FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...
-
I have a site where I need an 8 port FXO gateway. I had been leaning toward the Grandstream gxw4108 but based on the linked thread above from a few years ago that seems maybe to be a low call quality device so I'm hesitant to try that now.
I see that Sangoma has an updated model, the Vega 60. Has anyone had any experience with this device with FreePBX? How was call quality?
This site currently has an old Nortel BCM but Centurylink just advised me that they are terminating our support agreement for that system at the end of April due to it's age.
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
Thanks!
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
I have a site where I need an 8 port FXO gateway. I had been leaning toward the Grandstream gxw4108 but based on the linked thread above from a few years ago that seems maybe to be a low call quality device so I'm hesitant to try that now.
I see that Sangoma has an updated model, the Vega 60. Has anyone had any experience with this device with FreePBX? How was call quality?
This site currently has an old Nortel BCM but Centurylink just advised me that they are terminating our support agreement for that system at the end of April due to it's age.
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
Thanks!
Actually, that site ended up back on the GXW4108 for 2 years without a failure. The problem ended up being related to Hyper-V. I moved the PBX from server A to server B and the issues went away.
They are now on all SIP trunks since they finally got solid fiber internet service.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
I see that Sangoma has an updated model, the Vega 60. Has anyone had any experience with this device with FreePBX? How was call quality?
I've not used that one, but that's definitely where I would look first. Sangoma has always made good gear for this, this is their bread and butter. And as they make FreePBX, it's a perfect match for any support issues.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
-
Related to that thread, I purchased a Vega50. That unit also had problems. It was a shit show.
Packet captures were shoing drops but nothing pointed to any specific part of the network.
In a bit of desperation, I moved the PBX from Server 2012 R2 + Hyper-V to the Server 2012 + Hyper-V unit and all the issues went away.
Of note, there was NEVER a problem with calls to the SIP trunk provider that was a backup to the POTS handoff.
-
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
For something like this, it is the rare case that the POTS will likely be cheaper than getting a T1 to run SIP.
8x POTS lines at $60 each is only $480.
Rural T1 are typically in the $600+ range.So it depends on the calling charges and such.
-
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
I see that Sangoma has an updated model, the Vega 60. Has anyone had any experience with this device with FreePBX? How was call quality?
I've not used that one, but that's definitely where I would look first. Sangoma has always made good gear for this, this is their bread and butter. And as they make FreePBX, it's a perfect match for any support issues.
I've used the Vega 50 and the Grandstream. I will continue to use the Grandstream simply because of the large cost difference.
But as you say, there is now some automagic bits in FreePBX for the Vega gateways.
https://wiki.freepbx.org/display/FPG/PBX+Vega+Management+Module -
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
For something like this, it is the rare case that the POTS will likely be cheaper than getting a T1 to run SIP.
8x POTS lines at $60 each is only $480.
Rural T1 are typically in the $600+ range.So it depends on the calling charges and such.
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
-
I'm working on a SIP over T1 project in rural Colorado this month, in fact
-
@JaredBusch Great. Thanks for the feedback. That's good to hear.
-
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
For something like this, it is the rare case that the POTS will likely be cheaper than getting a T1 to run SIP.
8x POTS lines at $60 each is only $480.
Rural T1 are typically in the $600+ range.So it depends on the calling charges and such.
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
If they only have bonded T1's for internet, they are likely nearly at capacity most of the working day.
So in order to get solid SIP service for 8 simultaneous calls, that is 800kbps, he will likely need to get another T1.
-
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
That is correct. It is our internet access as well. We're running up against some bandwidth issues without the SIP already though so I'm hesitant to add to that.
Centurylink is slowly bringing fiber that way and they tell me by end of year I should be able to get it there. I had intended to switch to FreePBX/SIP at that time but this support cancellation means I need to act sooner than expected.
-
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
For something like this, it is the rare case that the POTS will likely be cheaper than getting a T1 to run SIP.
8x POTS lines at $60 each is only $480.
Rural T1 are typically in the $600+ range.So it depends on the calling charges and such.
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
If they only have bonded T1's for internet, they are likely nearly at capacity most of the working day.
So in order to get solid SIP service for 8 simultaneous calls, that is 800kbps, he will likely need to get another T1.
Possibly, worth testing to see how well it handles it. The cost savings could be enormous.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
That is correct. It is our internet access as well. We're running up against some bandwidth issues without the SIP already though so I'm hesitant to add to that.
Just test, you can get a feel for the impact. I would avoid G.711 and use something lighter that compresses better. And use outbound QoS to prioritize the voice traffic. You might be very surprised by how well it can work. Or you might not have the capacity. But worth finding out.
-
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@JaredBusch said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@scottalanmiller said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
This site is in a rural area and my only access is dual T1s so I don't think ditching the POTS lines and going SIP is an option.
If you can get a T1, SIP is an option.
For something like this, it is the rare case that the POTS will likely be cheaper than getting a T1 to run SIP.
8x POTS lines at $60 each is only $480.
Rural T1 are typically in the $600+ range.So it depends on the calling charges and such.
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
If they only have bonded T1's for internet, they are likely nearly at capacity most of the working day.
So in order to get solid SIP service for 8 simultaneous calls, that is 800kbps, he will likely need to get another T1.
Possibly, worth testing to see how well it handles it. The cost savings could be enormous.
He's has stated, after my post, that he is having bandwidth issues. So, there we go.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
Centurylink is slowly bringing fiber that way and they tell me by end of year I should be able to get it there. I had intended to switch to FreePBX/SIP at that time but this support cancellation means I need to act sooner than expected.
All the more reason to test and consider the option to live with a less than ideal SIP solution now and be fully ready without spending extra money for the upcoming network enhancements.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
I'm assuming that they have to have the T1s already for Internet. So potentially no charge at all for them. Not that they are free, but they are needed in both cases.
That is correct. It is our internet access as well. We're running up against some bandwidth issues without the SIP already though so I'm hesitant to add to that.
Centurylink is slowly bringing fiber that way and they tell me by end of year I should be able to get it there. I had intended to switch to FreePBX/SIP at that time but this support cancellation means I need to act sooner than expected.
Does qwest supply the equipment? is that why their end of lifing it matters?
-
I have used a Vega 50 and would not recommend it. Have since moved everything to SIP.
-
@Dashrender said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
Does qwest supply the equipment? is that why their end of lifing it matters?
I'm not sure where it originally came from. It was not leased so we purchased it at some point but that predates my time here and the no one seems to remember the exact history. We have had a support contract for as long as I've been here with CenturyLink where they would fix and program it for us and that is what is being ended.
Their stated reason was lack of parts in the marketplace and inability for them to get vendor support.
-
@BraswellJay said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
@Dashrender said in FreePBX FXO gateway recommendation ...:
Does qwest supply the equipment? is that why their end of lifing it matters?
I'm not sure where it originally came from. It was not leased so we purchased it at some point but that predates my time here and the no one seems to remember the exact history. We have had a support contract for as long as I've been here with CenturyLink where they would fix and program it for us and that is what is being ended.
Their stated reason was lack of parts in the marketplace and inability for them to get vendor support.
OK - so the only reason to move off of it is lack of support for breaks and changes. I was just curious. it's not like it's going to stop working on day X because they aren't supporting you anymore.
