ISDN Ordering

Tips and Training >> Definitions >> ISDN Ordering

What do I need to order to use ISDN with my Videoconference System?

In order to use ISDN with your video conferencing system, you'll need to use ISDN lines from the phone company. If you do not have these already then, contact your local telephone company (not your long distance company) and place the following order:

Ordering information: (This is what to ask for when ordering your Basic Rate ISDN lines)

1. Order 3 or 4 Basic Rate ISDN Lines (three or four separate lines)
2. Order Two Circuits per line (also called channels "B1" and "B2")
3. Ask for TWO telephone numbers per line (for 3 lines, this will be 6 numbers, for example)
4. Ask for Circuit Switched Data and Voice on both circuits or channels
5. Specify Data rates required are: 56Kbps and 64Kbps data
6. Specify that the ISDN lines will be used with Tandberg, Polycom, Sony or LifeSize Video Conference equipment.
7. Select the long distance carrier to SPRINT or AT&T (SPRINT typically charges lower rates). AT&T requires registration of your ISDN lines after installation before you can use them and this sometimes causes complication. Both the SPRINT and AT&T networks are reliable networks once their configuration is complete and in use.

What should the Telephone Company give me?

Information to get from Telephone Company at time of ordering or installation:

1. Telephone numbers allocated (2 per line) - get all 6 or 8 numbers for your 3 or 4 BRI lines
2. SPID numbers assigned (2 per line) - get all 6 or 8 SPID's
3. Interface provided [U or S/T] by the phone company

What other information may I need when ordering ISDN lines?

1. Type of Video Conferencing System - Polycom, Tandberg, LifeSize and Sony
   1. Line capabilities of equipment:
      1. Basic Rate ISDN
      2. Initializing capability (systems can utilize Service Profile identification - SPID's)
   2. Equipment requires 56 and 64 Kbps data and voice capabilities.


2. Other ISDN information
   1. Switch types preferred by equipment:
      1. National ISDN
   2. No Sub-addressing required
   3. No Validation numbers required (MSN)
   4. No customer packet data required on D channel