[Asterisk-Users] just a few newbie questions

[Chris Lee]

asterisk at bortal.de wrote:
> Hello List!
> 
> I just read an article about asterisk, and i would like to ask a few
> questions to see if i understood the principle right.
> Reciving Calls:
> ---------------
> - To be able to recive calls, i need to have an VoIP-Provider.
No, You can use one but you could also install a hardware PSTN/ISDN card 
for receiving and making calls via your Telco
> - I need a Static IP, so that the VoIP-Provider can redirect the call to
> my office/asterisk server.- asterisk will then forward the call to my phone
If you want to receive calls via a VoIP provider it makes things easier 
if your address is static.
Otherwise you need to register your address with the providers system 
each time it changes, I dont think this is an automated feature of asterisk.
> 
> Making Calls:
> ---------------
> - To be able to make calls, i need to have an VoIP-Provider.
See Above a Hardware interface can do the trick
> - I need an account from a VoIP-Provider
If you want them to take your traffic.
> - A call from a Softphone/Office will be made to the asterisk server,
> which will then forward it to the VoIP Provider, which will then transfer
> it to the normal telephone network.
Yes, unless you have a hardware interface then it goes SoftPhone -> 
Asterisk -> Telco
> Correct to far?
> 
> Thanks, Mario
> 

Chris.