MiVoice Office 250 Conference Room Phone Options

[jfraser]

Hello!  We have a Mitel 5000 (MiVoice Office 250) and adding two conference rooms.  We have digital and VOIP licenses but the current VOIP 5330 standard phone isn't cutting in in our one room.

I'm understanding that the PolyCom SoundStation2 Ex is compatible but is it as easy as just hooking it to one of my digital lines and assigning that port an extension in the system?  Trying to go on the cheap so ebay is likely going to be my source so if there is a particular model that works or doesn't work, I'd appreciate that.  Would like to go with the UC360 but just out of my price range (new or used).

Thanks for your help!

[acejavelin]

The Soundstation 2 requires an Analog Single Line port, not a digital port. Depending on your 5000 chassis type you will have 2 or 4 single line ports on the back of the chassis.

Do you have any Category F (SIP) licenses available? There are many decent SIP based conference phones available if you don't have an analog extension available. BTW, a Mitel UC360 device requires a SIP license as well.

[DND ON]

The Polycom IP 5000 and 7000 phones (depending on room size) are solid performers, and do require a CAT F license. I wouldn't even consider a UC360, as they are not intuitive and end-users need lots of hand-holding.

You can go cheap, and regret it during each and every call, or look at a decent phone as being a long term investment in productivity.

[jfraser]

The Polycom IP 5000 and 7000 phones (depending on room size) are solid performers, and do require a CAT F license. I wouldn't even consider a UC360, as they are not intuitive and end-users need lots of hand-holding.

You can go cheap, and regret it during each and every call, or look at a decent phone as being a long term investment in productivity.

I should clarify. I want to go low cost, not cheap.  I want quality and simplicity over bells and whistles.

I'm very open to IP Phones *if* they are easy to setup and the quality is good.  These are not horribly large rooms.  10x20, 12x14, 10x12.  Everyone seemed to be pointing towards the SoundStation2 or VTX1000 models but IP is easier to run.

Just to confirm, these use Cat F licenses, not Cat D?

How is the setup?

[acejavelin]

The Polycom IP 5000 and 7000 phones (depending on room size) are solid performers, and do require a CAT F license. I wouldn't even consider a UC360, as they are not intuitive and end-users need lots of hand-holding.

You can go cheap, and regret it during each and every call, or look at a decent phone as being a long term investment in productivity.

I should clarify. I want to go low cost, not cheap.  I want quality and simplicity over bells and whistles.

I'm very open to IP Phones *if* they are easy to setup and the quality is good.  These are not horribly large rooms.  10x20, 12x14, 10x12.  Everyone seemed to be pointing towards the SoundStation2 or VTX1000 models but IP is easier to run.

Just to confirm, these use Cat F licenses, not Cat D?

How is the setup?

They require a Category F (SIP) license... Setup is fairly simple, Mitel has several documents on in their knowledge base about setting up many models of SIP devices, otherwise generic SIP setup is pretty simple. In the phone you basically point it to the 5000 and set it's username (the extension) and the password (ext by default).

[jfraser]

Thanks! I think this is my option then! I notice you mention the 5000 and the 7000.  Is the 6000 not an option?

Seems like I want something between the 5000 with a 7ft range and the 7000 with 20ft range and the 6000 says it is a 12ft range.

I've followed some instructions to setup a Mitel 5610 IP DECT (2 phones) in the past.  This sounds silly but can you point me to their knowledge base?  Most of the time it's been just searching google and finding a forum user post and following those instructions.

[DND ON]

I don’t have any experience with the 6000, but I’m sure it would be comparable with its smaller and larger siblings. Voice quality is superior to the analog SoundStations, and there’s no big wall wart to deal with.

I’ve attached the configuration notes for the 7000.

[jfraser]

You are awesome.  THANKS!
In your experience is the 7 / 12 or 20 foot range they advertise pretty accurate? 

[DND ON]

Yes, but the external microphones are a must for a very large conference table. That puts every participant within a few feet of a microphone.