Can Plugpbx do this?

[superpat]

Hi,

I have been trying to understand Asterisk and PBX,  but its a steep learning curve.

Please could someone have a look at the specification for this device  (below), and tell me whether it is possible to use Plugpbx to emulate it.:-

www.truecall.co.uk

The device fits my requirements, but is expensive.

I already own a Sheevaplug, a Linksys SPA3102, A v92 usb voice modem and lots of electronic bits.

I do not use VOIP, at the moment, all I want to do is to feed my incoming BT line into Plugpbx and have it filter calls before passing the call ( or not) onto my cordless base unit.

If I know it is possible then I will spend the time required to create the lists and scripts etc necessary to do this,  (unless its been done already!)

many thanks

regards

Patrick

[PlugPBX Admin]

I used to do this with generic asterisk and dial plans.

It'll be just fine with PlugPBX too

Like You I have the SPA3102. I used a similar setup when we migrated from copper line PSTN to VOIP, setup the PBX that inbound calls from the SPA routed into Asterisk, then into the home. Outbound calls we routed VOIP while we waited for the number port to complete. Once incoming calls starting coming in via VOIP I had a script email me to tell me. Wife never noticed the transition from PSTN to VOIP, and we trialed voip while waiting for the port.

You sure can do what you wish with PlugPBX, mix and match physical devices like ATA's, VOIP resources trunks and routes, and everything in between. You have all the pieces in place.

[twinclouds]

Hi, Greg:
Do you know if it is possible to call US phones with Asterisk/FreePBX use Skype as the gateway?  Thanks.

[PlugPBX Admin]

Sorta

I know Skype offers a SIP gateway type connection into their systems now, but when I last looked it was corporate use only or something (and not free?)

Skype is a proprietary protocol, access to it is usually closed, but its new owners (Microsoft) may change this. I've seen various solutions where on the same machine Skype and Asterisk a running, a piece of middle-ware software can loopback audio between the two to 'hack' gatewaying calls onto skype.  I'm not aware of any ARM skype native software or source, so you'd have to use another service, system or intermediate component.

Don't forget more native solutions exist for asterisk and google voice, which would allow US calling. Finally, you can often find certain US DID SIP providers that offer free outbound, or inbound calling with certain type accounts and minimum fee balances.

I'm to the point where the providers I use bill at or under the 1 cent per minute mark. At this price point its cheaper to pay for a provider then to shave cents with work that is well more valuable elsewhere.

If you have a high call rate to a certain point of interest in another country, set them up with a SIP phone slaved to YOUR PBX. Cut out the telecom providers entirely, become your own to high call frequency relatives or friends, think outside the box

[PlugPBX Admin]

Sorta

I know Skype offers a SIP gateway type connection into their systems now, but when I last looked it was corporate use only or something (and not free?)

Skype is a proprietary protocol, access to it is usually closed, but its new owners (Microsoft) may change this. I've seen various solutions where on the same machine Skype and Asterisk a running, a piece of middle-ware software can loopback audio between the two to 'hack' gatewaying calls onto skype.  I'm not aware of any ARM skype native software or source, so you'd have to use another service, system or intermediate component.

Don't forget more native solutions exist for asterisk and google voice, which would allow US calling. Finally, you can often find certain US DID SIP providers that offer free outbound, or inbound calling with certain type accounts and minimum fee balances.

I'm to the point where the providers I use bill at or under the 1 cent per minute mark. At this price point its cheaper to pay for a provider then to shave cents with work that is well more valuable elsewhere.

If you have a high call rate to a certain point of interest in another country, set them up with a SIP phone slaved to YOUR PBX. Cut out the telecom providers entirely, become your own to high call frequency relatives or friends, think outside the box

I forgot to mention intermediate services like FreeWorldDial, IPKALL, enum164 DNS directory services, FonoSIP, you and your friends can register devices or trunks to interconnect calls out of PSTN

[twinclouds]

Greg:
Thank you for your reply.
Right now, I am pretty happy using GV.  However, Google only promise free US/Canada calls for 2011.  I was thinking what will happy next year and beyond.  Skype's $3 monthly charge seems acceptable for me.  If Google charges a higher monthly fee, I would like to reconsider.
For international calls, I am using Nonoh and VOIPRaider.  I also use callwithus.  They are all fine.  Do you know any company charge a reasonable monthly rate for US/Canada calls?

[PlugPBX Admin]

Greg:
Thank you for your reply.
Right now, I am pretty happy using GV.  However, Google only promise free US/Canada calls for 2011.  I was thinking what will happy next year and beyond.  Skype's $3 monthly charge seems acceptable for me.  If Google charges a higher monthly fee, I would like to reconsider.
For international calls, I am using Nonoh and VOIPRaider.  I also use callwithus.  They are all fine.  Do you know any company charge a reasonable monthly rate for US/Canada calls?

www.voip-info.org lists lots of providers, have a gander

OH lookie this... I have good news and Bad News on skype...

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/05/24/2010222/Microsoft-Kills-Skype-For-Asterisk

BUT there is speculation MS might kill the 'hack' and offer legit SIP access to the Skype cloud...time will tell...stay tuned...

[PlugPBX Admin]

Greg:
Thank you for your reply.
Right now, I am pretty happy using GV.  However, Google only promise free US/Canada calls for 2011.  I was thinking what will happy next year and beyond.  Skype's $3 monthly charge seems acceptable for me.  If Google charges a higher monthly fee, I would like to reconsider.
For international calls, I am using Nonoh and VOIPRaider.  I also use callwithus.  They are all fine.  Do you know any company charge a reasonable monthly rate for US/Canada calls?

Another interesting Skype Development with potential for ARM devicees like PlugPBX

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/06/02/1914250/Skype-Protocol-Has-Been-Reverse-Engineered

"One researcher has decided he wants to make Skype open source by reverse engineering the protocol the service uses. In fact, he claims to have already achieved that feat on a new skype-open-source blog. The source code has been posted for versions 1.x/3.x/4.x of Skype as well as details of the rc4 layer arithmetic encoding the service uses. While his intention may be to recreate Skype as an open source platform, it is doubtful he will get very far without facing an army of Microsoft lawyers. Skype is not an open platform, and Microsoft will want to keep it that way.""

[twinclouds]

Interesting.  However, it's a world where money dominates.  Anything FREE does not go very far.

[PlugPBX Admin]

Interesting.  However, it's a world where money dominates.  Anything FREE does not go very far.

Nothing is free

Google voice certainly is not free, nor is Skype. You are sharing resources to use Skype's resources, as an example. One simply chooses from the ratios of  how much time, money, and in the case of googles free services, how much privacy and confidentiality is paid for a 'free' product or service in return.

In my own case I choose to pay a small amount of money for a VOIP account. My telecom costs are around average 5-6 dollars a month with my usage patterns, and little privacy or time is wasted maintaining it, it just works. To each his own, when choosing what of those variables are paid out for a 'cheap' or 'free' service in return  

I'd rather be part of standards like SIP, IAX and the PSTN, Enum.164 DNS records etc, then skypes closed cloud  - where legitimate devices like the SheevaPlug have no ability to participate easily. So my own stance is, encourage open systems to grow, closed ones always bite you in the end