost-effectiveness and quality of the customer experience for telepresence and video conferening services. With the dynamic signaling between the Juniper Network resource control platform and Polycom video call control system will improve delivery and management of visual communications.

Additional information from the official Polycom press release:

Scheduled for release in mid 2010, the alliance will deliver an intelligent service provider solution that enables assured-quality managed video services over a converged network. As the industry's first "conferencing-aware" network solution, it will help drive costs out of the delivery of high-value telepresence and comprehensive video conferencing managed services by allowing service providers to maximize the capabilities of their existing network. Implementing a single-network solution is a significantly more scalable and profitable model for service providers compared to the current overlay network model for supporting telepresence and video conferencing services.

Cisco Beats Profit Estimates - Things Are Looking Up for the Networking Sector!

Cisco reported a higher than expected second-quarter profit today, beating Wall Street's estimates. In fact, the company plans to add 2-3,000 employees to its payroll. The voice and data networking equipment manufacturer reported a profit of $1.85 billion, compared with a $1.5 billion profit for the same period a year ago. Cisco expects sales to grow 23-26% year-over-year, or about $10 to $10.3 billion. What does that mean to the voice and data networking sector? Things are looking up! More companies are purchasing communications equipment and expanding their phone systems, computer networks and related infrastructure. You can read more about this Cisco story at MarketWatch.com Cisco IP Phone

Rumor Has It: Avaya's Plans for Norstar and BCM - MD Dates & T7316E Info.

We were excited to see what the future of both the Avaya and Nortel would look like, which was presented in the Avaya Nortel Product Roadmap in January.  And we were glad to see that almost everything in both the Avaya and Nortel product portfolios would continue to be offered by Avaya.  The product migration path that Avaya is planning will allow legacy Nortel and Avaya equipment inter-operate with future platforms, including the Avaya Aura.

That being said, word on the street is that Avaya will be discontinuing production of the Norstar platform at the end of 2010 and will stop making the BCM by the end of 2011.  But not to fear!  Telesource and TSRC.com are here!  We will be selling and repairing everything in the Norstar and BCM product families for years to come.  You can continue to expand your existing system or build a new one, because while the OEM (Avaya) may not produce the equipment, we have over 30 years of experience in selling both new and legacy technologies, including Nortel and Avaya.  It's interesting to note that Telesource still sells and repairs the once ubiquitous Nortel phone QSU60.  While the set was discontinued by the manufacturer over two decades ago, there is still a demand for this rugged phone and we are able to sell and service them and plan to do so well into the future. Likewise, Telesource / TSRC.com will have Norstar and BCM components and peripherals on the shelf and will be accepting repair orders for decades to come.

While we're on the subject of Norstar and BCM, don't forget that you can purchase the complete line-up of phones, systems and peripherals from Telesource / TSRC.com.  The best-selling phone for both Norstar and BCM systems is the T7316E (the expandable version of the T7316, part number NT8B27, NT8B27AA, NT8B27AAAA, NT8B27AAAM, NT8B27AABB, NT8B27AABA).  Both charcoal and platinum versions of the Nortel Phone T7316E are available on our website TSRC.com, or you can call 800-738-8125 to speak with our Avaya and Nortel product experts!

Nortel IP Phone 2000 (i2000) Series Manufacture Discontinued, But Still Available for Purchase and Repair at Telesource / TSRC.com

With the exception of the IP Phone 2007, the entire IP Phone 2000 (formerly known as the i2000) series of phones have been manufacture discontinued (MD) by Nortel (Avaya).  This includes the IP Phone 2001, IP Phone 2002, IP Phone 2004, and the Expansion Module for IP Phone 2000 Series.

While Nortel (er, Avaya) will no longer be manufacturing the IP Phone 2000 Series, Telesource and TSRC.com will still be selling the series and repairing them for many years to come.  Telesource/TSRC.com specializes in both cutting edge and legacy technologies, so no matter what your voice and data networking needs, Telesource/TSRC has you covered!  Order online at TSRC.com or call us today at 800-738-8125 and speak with one of our friendly product experts!

