[Asterisk-Users] Paging & Intercom

[Rich Adamson]

> Having stuck my neck out and going for [*] for our new 
> sales office, (instead of upgrading a 
> Meridian-Nortel key system), one of the main concerns 
> remains the support (or lack thereof) of paging / 
> intercom functionality.  Maybe I am just missing somthing 
> elementary?  Here goes:
<snip>
> Here's the user classes:
> (1) regular user:  inexpensive GS BT100 may work.  
> (2) power user / manager
> (3) shared phones in public areas: i.e. kitchen, computer
> room
> (4) attendant
> 
> Using an old-style paging system is out of the question. 
> Paging must be supported through the hard phones.
> Any ideas?

Sounds like you've done a fair amount of research on the topic.
Comments:
1. broadcast intercom functions at the phone are typically associated 
with key systems, and not so much on pbx's. (There are several
key system functions that don't translate nicely into pbx use.)
2. old-style overhead paging can be accomidated through several
mechanisms including sound card, add-on modules, hard phone
patched into a PA system with audio cable, etc.
3. Cisco 7960's running v6 sip code does support an elementary
2-way intercom function (really just an extn with auto-answer), but
don't think it works if the user is on the phone already.

Its fairly obvious where each of those options tend to fit. But, I
don't know of any practical way to config * to do a one-way page
to 30 hard phones (as an example only) simultanously.

Given more detailed specifics, there probably is a way to address
just about anything one would want through AGI scripts, solid-state
FIFO voice recorders, add-on modules, etc, etc.