Cordless Phones

[telcogirl]

I have a customer with a true need for a cordless phone.  They have a Mitel 5000 digital system.  This customer has multiple warehouses that are too far apart for a wireless headset.  Mitel's 5610 is not a workable solution for the environment.  I am struggling to find a solution. All help or advice will be appreciated   

[akuhn]

I think there are some handsets with really far ranges.  But, if not, then I would suggest using the DEE feature to twin the desk phone to a cell phone.  The two phones will ring nearly simultaneously and the person in question will be able to use his/her cell phone instead of the desk phone.

[telcogirl]

Thank you akuhn.  I will investigate longer range headsets as an option.  I am looking into Duraphone by Engenius, but so far it is looking like only an IP solution.  Twinning will not work due to warehouses being metal buildings and cell coverage is not very good and not available in all warehouses. 

[Tech Electronics]

telcogirl,

The Duraphone by Engenius is what we use. They will take an analog port on the DuraFon Pro or the DuraFon x1.

Thanks,

TE

[telcogirl]

TE,

Thanks for responding.  Will the duraphone to act like any other mitel phone?  For example can I program it to ring incoming lines?  Or, does it just act like an any other analog extension, rings only when call is transferred to that extension?

I need a solution that will allow incoming lines to ring and be answered on a cordless/wireless device.  I am starting to review Mitel IP-DECT.

[DND ON]

The 5610 IP DECT is a decent phone and the base can be used stand-alone on a digital system, with the proper licensing.

Would a base in each building provide enough coverage?

[telcogirl]

I have looked at the 5610 and it seems a bit dainty to use in warehouses, so I really haven't looked at it as an option.  I am researching Mitel's IP-DECT System of wireless APs and phones.  I anticipate this to be cost prohibitive, which is why I was asking about Duraphone.   Thanks.

[NTEDave]

We use this Panasonic SIP DECT on the 5000:

http://business.panasonic.co.uk/communication-solutions/PBX-SIP/business-SIP-systems/SIP-DECT-single-base-unit/KX-TGP600

A third of the price of the 5610 and seems much more robust, you can use repeaters to extend the range and the base can be powered by PoE which is a nice touch.

[Tech Electronics]

Telcogirl,

TE,

Thanks for responding.  Will the duraphone to act like any other mitel phone?  For example can I program it to ring incoming lines?  Or, does it just act like an any other analog extension, rings only when call is transferred to that extension?

I need a solution that will allow incoming lines to ring and be answered on a cordless/wireless device.  I am starting to review Mitel IP-DECT.

I am not exactly sure that I understand your question here. The Durafon handsets are an analog device, but they attach to their base, which acts like a mini-phone system, and not directly to the 5000. So in the end you could have POTS lines go directly to the Durafon base system or you could use analog ports off the 5000 so that they have other Mitel features available to them; such as transferring to an IP or Digital phone user.

If that is not what you were asking then just let me know.

Thanks,

TE

[telcogirl]

TE,
Thanks for replying.  What I need is a cordless/wireless phone that will connect to the Mitel 5000 and be able to receive incoming calls just like any regular digital Mitel 8528.  The customer will carry this phone with them and be able to answer any of their incoming calls - more than one line.  The distance between buildings is too great to use a hands free headset.  I do not have any experience with the Duraphone or Mitel's global wireless solution utilizing APs.  The Mitel 5610 is too dainty for this type of facility.

Just a note...the customer could do this with their old Norstar system using ATA.  I understand how to connect a cordless phone to the analog port on the 5000 and use that phone as a extension where calls can be transferred to and outbound calls can be made.  According to our technicians, incoming calls cannot be programmed to ring the cordless phone extension. 

I hope this make more sense 

Telcogirl

[Tech Electronics]

telcogirl,

Either of the two Durafon solutions I stated earlier would work for you. What you need to figure out is how many phones that you want to work independent of one another. Basically you would need an analog port per Durafon cordless phone you would need to work. Then you would need to find the Durafon solution that supports that many individual analog ports.

Then you put an Analog port to the Line port of the Durafon base and then program the Durafon base to have any calls coming into that Line port to only ring one particular Durafon associated with it. The most we have done this way was 12 Durafons which required 3 of the 4-line base systems or kits. This can get really expensive really fast, but it is the best solution for those types of environments.

I am not sure why your technicians would have a problem directing calls to ring any of the individual Durafon extensions, but then again they may not have programmed the Durafon base to have 1 line go to 1 extension before either.

I don't know how they solved the problem with the Norstar, but the 5000 does have the ability to use an ATA as well so you could just replicate their solution.

Thanks,

TE