[asterisk-users] Doorphone vs. Grandstream BT101

[Dave Fullerton]

Jay Milk wrote:
> I've done all the googling I can on this, and have come to the 
> conclusion that a Grandstream BT101 can be abused to be a door phone.  
> Could someone with access to one, confirm that the following is possible?
> 
> Researched:
> 1. When set to auto-answer, dialing the phone will result in a short 
> beep and instant speaker-phone connection.
> 2. When pressing the "message" button while on-hook, the phone will 
> activate speaker-phone and dial the number configured for voice mail 
> retrieval.
> 
> Assumptions:
> 3. Pressing the "message" button additional times will simply be ignored 
> by the phone.
> 4. Hanging up the other end of the call will deactivate the speaker 
> phone and cause the phone to go on-hook. (This is the behavior I see on 
> a Polycom 430).
> 
> If the researched functions and my assumptions are correct, this phone 
> would make an ideal door-phone;  The message button becomes the 
> call-button, which rings every phone in the house until answered (for 
> intercom).  It could even take messages.  Listen-in on the door works 
> through the auto-answer feature.

Jay,

If my memory serves me your assumptions are correct. When the BT is set 
to auto-answer through the config you get a short warble-like sound and 
the phone goes into speaker mode (I'm using one for paging in that exact 
fasion). I'm pretty sure that if you are on-hook, pressing the message 
button will instantly place the call and go into speaker mode (if noone 
verifies this I'll try it this weekend). I don't know about #3. #4 is 
correct when the phone is set to auto-answer. If it is not on 
auto-answer the phone will play a busy signal when the other party hangs 
up which I always thought was kind of dumb.

-Dave