[Asterisk-Users] VoIP dialtone?

[Dan Austin]

This idea has been floating around in my head.  I don't think the
needed 'critical mass' has been reached, but I suspect at some
point a co-op style arrangement could be reached.

disclaimer:
	I have played with *, and am deploying Cisco Call Manager.
I don't see any technical reason why the following would not work,
but it is open for abuse, so there may be enough socio-political
reasons to not even try.

Ingredients:
	1.  A * server
	2.  A friend with an * server in another city/state/country
	3.  A way to locate like minded individuals/orginizations
	4.  Moderately over-built local PSTN connectivity

	Mix it together with a gentlemans agreement, or strongly
worded contract.  Co-ordinate or advertise local number ranges.


Problems:
	People looking to save ~$30 per line won't be thrilled to
order T1(s) to share with the co-op.
	Keeping a structured dial-plan to provide for reasonable
overlap without massive meltdowns.
	There are many businesses springing up to fill this void,
and they will be better suited to manage and grow the infrastructure.
	
I've watched the discussions about IAX/SIP service providers, and
most seem to be geared exclusively to the single user/line household.
I know a number of small businesses that would jump to a VoIP carrier
that allowed concurrent calls, heck my family has one.  And I suspect
that a number of the smaller/newer VoIP carriers might be entertaining
partnerships with their competitors whose footprint compliments their
own.

Oh, and let's not forget that the traditional carriers are not ignorant
of what is happening with VoIP or customer interest.  There is no doubt
that they are aware that if they don't find a way to deliver this service,
someone else will.

Dan (who, if he had a decent PSTN connected * box, would be willing to share)



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Ciholas [mailto:mikec at ciholas.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 3:42 PM
To: Ernest W. Lessenger
Cc: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] VoIP dialtone?



On Wed, 20 Aug 2003, Ernest W. Lessenger wrote:

> At 04:48 PM 8/20/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> 
> >Now, if that is possible, how does the VoIP dial tone provider
> >get my inbound local and toll calls?  I would want my "local"
> >phone number to work, of course.
> 
> You would need to redirect your local number to them. This
> ALWAYS assumes that the VoIP provider has a switch in your
> local CO or an agreement with someone who does. Vonage and
> Voicepulse, for example, do not have a presence in my area. I
> intend to maintain several POTS lines for incoming calls, and
> use a VoIP provider for all outgoing calls.

Oh well.  I'm would expect no one would have presence here.  
This sounds so suboptimal, you have to provision *two* systems,
one for inbound (local CO) and one for outbound (VoIP provider).  
Of course, the outbound can be just your internet connection, but 
this still seems annoying because most of the money is in the 
local CO service.

Hmm, perhaps *all* incoming calls can be toll free?  I would
maintain the one local CO POTS line for 911 out bound, and then
only use my toll free number for inbound.  For the money I would
save on local CO lines I can buy a *lot* of toll free minutes!  
Then the VoIP dial tone provider can route my toll free number to
me over the internet.  Presumably, then, there is no real limit
on the number of "lines" coming in.  It isn't hard coded like the
CO lines are.

This all seems pretty fanciful at the moment...

-- 
Mike Ciholas                            (812) 476-2721 voice
CIHOLAS Enterprises                     (812) 476-2881 fax
2626 Kotter Ave, Unit D                 mikec at ciholas.com
Evansville, IN 47715                    http://www.ciholas.com


_______________________________________________
Asterisk-Users mailing list
Asterisk-Users at lists.digium.com
http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users