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SLAC Phone System Upgrade

Les Cottrell

Manager of Telecommunications

Presented to SLAC Senior Managers March 2000

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Current Phone System Situation• Current switch (PBX) accepted over 13 years ago

– Leased– Reliable, basic functionality, obsolete hdw/swr– Use:

• 2000 phones associated with people, 1600 in “common” areas

• Voice Mail system installed 9 years ago– Owned by SLAC– At latest software release– ~ 2200 voice mail boxes

• Phone market/technology in transition

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SLAC Administration• SLAC staff: was 5FTE’s 2.5yr ago; now 2.75 FTEs• No bill back for standard services • Audit for waste, fraud & abuse

ContractorCurrent contract with WilCom expires end 2001•WilCom own cable plant - reverts to SLAC @ contract end

–Cable plant old, some user installed = many repair calls–WilCom provides on-site technician

•Cost $14.55/mo/active phone line (~$50K/month)

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Requirement HighlightsBased on experience, surveys of 23 ATOMs, some

key users, and discussions with vendors:• Mandatory:

– More effective management to constrain admin costs• > 1 console access, GUI interface (web based?)• Better integration of PBX, VM & SLAC DBs• Higher speed interfaces (e.g. 1.5Mbps)

– Improved capabilities for more people:• Message waiting light – new phones & interfaces• Caller ID from outside – requires digital phones• Multi line phones – requires digital phones

• Highly desired– Voice mail interface/integration with email

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Next steps

1. Publicise: Sr. managers, IP & home page

2. Continue vendor meetings, add Cisco, Pac Bell

3. Refine requirements

4. Pin down possible interim upgrade details

5. Decide if full RFP process necessary

6. Proceed accordingly

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Some Critical Questions• Can we move quickly enough to avoid contract extension?

– How many options to explore, how many people to involve?– How to get buy-in?– Full RFP process?

• How critical is current 4 digit dialing plan, or 926-xxxx?• What if voice mail features (prompts, critical calls etc.)

changed the way they worked?• Do we need to move from analog to digital phones?

– Generally more function (Caller ID, multi lines on single pair, hold on second line etc …)

– BUT more expensive (3 times) phones (~$200K), and vendor specific

• Do we want to trade one time cost vs ongoing costs– E.g. upgrade cable plant, purchase PBX (few $M), move to digital– How long should the next contract be?