[asterisk-users] Digium IP Phones - Teleworker Capability?

asterisk users ast4774 at gmail.com
Thu Jun 14 16:57:47 CDT 2012


We couldn't see anything about this on the Digium site, but maybe
someone here can comment?

Do the new Digium phones provide good "teleworker" functionality?

The benchmark we're comparing against is the capabilities of Mitel
3300 IP systems  with Mitel 5330 IP phones (running their proprietary
MINET protocol), specifically:

a. A Mitel phone can be easily configured for teleworker mode (select
TW mode and the IP of the gateway server).  The phone reboots and it
is ready to be used (once the Mitel border gateway is set to recognize
the unit's ID, based on its MAC address, printed on the label on the
back of the phone).  If the phone gets reallocated back to a directly
connected office environment, a simple reset procedure brings it back.

b. You can plug in the phone virtually anywhere. It has a built-in
tunnelling mechanism providing end-to-end encryption and is very
tolerant of the network configuration, routers, NAT, etc.

c. If the link between the phone and the gateway goes down, the phone
will restore itself gracefully and automatically once the network
function resumes.  Absolutely hassle-free to the user.

d. Users can be configured to have hot-desk functionality.  The phone
has a default extension assigned, but the user can be set up so that
they can "log in" to their normal office extension number from
wherever they are.  Their office phone is automatically logged-out and
goes to its default extension when you log in to a teleworker phone
(you don't have to log out from it first).  Your phone buttons,
display settings, voicemail WMI and access, (everything) move to this
new phone, and you can work from your home office, on the road, etc.,
and inbound and outbound calls work just like you were there in the
office (callerid, etc).

These four features would be a big selling point for us to consider
moving our organization from Mitel to Digium/Asterisk/Switchvox.

How much of this can be done with Asterisk/Switchvox and, say, the
Digium D70 phone with dynamic button display?

Thanks for all comments!



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