On-going cost effectiveness of PM3?

Richard_R.Moore (MOORERR@msu.edu)
Fri, 22 Nov 96 17:17 EST

The PM3 is set up to take in either channelized T1 or a PRI line from the
telephone company and feed each channel to a digital modem and hence to the
ethernet. My understanding is that this would replace the individual phone
lines, modems, and PM2's with the appropriate number of serial ports to handle
the modems. In other words, 24 phone lines, modems, and the entire PM2 would
be replaced by one channelized T1 and a PM3 with 24 modems (3 modem cards).

In a rational communication world, this would be a nice condensation of
serveral components and represent a significant savings.

Of course, we will want to have our users still be able to call one phone
number and get a connection, just as they would with the PM2's on a trunk
hunting, or uniform call distribution, or ACD system.

However, unless i am asking the wrong question of my telephone company
(ameritech), a channelized T1 _with a channel bank at the central office_ will
cost about $300 per month MORE than individual phone lines. The channel bank
at the central office, i am told, is required to permit users to access any of
the 24 T1 channels by simply dialing a single phone number as they do now. If
i could avoid the channel bank, the cost would be some what less.

Since we are very "on-going" money sensitive, i doubt if i could justify the
use of a PM3 -- even if it were free!

So, trying to cling to "it is a rational world", i MUST be missing something;
i must not be asking for the right service from ameritech. Can anyone tell me
how to do this in ameritech of michigan territory?

(Of course, a PRI line is much more expensive than a T1 line, so that is not
an option either.)

Thanks for any help you can give.