Near Optimal solution - Gigaset N720IP
Gigaset offer this solution for mid-to-large scale (up to 100 handset) roaming solutions. It seems to be a very capable self-installed solution. It would still be advisable to have a professional site survey to determine the best locations for the installation of radios.
It will be automatically provision if you are using recent PABX firmware, and the flexibility of the provisioning will improve over time.
- Upside - Almost “Perfect” solution. Mostly auto-provisioned.
- Downside - Need 3rd party for radio survey/installs.
Near Optimal solution - Polycom Kirk
The most comprehensive way to do this is to speak with Polycom/Icon about their Kirk solution. They do a full radio survey, determine the best location to place base stations and repeaters, and will support in-call roaming. The configuration of the system and the handsets onto the PABX will be manual, for larger systems, but if the install is small enough for their KWS300, we can auto provision that device.
- Upside - Almost “Perfect” solution.
- Downside - Longer lead time. No useful auto-provisioning.
Simple Alternative 1 - snom M9/R
Each base station can handle 9 handsets and 4 concurrent calls. The number of base stations you need depends on both handset count and simultaneous calls count. You can deploy multiple M9 base stations and register each handset with multiple bases. The handset will not roam in-call, and tries to stick to the most recent base rather than using the best signal.
- Upside - Mostly auto-provisioned.
- Downside - Lots of manual configuration, poor roaming solution.
Simple Alternative 2 - Gigaset N300IP/N510IP with no repeaters
These Gigaset DECT basestations support 6 handsets and 3 simultaneous calls. You need to be sure to buy the correct handsets to support all of the call and roaming features. You may also need more base stations due to their lower capacity, but handsets can be set to switch to best signal as the phone moves. They still do not roam in-call.
- Upside - Slightly better roaming solution. Mostly auto-provisioned.
- Downside - Lots of manual configuration, more base stations.
Alternative 3 - Gigaset N300IP/N510IP with DECT repeaters
In the lab we have managed to configure a DECT repeater onto a Gigaset base station, so some of the issues from alternative 2 can be solved by having fewer base-stations, and linking up repeaters (a repeater is dedicated to a basestation). This technology was tested a long time ago, and we are not up-to-date on DECT repeater technology, so you’d need to take some advice on them, or test it out for yourself.
The device we used allowed you to repeat 1-hop in any direction from the base. You can have up to 6 repeaters on a base.
http://gigaset.com/uk/en/product/GIGASETREPEATER.html
- Upside - Full roaming solution within repeater range. Base stations mostly auto-provisioned.
- Downside - Significant manual configuration of repeaters. One-hop limited range.