[Asterisk-ss7] My Take on the SS7

[Michael Blood]

> To me the reason I'd really like SS7 over PRI ISDN is that I would 
> really like to get the CPC data on incoming calls which PRI 
> ISDN cannot 
> do and thats it in total. 

I am not sure what _I_ would do with the CPC information in my case.  It may
be good to know where the call came from so that I can setup more cost
effective route in the future but Caller ID (number) seems good enough to
start. So simply converting the SS7 message to a PRI should be good enough.
If I can pass the caller ID information down to the Voip Subscribers that
would be the only reason I need it.
What do _you_ use the CPC information for?

> I think not many people need SS7 - maybe its not big/available in the 
> US?  Also normal businesses will get by fine with PRI ISDN 
> (they don't  want/need the CPC switch data).

It is the primary way to interconnect to the ILEC (at least Qwest in the
Northwest).  The cost of lines controlled by SS7 is only a fraction of PRIs
from Qwest or other providers.
 
> Markku Korpi's driver is not cheap for sure

Yes but it is certainly less money than most hardware solutions I have seen
out there. (Markku hasn't gotten back to me yet from my first email to him
so I am not even sure whether I will be able to get it if I want it)

> Best of luck!  When you are finished I you might want lots of 
> money for 
> your non-opensource SS7 software too! :)

I am not a greedy person but of course I wouldn't mind lots of money (That
is why I am in business).  Asterisk has helped us a ton and at very little
cost.  We might be able to give back depending on what it will end up
costing.  There is always a consulting / support income possibility even if
it is open sourced.  (I don't want to talk like it is done before I even
start though)