[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk - Connction to analog PBX?

[wasim at convergence.com.pk]

On Wed, 14 May 2003, Cory Vaughan wrote:

> I plan to have a support center in Bangladesh that is
> taking calls from american 1-800 numbers. They have
> Quintum VoIP switches which do the IAX and g.729 i
> think it is.

I really doubt Quintum does IAX. However, * supports G.729 natively now,
but you have to buy licenses at USD 15 per channel from digium. Besides
IAX is a VoIP protocol, G.729 is a codec. Minor difference.

> The thing is is that I dont have alot of money and I
> plan to take overflow and supervisor calls here in
> Plano Tx maybe 8 extensions.

* takes the cake in levelling the playing field for those with less $$$

> My question is after I set up Asterisk what do I stick
> in the box to connect to the 8 extensions. Also I 

Extensions can be standard analog phones (ala 2 x TDM400 FXS cards)  will
give you 8 extensions, or VoIP extensions to gnophone or someother SIP
client. I'd highly recommend VoIP extensions, simple, cost effective, and 
would make managing the Bangladeshi side easier.

But, remember, unless Quintum is providing you TDM<-->IP voice conversion,
you'll need to get a ZAPTEL interface ala T100P or something like that to
terminate incoming calls from regular phone users. And, if Quintum is 
doing that then you need to ensure you can do the SIP/G.729 with them 
effectively (ala, no NAT etc). 

> plan to use only a cable connection here in Tx.,
>  3 mbps/384kbps which I planned to use quintum with

okie, but just be vary of your upstream, congestion and latency, might 
help to do some tests on your link to verify everything will be hunky dory 
for VoIP (cause you don't want to loose your customers due to choppy 
voice)

> because they compress each channel to 15kbps but I
> dont know about asterisk whatits compression goes down
> to. With taht work for 8 extensions. And does anyone

again, * will work with G.729 which is ~8 kbps compression (but IP 
overheads will take this to about 15kbps) or GSM which is 13 kbps 
compressions (with IP overheads taking this to about 26 kbps)

> know of any good Sip Software for monitoring and
> gathering statistics?

* will monitor and gather all the statistics you want, or can be built to 
do that, SIP software on its own should not be doing this...

if you need any support in the region, we can help, afterall Bangladesh 
is only a short hop-skip away... and i always wanted to visit Dhaka

--
Mirza Wasim Baig | Principal Consultant | Convergence Business Systems PK
VOX: +92(51)282-0628 x7400 | FAX: +92(51)282-0621 | GSM: +92(300)850-8070