PRI vs DS1 on Magix 3.0

[JustinEllison]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting a dedicated LD circuit from our CLEC. Currently, I just run POTS lines into the PBX. The CLEC can offer either a DS1 or PRI, with the PRI being ~ $100/month more. I know the PRI provides DNIS/ANI, but what can the Magix do with it? Can I do inbound call routing based on the number dialed/caller id?
Is the PRI worth the $100? I'm sure that question will beg the question "what do you do with your PBX". Well, we are a cable tv and Internet provider, so I have a call center consisting of 8 customer service and 3 tech support extensions. I use ARS extensively already, and have 3 calling groups with queuing, etc.
Any insight would me much appreciated!

Justin

 

[merlinman]

PRI Can route a certain dialed number to a certain Extension/Calling group. (With up to 16 "Patterns" to match.)

It can't use caller Id for routing. That can be done with an even more expensive product, Passageway Telephony Server. (The CTI Link, and some 3rd Party Software)

If you need Caller ID, and I assume you do, PRI is the way to go.

In my area it has become almost as cheap as a "Regular" T1.

 

[merlinman]

One other thing about PRI.

A lot of times vendors are offering "2-Way D-I-D" with thier T1 service.

That is limited in comparison to what PRI can do.

To be more specific, when they "PORT" the main Telephone numbers over, they are just another D-I-D number coming down the pipe.

This can be a BIG PROBLEM if the customer's lead number begins with a ZERO, or a 9. A Legend set up as REGULAR T1 can not accomodate the ZERO at all, and it requires a lot of programming to accomodate the 9.

PRI, on the other hand has no problem at all with this LEADING ZERO.

I programmed a system just the other day whose main number (The 4 Digits Being Sent anyway...) was 0050.

We set PRI to send that to an extension in the Dial Plan.

No problem.