VoIP/IVR/Voice

[Brian c]

Right I

[Guest]

Short answer, yep - easy peasy that.

Long answer, I'm still thinking about it!

I would be inclined to run a small PC based PBX, such as *, depends on what other ideas crop up in the interim.

[Simon_B]

What you are asking for can be done to some degree but you would need to be good on the networking/router side, perhaps using something like Asterix opensource software with unix etc.

A few comment (my own opinions).

1. Your calls (incoming) are very important, its where you make money, from feedback VoIP is not 100% reliable on this - do you really want to risk losing incoming calls when the VoIP service provider has an outage or the router/modem locks up or your PC for that matter ?

2. Why put the faxes through it as well, decide if you want a hardware or software fax, then implement this as you have callsign. standard lines and VOIP options open to you.

3. Call transfer to mobile, cannot say whether your IVR would support this. But if doing the transfer from your PC/IVR software out to line (be it BT or VOIP), you need to ensure you receive the disconnect signal otherwise locked-up lines and big phone bill time - on standard analogue lines, you would ask BT to make the line "Guarded Clear" to prevent this from happening.

So you have 2 x Non-geo numbers - presume 1 for fax and 1 for voice, you would like an auto-attendant facility and the ability to divert calls to mobile - preferably by time/date as well as by choice.

You have 2 seperate phone lines and you have BT callsign, plus the option of additional numbers through a VOIP/SIP service provider so the numbers are not a problem.

Auto-Attendant, sure your IVR can do this, in fact many phone system have this basic facility for a single-level auto-attendant including the 2-line 6-extension Panasonic KXT-206 which has a DISA card which gives a voice auto-attendant.

Divert could be through BT, as well as standard divert, they have another option available so you can change your divert plan from your mobile using a pin number etc.

Perhaps however, what you need is a Virtual Switchboard - ask the provider of your non-geo numbers if they can do it.

This will route your calls where you want them, and provide an auto-attendant (1 for Sales, 2 for Joe etc), many of these can also divert to different numbers by time/date as well as dependant on key press.

I think this would be a more configurable and reliable option for you, if you need to be put in touch with some website of Virtual Switchboard providers, let me know and I will try and dig out some for you.

If you want to stick with the VOIP/IVR option then the UKTelecom forum newsgroup have some guys on it who are far more used to fiddling with VOIP and UNIX and various kinds of computer telephony, I personally am still learning myself on this aspect and would not suggest it as a solution because am not anywhere near convinced of the stability of using a VOIP service provider and a PC of any kind as a telecoms solution for incoming calls.

Hope you find some of that helpful, and do not be put off by me, if you want to go the VOIP way as a project to go with.

Regards

Simon

[Nova-Security]

Bri..........Big Can of BIG worms, to technical i cant even text .

But a IP phone is a good idea, free calls over broadband is it ?

[Guest]

Bri..........Big Can of BIG worms, to technical i cant even text .

But a IP phone is a good idea, free calls over broadband is it ?

40861[/snapback]

we practically have our line open between my and our head office all the day

[Guest]

But a IP phone is a good idea, free calls over broadband is it ?

40861[/snapback]

For just the one phone at home you can get a VoIP terminal adapter which sits between your ADSL line and telephone and seamlessly[ish] links the two. You can then use all the phones in your house for VoIP or PSTN calls.

[Brian c]

Thanks for the info guys, I'm looking into it all now.

Richard - only free calls to other VoIP phones. but it seems to be a lot more common than I realised.

[Guest]

It seems to be taking off does this VoIP, there's quite a lot of VoIP related topics on uk.telecom of late. Sipgate are one of the more popular providers currently.

[jb-eye]

It seems to be taking off does this VoIP, there's quite a lot of VoIP related topics on uk.telecom of late. Sipgate are one of the more popular providers currently.

40907[/snapback]

As i said Brian this is bigger than you thought! seek and you shall find.

jef

[amateurandy]

As i said Brian this is bigger than you thought! seek and you shall find.

jef

40932[/snapback]

Or try Call 18866 for incredibly cheap calls from your BT phone. I think (but don't know for sure) that they use VOIP to route calls, but the quality is good and the pricing is unbelievable. :!:

I use them.