[Asterisk-Users] Billing (itemized) in the UK

[Peter Hoppe]

Solution found!

I connected a recording device to the line and called the same number (near London) from different 
devices. The recording I played into an audio editor (cool edit) and played the files with a program 
that could decode DTMF signals. The program then showed the numbers I dialed. Except for the 
recording from one or two devices (missed digit / double digit => audio not clean) with every 
device the dialled number was:

1666www<station_id>w<dialed_number>


The first tests failed because I tried a local number and we have least-cost-routing as well, so 
that 1666 only works with non-local numbers.

So many thanks for all your help, esp. Tim Robinson's comment which brought me on the right track! 
Also for those who gave me different dial commands - I will look into that. We should now be able to 
connect asterisk to the PSTN line and still get the itemized bills from our telco as before.

One post asked why we wouldn't move over to ISDN - the reason is that our analog lines have so far 
sufficed for us in every respect and I try to follow the maxime: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Peter



Peter Hoppe wrote:
> Thank you very much for the answers - I have hooked up a special adapter 
> and active loudspeaker on each of the three BT lines, but when I got a 
> line and dial a number I cannot hear any other digits than those I dial 
> - I would have expected something like seven DTMF bursts/digits 
> (16662xx) before my digits are audible. Near the pbx I have noticed a 
> small white box saying 'Smiths communications' and 'SC14' on the lid. 
> The box is connected to two cables - one to a power supply, the other is 
> a 4 pair telephone installation cable with 3 pairs connected. Next to 
> the box is a switch with some labels on it: one label says 'LINE 1'. The 
> other two labels describe the switch settings - 'SYSTEM' and 'A/PH MOD'. 
> I have the suspicion that the white box has something to do with the 
> billing and that it sends some fast data over one of the lines when an 
> outside call is initiated, but I am not sure. I'll continue to hunt.
> 
> I also asked the telecom provider but they were not very helpful and 
> couldn't (or didn't wish to)
> give me any information as to the technical details.
> 
> I'll hunt on...
> 
> P
> 
> 
> 
> Robinson Tim-W10277 wrote:
> 
>> You just need to do something like
>>
>> exten => _9.,1,Dial(Zap/g1/1666$CALLERIDNUM${EXTEN:1})
>>
>> You can also do some useful translations like
>>
>> exten => _9[2-8]XXXXXX,1,Dial(Zap/g1/1666$CALLERIDNUM0113${EXTEN:1})
>>
>> This will look for 9, then a local number beginning 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 , and
>> dial out the extension number, followed by the 0113 area code.
>>
>> You will need to make sure that 999 and 112 go direct to BT by using
>> another line in the extensions file. E.g.
>> exten => 9999,1,Dial(Zap/g1/999)
>> exten => 9112,1,Dial(Zap/g1/112)
>>
>> And probably
>> exten => 999,1,Dial(Zap/g1/999)
>>
>> Just to be on the safe side!
>>
>> You could also write a little macro to kick another user off their call
>> to allow the emergency call to get priority.
>>
>> There is just so much cool stuff you can do.  But do test well!
>>
>> Rgds
>> Tim
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
>> [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Peter
>> Hoppe
>> Sent: 25 November 2004 13:34
>> To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
>> Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Billing (itemized) in the UK
>>
>> If the protocol is correct, I could construct a dial command such as
>>
>> exten => _9.,1,Dial(Zap/g1/1666<ID>${EXTEN:1})
>>
>> or so - I would just need a way to construct <id> - and then any caller
>> from an inside device would just prepend a '9' before the real number. 
>> I probably would also bar
>> simple '9' dialling to get an outside line... lets see.
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> 
> 


-- 
There are 10 kinds of people in the world,
those who understand binary, and those who don't.