Nortel users should hope for best, prepare for worst

Avaya is likely to consolidate product lines, eliminating some gear, but promises to continue support for several years and to devise a migration path for customers who own equipment that is phased out, said Stephen Leaden, president of Leaden Associates, who sat on a panel discussing what Nortel customers should do now that it is being bought by Avaya.

"Avaya promises a clear statement of direction within 30 days of [the deal closing]," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with the Yankee Group, another member of the panel. "That's probably the most important thing they must do."

See 2009's Hottest Mergers & Acquisitions slideshow

That could mean changes that have an impact on individual customers depending on what gear they own, said David Stein, principal with PlanNet Consulting, another panel member. "I would be really nervous to consider either an Avaya or a Nortel product until after the road map is revealed," he said.

Meanwhile, Nortel customers with currently supported products should upgrade to the most recent version of software they can to ensure that the gear will be supported after Nortel is bought, said Brad Tompkins, head of the North American Nortel users' group. "Just because a product is discontinued doesn't mean it stops working," Tompkins said. "If you have an old PBX and all you need is dialtone, great. Keep it working." 

Stein said third-party vendors sell maintenance contracts for discontinued gear, and that may be the most cost effective route for some users.

Leaden said the upgrade route extends the life of the gear and gives corporate telecom decision makers more time to research and acquire the capital needed for network upgrades that might be needed to fulfill strategic communications plans.

Customers with multiple voice vendors in their networks should migrate to other vendors if the have to make a decision soon, Kerravala said. If they have more time, just wait until Avaya's plans become clearer, he said.

Details from the road map will enable users to make better decisions. Avaya says it expects the deal to close by the end of the year, but industry observers are skeptical, guessing that January or February is more likely. While Tompkins is patient, he said the sooner the road map is revealed the better. "If it moves into February or March, OK, we're going to have a problem," he said.