Peter, There's nothing technically complex about Centrex. It is basically a hosted PBX service. There are two types of "phones" - proprietary digital and analogue.
Your service would almost certainly be analogue, which means that the line is just like an other loop start trunk. So nothing fancy there, and still the challenge of having them deliver DNIS as DTMF following the answer. Jim. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: February 8, 2006 3:40 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [on-asterisk] DID lines > > Jim: > > I forgot to say, a PRI is not really an option because we're > only talking four lines starting out. Hey, we're a small province. > > Thanks for the candid on the BRI. You would think the > telco's would have a reliable low capacity replacement for > DID by now. I think its called Centrex. > Has anybody interfaced Asterisk to Centrex at all? I suspect > this will be the default replacement if I can't come up with > a DNIS solution for Asterisk. > > Peter M. > > > If they can send DNIS as DTMF after the call is answered, > that could work. > > If not, then we're into unexplored territory. > > > > On to ISDN . . . > > > > Well, first of all, I hve to tell you that ISDN is not a type of > > circuit, it's a protocol. There are two different kinds of ISDN > > curcuits: PRI and BRI. For some reason the term ISDN has > come to refer > > to the BRI flavour, and PRI refers to itself, but be > careful using the > > term "ISDN" with telecom people, firstly because it annoys some of > > them (yeah, I'm one of those :-), and secondly because they > might just > > go ahead and delver a PRI to you - "you ordered ISDN, and > that's what you got". > > > > So, all ranting, semantics and pontificating aside, we'll > assume you > > are taling about a BRI circuit (128K, 2B+D). I would avoid > using this > > with Asterisk for now. Here's why: > > 1) In Canada (and most of country code 1), BRI is basically > dead. The > > carriers still sell it, but very few people know how to use it > > (including staff at your carrier) > > 2) BRI support in Asterisk is still not solid, at least not > from what > > I hear > > 3) In Europse, where BRI is ubiquitous, there are problems > getting it > > to work with Asterisk (again, from what I hear). That does not bode > > well for getting it working here > > > > If you chose to go BRI, be aware that you will be blazing a > trail - no > > one here has ever worked with it, so we'll all be asking > you how it's > > going :-) > > > > Now as for the other ISDN option, how many lines are you > looking to connect? > > PRI starts to be cost effective after about a dozen > circuits. Might be > > worth a look. > > > > Jim. > > > > -- > > Jim Van Meggelen > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/2177 > > > > "A child is the ultimate startup, and I have three. > > This makes me rich." > > Guy Kawasaki > > -- > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: February 8, 2006 2:31 PM > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: RE: [on-asterisk] DID lines > > > > > > The basic problem is that they don't think they can program this > > > loopstart circuit to send the virtual phone number (AKA > the DNIS) at > > > all. Yes, I did do a lot to clue them in to what's > required but in > > > the end, there seems to be that > > > roadblock: you can't do a substitute for the CID number, which > > > sounds like it would be the ideal solution for the loop lines. > > > Hmmmm....I should probably ask about the DTMF after the call is > > > answered though, just in case they never thought of that. > So those > > > "after" > > > digits would dial the virtual number's extension, right? > > > Hence the delay after the call comes in so that the digits can be > > > picked up. I'm not sure how reliable that would be (see last > > > paragraph). Based on my wife's experience using a calling card, I > > > would think that the tones would get lost sometimes. > > > > > > We (myself and the Aliant sales rep) are thinking now that ISDN > > > lines will have enough flexability to do the job. They > are certainly > > > a step up from DID and not that much different from > Centrex when you > > > think about it. I would appreciate any opinions on 4 port ISDN > > > cards. > > > > > > As for Asterisk experience, I doubt it. But I can ask again. > > > Aliant has let a lot of their good people go. > > > > > > BTW (opinions please) is Asterisk for Business stable > enough for a > > > critical service application or am I out-to-lunch here? > > > Another project has come up and I'm thinking of using ISDN for > > > incoming lines and an OpenSwitch6 FXS/FXO card for > connecting analog > > > phones and lines. * does the recording and call transfers. I was > > > hoping to keep it simple but it looks like we will have to have a > > > screen pop added on also. Could be a tall order, what? > > > > > > Regards, > > > Peter M. > > > > > > > Hmmm. > > > > > > > > Actually, kudos to your carrier for being as flexible as > > > they've been > > > > so far (or kudos to you for your persistance). > > > > > > > > OK, so from what you describe those are not DIDs, they > are regular > > > > loop start lines. The trick, then, is the digits. They > > > cannot be sent > > > > after the answer in the same manner as CLID because > that happens > > > > in-band as FSK (ADSI) signalling during the ringing > phase. Well, > > > > perhaps Asterisk has a way of handling that, but that's > beyond my > > > > grasp of adsi.conf, and how it relates to zaptel channels. > > > > > > > > What they need to do is wait until the line is answered, > > > and then send > > > > digits representing the DNIS (the DID received digits) as > > > DTMF. While > > > > that seems simple enough (with Asterisk it's trivial), the > > > reality is > > > > that their equipment might not be able to do all that in > > > the sequence > > > > we want (or, more likely, the only person in that > company with the > > > > technical chops to handle such a design is catching a sunburn > > > > somewhere or can't be bothered with such a trivial request). > > > > > > > > As them if they have anyone who knows Asterisk. Guaranteed > > > those will > > > > be their über-geeks - the folks with the skills we need! > > > > > > > > Jim. > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Jim Van Meggelen > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/2177 > > > > > > > > "A child is the ultimate startup, and I have three. > > > > This makes me rich." > > > > Guy Kawasaki > > > > -- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ******************************************************** > > > Peter MacFarlane, ACP > > > Network Administration & Programming > > > Target Call Center/ Message Centre P.E.I. > > > ***************************************************************** > > > OpenBSD's PF Firewall: Now available with CARP Failover. > > > Nothing to do with fish, but everything to do with security! > > > ***************************************************************** > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For > additional > > > commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/253 - Release > > > Date: 07/02/2006 > > > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/253 - Release Date: > > 07/02/2006 > > > > > > > ******************************************************** > Peter MacFarlane, ACP > Network Administration & Programming > Target Call Center/ Message Centre P.E.I. > ***************************************************************** > OpenBSD's PF Firewall: Now available with CARP Failover. > Nothing to do with fish, but everything to do with security! > ***************************************************************** > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For > additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/253 - Release > Date: 07/02/2006 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.2/253 - Release Date: 07/02/2006
