[Asterisk-Users] PBX / Asterisk integration

[Josh Howlett]

Hi all,

I regret that I don't know much about telephony as I'm a networking bod,
but here goes...

We are thinking about implementing a VoIP service so that staff and
students can make VoIP calls from home or using our wireless LAN on
campus.

Clearly, we would like it to integrate with our PBX so VoIP users can
talk to the PSTN as well.

We don't actually control the University's PBX, so it is highly
desirable that any changes to the PBX are very minimal!

We were thinking of setting up a single extension which is associated
with a huntgroup on the PBX that somehow connects (via an E1?) to the
Asterisk box.  If a user leaves his office he sets his extension to
re-direct calls to that extension number (or to re-direct on no-reply). 
The PBX would route the call to the asterisk huntgroup.  Asterisk would
"see" the original extension number called (assuming this is
possible!!), and (knowing which extension maps to which user to which IP
address) route the call to the user over the IP network.

I can handle the IP stuff without any problems.  My question is: is this
a possible/sensible approach to implementing this type of service?  If
not, what's a better solution?

TIA for any suggestions/comments, josh.

-- 
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Josh Howlett, Networking & Digital Communications,
Information Systems & Computing, University of Bristol, U.K.
'phone: 0117 928 7850 email: josh.howlett at bris.ac.uk
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