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Migration · Nortel Norstar

Time to retire Nortel Norstar.

The Nortel Norstar is discontinued and unsupported. Here's how to migrate off Norstar to fvoip cloud phones while keeping your numbers.

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System type

Small-business digital KSU

Status

Discontinued

Manufacturer support

Ended

In service

1988–2009

For two decades the Nortel Norstar — the Compact and Modular ICS with its T7100, T7208 and T7316 digital sets — was the phone system in tens of thousands of small offices. When Nortel filed for bankruptcy in 2009 the line was frozen; Avaya inherited it and has since wound support down to nothing.

A Norstar in the closet today runs on borrowed time: every KSU, expansion cartridge and digital handset now comes only from the used market, and no one is shipping firmware or security fixes. Moving to fvoip retires the hardware entirely and puts your call flow in the cloud.

Why it's time to move.

End-of-life and support details reflect published information at the time of writing and can change — always confirm current status with the vendor.

Your migration, step by step.

We rebuild your call flows on fvoip — auto-attendant menus, ring groups, business hours, and voicemail boxes — while Nortel Norstar keeps answering. You test everything on temporary numbers, and we port the real numbers only once you sign off. If anything looks wrong, the old system is still there.

See our full Nortel migration guide →

What you keep

  • Your phone numbersWe port every direct-dial and main line to fvoip — callers keep reaching you at the same numbers, with no gap in service.
  • Your extensions & menusWe rebuild the extension map, auto-attendant, ring groups, and business hours your team already knows.
  • Business continuityfvoip runs in parallel with the old system and cuts over only when you approve — phones never stop ringing.
  • Compatible SIP phonesReuse standards-based SIP desk phones where possible, or rent auto-provisioned handsets from $8.99/mo.

Other retired systems we migrate.

See all migration paths →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Nortel Norstar still supported?
No. Nortel dissolved in 2009 and Avaya, which inherited the product, has ended support. There are no firmware updates, security patches, or new parts from the manufacturer.
Can I keep my Norstar phones when I move to fvoip?
The Norstar T-series digital sets are proprietary and won't work on a SIP system. Keep using them right up to cutover, then swap to standards-based SIP phones — reuse compatible ones you already have or rent new handsets from $8.99/mo.
Will I lose my phone numbers?
No. We port every line and direct-dial number to fvoip, so customers keep calling the same numbers. Porting runs in parallel with your Norstar, so there's no downtime.
What replaces a Norstar KSU?
Nothing in your closet — fvoip is cloud-hosted. Your auto-attendant, ring groups, voicemail, and extensions all live in software, reachable from desk phones, the mobile app, and desktop.

Ready for a phone system that just works?

Set up in a day. Keep your numbers. Cancel anytime — every plan is month-to-month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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