I'm currently using two solutions. PBX:
Our offices use Cbeyond (www.cbeyond.com) which is a unique service that binds (shotguns) voice and data over the same lines. I basically have a couple T1s at the office running Cisco routers between my office and theirs (well, the local station at the Telco). Then the VOIP is pulled off the data and placed into the traditional phone network. We can keep it VOIP within the network as well, but being a tradtional office with no remote locations - we're 100% hitting that outside line. Internally, we use Televantage (www.vertial.com) to manage phone resources - similar to other PBX packages and those listed earlier (Bayonne, etc). Pure VOIP: I use Skype with a phone adapter at home. The phone adapter announces itself to the Windows box as a proper sound device with both audio in and out sources. In Skype, you simply adjust where the mic and speaker resources are and any phone connected to the adapter will work. We use a multi-hand set phone so the entire house is "hooked up" thru a single phone line -> plugged into the adapetr -> plugged into the computer's USB -> using Skype IN/OUT. Skype IN gives you up to 6 local phone numbers for your Skype account. So if you want a "local number in France", it'll ring to your desk at the same time you can get a local number for Atlanta. That'll save toll charges for others calling you if you do business in other area codes. Other than that, I've had no problems with Skype IN or OUT recently. In the beginning, I spent $14 on a *cheap* adapter. Recently bought an Actiontec phone adapter that cost a bit more but worth every penny. http://www.actiontec.com/products/communications/ipw_usb/index.php You can find it fairly cheap on www.buy.com and www.amazon.com In terms of prices, well - the business grade PBX with T1s isn't "reasonable" for home use but the Skype is fairly cheap. Skype IN is a flat rate for the phone number and there's no per-minute change when someone calls you (so I try to have everyone call me). And, as mentioned earlier, it's about $0.02 USD for Skype OUT. Everything's in euros so you just have to convert it. If you calculate your standard phone bill by minute, you might save some (or for me, save about $30-40 USD). /David. David Sommers, Architect | Dialog Medical -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin Toppenberg Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 12:28 PM To: hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] VOIP OK. I thought you were saying that you had free telephone service (connecting to POTS). I think that will always involve a fee. thanks Kevin On 9/5/05, Ruben Safir <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephony > > This is why I let David set it up. I think I actually connect into > PSTN. That needs to be arrainged either with MaBell or perhaps Covad > > Ruben > > On Mon, 2005-09-05 at 10:46, Ruben Safir wrote: > > On Mon, 2005-09-05 at 10:40, Ruben Safir wrote: > > > Ask David Sugar. He set it up. > > > > > > Ruben > > > > > > On Mon, 2005-09-05 at 08:48, Kevin Toppenberg wrote: > > > > Ruben, > > > > > > > > I just bought a telephone network adapter. It was $20 at Staples. I > > > > imagine it will convert my home telephone signal to IP. But if I want > > > > to call someone in another city, I would need someone to take my IP > > > > signal and connect it to the standard phone system. > > > > > > > > Actually, the system has a switch that connects it to regular POTS. The > > problem is getting into pots. It's VoIP inside the network or to other > > pure IP users. > > > > Ruben > > > > > > How does your open-source program do that? > > > > > > > > Thanks > > > > Kevin > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > > SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO > > > > September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices > > > > Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA > > > > Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > > > Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO > > > September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices > > > Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA > > > Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > > Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO > > September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices > > Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA > > Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf > > _______________________________________________ > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO > September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices > Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA > Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf > _______________________________________________ > Hardhats-members mailing list > Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > ------------------------------------------------------- SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members ------------------------------------------------------- SF.Net email is Sponsored by the Better Software Conference & EXPO September 19-22, 2005 * San Francisco, CA * Development Lifecycle Practices Agile & Plan-Driven Development * Managing Projects & Teams * Testing & QA Security * Process Improvement & Measurement * http://www.sqe.com/bsce5sf _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
