Abstract: System and method for selling, configuring, installing, reconfiguring and servicing integrated voice/data communications systems are disclosed. An Internet/web based portal is provided to enable a high level of data to be easily collected. The portal guides the customer or sales persons in the collection of user requirements data indicative of the particular customer's hardware, telephony and network service requirements. Test of the data is performed, ensuring that all required data has been entered. The user requirements data is translated into configuration data in order to configure the system in a manner to satisfy the user requirements data. Configuration data resulting from a user requirements data entry and translation process is coupled with a hardware manufacturing process to produce an integrated system configured for the particular customer.

Abstract: A method for providing communications systems and network connection services is disclosed. Via a portal, user requirements data are entered, which are determinative of a configuration of the communications system. The user requirements data are translated into configuration data, which is stored in a storage location in electronic communication with the portal. The configuration data is provided to a manufacturing agent, which manufactures the communications system. The step of manufacturing the communications system includes loading the configuration data into the communications system, and the communications system operates based on the configuration data. The communications system is provided to a customer, and the communications system is operative to provide voice and data communications to a plurality of users in accordance with the configuration data.

Abstract: Web/portal-based systems and methods for selling, configuring, installing, reconfiguring and servicing such integrated voice/data communications systems are disclosed. An Internet/web or personal digital assistant (“PDA”) or personal computer (“PC”) based portal is provided to enable a relatively high level of data to be more easily collected. The portal preferably is graphical and guides either the customer or one or more sales persons (or site installer/technician, etc.) in the collection of user requirements data indicative of the particular customer's hardware, telephony and network service requirements. The user requirements data is a less technical, more intuitive level of user requirements data, as compared with configuration data. An initial test of the data preferably is performed, such as for purposes of data consistency, ensuring that all required data has been entered and the like.