Vega 5000

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High density ATA telephone deployment available in two configurations:

> 24 FXS + 2 FXO

> 48 FXS + 2 FXO

[for fewer FXS ports see Vega 50 Europa available in 4FXS or 8FXS options]



What is it used for?
Multiple analogue device connectivity (phone, DECT cordless, fax, external loud bells) for UA endpoints operating with either a local SoftSwitch / IP-PBX deployed on the customer’s own network, or an off-site SoftSwitch / IP Centrex application hosted by an ITSP.

Why wouldn't I just deploy IP Phones?
The deployment of FXS phones & devices may be in conjunction with, or instead of IP phones, & indeed there are many areas where it is more practical to deploy a high density FXS gateway:

> Serves as an ideal legacy PBX replacement or where there is an absence of data/network cabling. The Vega simply replaces the telephone system’s central control unit & is connected to the existing telephone wiring & analogue phones

> Where there is a requirement for a large quantity of handsets & IP phones are inappropriate to deploy (public reception areas, business centres, tenement buildings, hotels, schools, nursing homes…)

> For long distance phone deployment (up to 8 kilometres line length)

> Only a single LAN connection is required for the Vega thereby saving on costly switch/hub equipment & rack space requirements if multiple IP phones were otherwise deployed

> There is a single management interface and IP address on each Vega FXS gateway for all users connected, as opposed to having to separately manage lots of individual IP phones

How does it differ from an IP phone?
As far as the ITSP or IP-PBX is concerned there is no difference. Each FXS endpoint is provisioned just as an IP phone would be and will behave in just the same way that an IP phone does; it will independently register with the SoftSwitch and will have its own telephone number, user account and password.

How do the connected phones work?
Vega gateways support telephony features which enable the FXS device to interoperate with the SoftSwitch and to use the advanced features which it provides:

> *Support of hook flash / TBR - for call hold & transfer - the R button on the phone!
> *CLIP to FXS telephone display - the user can observe who is calling before answering
> *MWI lamp indication or stuttered dial tone - for new voice mail message notification
> *Call waiting - the user can decide whether to hold, toggle or disconnect the existing call & answer the arriving call
> Three party conference
> Executive interrupt
> Call forward – unconditional, busy, no answer
> Do Not Disturb
> Hunt groups – linear up, round robin, random
> Call barring
> Hotline - a pre-determined number is called upon lifting the handset (visitor or door phone automatically calls the operator)
> Post fax voice call - after sending a fax the user can talk to the remote caller thereby saving money by not having to make a new call
> Distinctive ringing for called numbers (eg, sales, accounts) so that the user can answer the call appropriately
> Support of fax T.38 protocol. Also the ability to connect modem, PDQ etc

The Vega enables the advanced features of the SoftSwitch (call recording, voice mail etc) to be accessed just as an IP phone would do.

 *From the customer’s viewpoint it is arguable therefore that there is no discernable loss of features over an IP phone provided of course that the analogue telephone is capable of supporting these.

Enhanced Network Proxy (ENP) provides IP-phone survivability (software option)
Frequently the SoftSwitch is located remotely (eg head office/branch offices scenarios) with connectivity via the WAN.  When the WAN suffers an outage the IP-phones within the organisation are unable to register to the off-site SoftSwitch and therefore all functionality is lost. Callers trying to reach the company cannot get through.  Just as worrying though, employees cannot make external calls outside the business and worse still internal desk-to-desk calls around the organisation cannot be placed.  The business is at a standstill.  Compounding on this is the compromise of the health and safety of the employees also who often have to rely on their own personal mobile phones for the duration of the outage.  The solution is Vega's ENP.  During normal operation the IP-phones register via the Vega which in turn caches the registrations and forwards them to the SoftSwitch.  When disaster strikes in the network the Vega loses its “heartbeat” with the SoftSwitch and so it immediately becomes the vital element in the network ensuring that the IP-phones continue to operate, processing registrations and calls both internally but externally also via back-up PSTN connectivity.   Vega is able to support up to 120 IP-phones.

ENP enables continuity of service during WAN/SIP outage & may be configured to operate in a number of ways including:
> Standalone proxy
> IP device survivability
> IP device call routing
> Emergency call routing
> SIP to SIP call routing

Lifeline PSTN Backup
All Vega variants equipped with FXS ports are also fitted with two FXO ports. When powered the Vega can route calls (999/112/911, local calls etc) to or from these two FXO ports. Under power failure conditions the two FXO ports provide a hard-wired bypass to the first two FXS ports allowing PSTN calls to be made even under this failure condition. Also in the event that the call cannot be routed via SIP to the IP-PBX/ITSP, it can be re-presented to the FXO thereby providing the customer with a back-up, resilient call routing during the outage.

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How do I physically connect the phones?
On the rear of the Vega 5000 there is a RJ21 socket (2 sockets for 48 port version) upon which the FXS ports are presented. The installer connects the Vega to the building voice wiring network to suit the requirements of the customer; two options are as follows:

click to enlarge