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<DIV><SPAN class=265530819-30062004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Look
at the 7905G phone from Cisco.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265530819-30062004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265530819-30062004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>TL</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-admin@lists.digium.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Michael
Blood, Matraex, Inc.<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, June 30, 2004 2:50
PM<BR><B>To:</B> asterisk-users@lists.digium.com<BR><B>Subject:</B>
[Asterisk-Users] Answering Service Agent Auto Login<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Hello
all,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>I am building a
software based on asterisk to handle incoming answering service
calls.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>I have one problem
that I have not been able to figure out a reasonably priced solution
to:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>The goal of this
software is to allow the agent to be able to do their entire job from the
desktop.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>The only thing
that seems to be a problem is getting the operator (agents) headset logged on
to the asterisk system using a computer command.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>(Meaning we don't
want them to have to touch the phone or a headset).</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>We have done most
everything else we need through the Manager API but this one has us
stumped. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>We need to use IP
Phones or some sort of IP based extensions for
flexibility.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Here are a few
things that we have conceptually tried.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Auto Answer:
We set up an IP Phone with Auto Answer turned on. Then when the operator
says that they will accept a call we route the call through to their phone and
Auto Answer picks it up.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Sounds like a
great fix but the only phones we can find with Auto Answer are more expensive
with lots of other features that will never be touched. (Cisco 7940 ...)
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>In fact we would
not even want the actual phone to be visible or usable to the operator.
It would be hidden or locked in a desk drawer with the head set cord coming
out of it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>So... a
phone with auto answer COULD work if we could find an inexpensive enough one
(less than $150 would be okay) any suggestions would be
great.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Agent Queue:
We setup an Agent Queue that the agent has to dial into at the beginning of
their shift. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>The problem here
again is that we do not want the agent to have to touch the phone
itself.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>The agent Queue
COULD work if we found a phone that we can program to automatically dial in to
the queue each time that the line was picked up. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Then we could put
some sort of headset on the phone which has an on off switch that allows the
agent to connect or disconnect the phone from the server.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>I just don't like
the fact that the operator would have to do both of those things.
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>I suppose the
computer could prompt them to make sure they turn on their headset and that
would work if there was no other solution.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Does anyone know
of a solution where I would be able to setup some sort of permanent connection
to the asterisk server via IP?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>I can't have a
dial tone in their ears constantly and I need to find a phone or solution
which is $150 or less (preferably under $100) per
workstation.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>How are existing
answering services dealing with this problem? (Maybe they don't use
IP?)</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Thanks for any
help or direction you can give me.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>Michael
Blood</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=915352313-30062004>PS. I have found
that the Grandstream Budgetone has auto answer on it but that it wont support
a headset for another 2 - 3 months (more likely 6-9) and I am looking for a
solution which will be ready in about 1 month.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=915352313-30062004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>