Avaya's OEM Warranty is Changing

We've heard that Avaya's standard warranty on its equipment will soon change from twelve months to three months.  A three-month length isn't arbitrary; it's actually in-line with the usual OEM warranties in the data networking world.  While manufacturers' warranties may be shrinking in length, Telesource (TSRC.com) will continue to provide 12-month warranties on the equipment we sell, and if you have your equipment repaired by us, you'll get a twelve-month warranty on the repair.  When shopping, remember that warranties are only as good as the companies that issue them.  Telesource has been in business for more than 30 years and is a leader in the voice and data networking industry.  When you purchase or repair with Telesource, you have the assurance that we will be there well into the future to be there when you need us.  Our quality is unsurpassed, so you'll probably never need to use your warranty coverage -- but isn't it nice to know that if you do, we'll be there?!  Shop online today at TSRC.com, or call 800-738-8125 and speak to with of our friendly product experts.

Telesource and TSRC.com sells a lot more than just phones!

Sure, we still sell phones in boxes, but as one customer said “I always thought of Telesource as a phone in a box, but you are so much more!”  He was right.

Telesource can help you with ALL your voice and data communication equipment. Phones (of course), switches, routers, video conferencing, audio conferencing, inventory management…. from brands like Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, Extreme Networks, Polycom Voice and Video Conferencing, Sony Video Conferencing, Plantronics, Viking, Valcom, and many more.

If you need it, we either stock it or we can get it for you, often shipping the same day.  Why not us to find out? Call me at 800-738-8125 and let us know what you need. We commit that we'll provide you exceptional service and great pricing. 

Let Telesource help you navigate the Avaya Nortel integrated equipment roadmap!

"...it will be a smooth migration path with a long tail." -Dr. Alan Baratz Avaya Senior Vice President & President of Global Communications Solutions

Wow, a lot of information was presented in yesterday's Avaya/Nortel Roadmap webinar! We think that both Nortel and Avaya customers should be excited knowing they can continue with their current communication platforms, that their investments are protected, and there is an exciting path for the future. It will take a while to digest all of the information and see how it plays out -- but our initial reaction is, if as Dr. Alan Baratz says, "...it will be a smooth migration path with a long tail," that we like what we heard.

Some of the highlights we heard:

1. Aura, the Avaya SIP-based communications software platform, will overlay both Nortel's CS1000 and the Avaya Communication Manager (ACM), allowing investments in both PBXs to remain in place, and allowing users to add additional CS1000 or ACM products as they choose. Aura will even allow users to place Nortel and Avaya legacy phones on the Aura side of the network. Very Cool! Good for both Nortel and Avaya end users.
2. Nortel's Contact center for the medium sized business will in time become the platform for all Avaya enterprise call centers. It would appear there should be no worries for Avaya call centers as a move to the current Nortel platform will likely be a software upgrade and will not be immediate because there will be additional development.
3. The small to midsize business systems for both Nortel and Avaya (including Partner, Integral 5, Norstar and BCM) will migrate over the next three years to the Avaya IP Office platform. This sounds like a typical migration path for small and medium size business systems.
4. The go-forward strategy for service and maintenance seems to be toward the Avaya support model with a new emphasis on pushing more support to the Partner (Avaya's name for authorized reseller channel).

There was certainly much more talked about in much detail and we recommend that for anyone who missed this to take the time to see it on one of the replays. See links below.

If you did see it, we would like to get your take. Please give us a call (800-738-8125) if you get a minute or perhaps we can pick it up on a call in the near future.

Whatever the future holds for the new Avaya we are here to support your equipment needs.

NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE AVAYA NORTEL ROADMAP? View the Webinar & Roadmap Brochures Webinar Break-Out Presentations The Webinar will be available for on-demand replays starting Thursday, January 21.

ADDITIONAL INSIGHT: Network World Article: Avaya Lays Out Nortel Migration Road Map

LEARN MORE ABOUT US Telesource -- Your single resource for all of your Nortel (and Avaya!) needs (PDF)

Avaya Phone Catalog Nortel Phone Catalog Cisco IP Phone Catalog